While the definition of comic book movies has become rather rigid these days, there was a time, not too long ago, when studios were adapting objectively daring material. This was the era of Ghost World, based on the graphic novel by Daniel Clowes; two years later, we got American Splendor, based on the semi-autobiographical work of the underground comics artist Harvey Pekar. These weren’t fringe movies; they were headlined by the likes of Scarlett Johanssonand Paul Giamatti. About a decade later, fans of a cult French comic watched mainstream audiences react in awe to its acclaimed film adaptation. That adaptation is now enjoying a resurgence on home video.
