Adapt this comic

Two things led me to this idea. First is simply the sad boring state of the movies today. And second is the continuing coverage of the film adaptation of Watchmen, the most highly regarded comic book of all time.

The comic book I would love to see someone try and adapt is Grant Morrison's Doom Patrol. I already wrote a bit here about his amazing series The Invisibles, but that story has to actual function as a comic for a number of reasons. If someone tried to make a film out of Doom Patrol it would undoubtedly be one of the most original and outrageous films made that year. Doom Patrol is a classic superhero team story. The team features Cliff Steel, a man trapped in a robot body (who later learns even his brain is machinery and begins to question the nature of identity.) It also features Crazy Jane, a schizophrenic who has different super powers for each of the dozens of identities in her head. The third member of the team is Remus, a half man half woman hermaphrodite covered in bandages and housing a "negative energy spirit." Other significant supporting characters included a sentient roadway named Danny The Street.

It was weird stuff.

The storyline and villains were even weirder beginning with a showdown with a character named Red Jack who claimed to be god and Jack the Ripper. One of my favorite story lines had the DP battling the Brotherhood of Dada. Dada and surrealism were major influences on this comic book as well as other sources such as Czech animator Jan Svankmeyer and William Burroughs.

The effects budget bringing a story like this to the screen would be substantial, and the audience appeal is admittedly a bit limited. But still who out there has the guts to try and pull off a truly ambitious comic adaptation? Consider this a challenge!