Marvel’s “Ant-man” had something viewers haven’t seen enough of in recent comic book films: comedy. This should come as no surprise when you consider that Edgar Wright of “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz” wrote the story. Paul Rudd and “Anchorman” co-creator Adam McCay were even brought on to punch up the jokes and ultimately earned co-writing credits.
These comedians add a big breath of fresh air to the comic book film genre, which has become a bit of an overly serious slog in the past few years. Even the Avengers, who are usually known for their witty repartee, couldn’t conquer the dreary plotting of “Age of Ultron.” So hopefully “Ant-man” is the first of many action comedies because there are a ton of hilarious comic books that are ripe for a big screen conversion. Here are just a few laugh-out-loud comics that are ready for their cinematic debut:
“The Ambiguously Gay Duo”
Okay, so it’s not technically a comic book, but Robert Smigel’s “The Ambiguously Gay Duo” could be an amazing superhero film. Although most people probably remember the cartoon shorts from “Saturday TV Funhouse,” which aired during “SNL” in the late ’90s, the characters actually appeared a few years earlier on “The Dana Carvey Show.” And did you know that the main characters, Ace and Gary, were voiced by none other than Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert? How could that not be funny? This animated film would be a dream come true for comedy lovers. But a live-action cast, like the one in the 2011 episode of “SNL” hosted by Ed Helms, would be good too.
“Hawkeye”
Since first joining the Avengers in 1965, Hawkeye has been the black sheep of the group. He doesn’t wear an impenetrable iron suit or turn into an unstoppable green monster when he’s angry. He’s basically a regular guy who is talented with a bow and arrow. The first “Avengers” movie introduced Hawkeye only to completely relegate him to the sidelines. And although “Age of Ultron” added some much-needed depth to the character, no film has yet to capture the pure joy that is Matt Fraction’s run of “Hawkeye” comics. Although there’s still plenty of action to go around, this story is really about what it’s like to be a superhero with a lot of downtime. Turns out you end up eating a lot of really good BBQ. The characters have unique and hilarious voices with their self-deprecating humor and the story doesn’t take itself too seriously. So, the movie version should keep Jeremey Renner in the title role and let him get weird.
“Archie”
“Archie” comics have been around since the ’40s, but it was only this year that someone finally got around to updating the story for a modern audience. Written by Mark Waid and drawn by Fiona Staples, the new “Archie” is all about the high school melodrama of the titular character and his friends: Betty, Veronica and Jughead. Gone are the one-note jokes and puns that characterize the first 666 comic books in the series. The new Archie is a wide-eyed millennial who falls in love with every girl who crosses his path, but Waid and Staples put a clever and hilarious spin on a well-worn story. The new “Archie” does for the old “Archie” what “Clueless” did for Jane Austen’s “Emma.” Too bad Paul Rudd and Alicia Silverstone can’t be 16 again.
