Comic books, also called as graphic novels, are usually a bound collection of comic strips that tell a particular story or a set of stories. The stories take the form of a narrative placed in separate panels that represent individual scenes. These artworks contain dialogues that are placed typically in word balloons. The story may be humorous, or it may also deal with fantasy, adventure, and mystery. Meanwhile, comic book publication today is a multibillion-dollar industry. Famous comic book characters take center stage as more and more film adaptations of graphic novels are released by each year. Today, one may enjoy watching these great comic book/adventure films by surfing the Internet to watch free online movies.

The first comic books came out in 1933 as an advertising medium. Copies of newspaper comic strips and books were reprinted in 1935 and distributed to a larger number of people. On the other hand, comic books became a hit for the military troops stationed abroad. The soldiers use comics as a means of entertainment to briefly escape from all the harsh realities of wartime conditions.

During the 1960s, comic books with adventure themes became popular, especially among teenagers. In the late 20th century, Japanese comic books, more commonly known as manga, became widely popular in the western world. High school and college students say that manga gave a new breath of life to traditional comic strips and that their characters have more variations and appealing designs.

Furthermore, renowned movie review website recently released its list of the top three comic book movies of all time. Third on the list is Richard Donner’s Superman (1978). People say that this original Superman will always be the best in the franchise. Superman is about Clark Kent’s journey of becoming a superhero. Clark is actually from the planet Krypton and the only surviving member of his kind. Because of his unique genetic makeup, he gains superhuman abilities when exposed to the light of a yellow star.

Second on the list is Spider-Man 2. This sequel was released in 2004 and became an instant hit worldwide. Peter Parker showed here that even though he already established himself as New York’s best defender, he still had a hard time paying his monthly bills and allotting enough time for work and his loved ones. Peter’s struggle with balancing his duties as a superhero and dealing with his personal life’s day-to-day problems made this comic book film one of the most engaging movies in recent cinematic memory.

Topping the list is Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight which was released in 2008. It was a comic book film that was full of suspense and tragedy, coupled with phenomenal special effects and costume designs. The dark plot of the movie resonates among the audience. The movie’s actions seem to pull the viewers into the screen. The late Heath Ledger gave an exceptional acting performance which made him won the 2009 Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. If you want to see this movie and the others listed above, you may visit some websites to watch free online movies.