Frank Miller's Goddamn Justice League Movie

A good portion of comics fandom is currently up in arms thanks to this little piece of rumor and innuendo from the comics internet’s premier home for rumor and innuendo, Bleeding Cool. Apparently, a couple of poorly disguised market researchers wandered into a local comics shop asking the clientele various questions meant to gauge general geek interest in prospective big screen adaptations of DC Comics. One of those questions concerned the prospect of a Justice League movie with Frank Miller’s name attached to it in some capacity. Now, I touched upon DC and Warners’ crippling incompetence and overall inability to successfully adapt any of their iconic properties not named Batman to the big screen in my post about the company’s mishandling of Superman, but this episode – if true – might just sum up their overall ineptitude in that area even better than such laughable film missteps as Superman Returns and Greens Lantern already do. Why do I find this story so funny?



For starters, I’m still amazed that Warners remains hung up on the idea of launching a Justice League movie before successfully getting any of their individual superhero franchises off the ground. Seriously, is there anything in DC/WB’s recent history that suggests they’d be able to pull off the ridiculously hard juggling act involved with a superhero team movie – one that involves giving each character their due and ample screen time, establishing the group’s dynamic and building up a proper antagonist, all while telling a compelling story that does – pardon the pun – justice to the DC Universe’s biggest icons? Joss Whedon just barely pulled it off in the Avengers movie, and he had the benefit of five prequel films, not to mention Marvel’s Studio’s exemplary taste and organization. How delusional does Warners have to be to think they can do the same without any of the legwork Marvel put into their billion dollar team-up movie?

Apparently very delusional, if they are seriously considering having Frank Miller attached to the project in any capacity. While there’s no doubt Miller is one of the greatest and most important creators to ever work in superhero comics, there’s also no doubt from his modern works like The Dark Knight Strikes Again, All Star Batman and Robin, Holy Terror and the bat-shit insane film adaptation of The Spirit that Miller is far, far gone down the rabbit hole of his own eccentricities, stylistic quirks and wacky beliefs. His treatment of DC’s superhero properties in DKSA and All Star Bats is ample evidence that he doesn’t give a rat’s ass about these characters, to the point where he’s completely comfortable shitting all over them. And if DKSA and All Star weren’t enough proof that Miller has no problem defiling highly revered iconic characters, just look at his directorial debut: Miller took the most iconic comic book creation of his supposed greatest influence and hero, Will Eisner, and crafted a movie that had as much to do with Eisner’s The Spirit as Leprechaun 2 has to do with Irish culture.

Don’t get me wrong – I still love Miller’s work. These days, I just love it the same way you’d love your crazy old uncle. Even awash in his worst and most troubling obsessions and stylistic pitfalls, Miller’s incredible artistic talent and singular voice is still present in his weirdest modern projects. But the thought of DC handing its premier superhero franchise over to this guy, especially considering his recent track-record in both comics and film? It’s so completely insane that, as someone who holds these characters dear to my heart, I have to laugh to keep from screaming in rage.

And you know what the sad thing is? I’d definitely plop down my hard-earned money to see Miller’s Justice League movie, if only because the train-wreck would be too damn interesting and horrific to miss.


That’s it for now. I have a lot on the plate this week between regular work, new opportunities and the band, so tonight’s rant will be shorter than usual. With any luck I’ll have more time tomorrow.