Planet Griffin's Top Ten Movies That Move On Paper: Comics Undreamt Of ! Pt.1

Fellow NEXT 100 man Samax Amen from GhettoManga and I held a brief twitter discussion not too long ago detailing a project he's working on called '100 Movies That Should Be Made Into Comics'. Now, those who know me knows that I am a cinephile like NO other, so when he offered an invite into the subject, it became an offer that I couldn't refuse! Toiling away deep into the bowels of PLANET GRIFFIN LABS, it didn't take long to come up with a HUGE list of ideas to draw from ( a whole 5 minutes to boot! ). From this list, I've narrowed it down to 10--- But it's a 10 you would never expect
( Well, knowing me, you might)--- Let's generate some excitement, shall we...?

The DEAD OR ALIVE trilogy from the legendary Japanese Shockmeister himself, TAKASHI MIIKE--- A violent whirlwind of celluloid (and I mean just that--- the 5 minute opening of the first film alone will leave you exhausted! ), booming in deafening stereo starring V-cinema superstars RIKI TAKEUCHI and SHOW AIKAWA. Miike gives us not one, but THREE VARIATIONS of a tale revolving around two badasses--- the irresistable force meets the immoveable object--- caught in a seemingly eternal good versus evil battle to determine once and for all

who is the master! Miike himself admits to attempting ' A V-cinema version of Michael Mann's HEAT ( In Japan, V-cinema is Video, or B movie here ) --- crammed into a 3 week shoot! DEAD OR ALIVE is a kick ass high involving AIKAWA (always pictured on the right) as a Major Crimes Detective relentlessly dogging the heels of Master Criminal RIKI ( Big haired and scowling on the left ), attempting to take over Japan's vice rackets by any and all means... By the end, you find that NO ONE is spared between these two, and then there's that ending... I can't spoil it here, but you'll definitely find yourself caught in a serious 'WTF' moment, as your craving actually outpaces your high, leaving you wanting MORE! A true comic come to life!

DEAD OR ALIVE 2: BIRDS continues the rivalry, only at a slower pace as the two men are 'reincarnated' as hitmen on opposite sides of the same contract--- only to find out later that they are in fact old classmates from back in the daze, as well as targets from a mob that seeks to
make them dead... But are they actually alive to begin with...?!

Which brings us to DEAD OR ALIVE FINAL, which hurls us into an odd apocalyptic future--- this time, AIKAWA is a self aware replicant-on-the-run (yes, I said that right), being doggedly pursued by Cock-of-the-Copwalk detective RIKI! It's all kind of kung-fu and gun-fu in this somewhat hodge-podge of a final film that finally give you a DEFINITIVE finish between these two (again, I won't spoil the ending to those who haven't seen it--- the only hint you've got is in the poster).

To a creator, this is a world undreamed of! The idea of mutliple storylines like these are nothing new ( Hong Kong's INFERNAL AFFAIRS trilogy serves as example), especially in comics--- but then again, most mainstream houses wouldn't dare touch such material in the manner that's presented here... ( Unless it's followed by Vertigo or MAX, and even then, they would balk before trying ) In independent hands with a little rewrite, you literally have the keys to a kingdom that's STILL ahead of its time!

PLANET GRIFFIN is only getting started, folks! Next up--- Number 9!