Without a doubt Batman Begins is the big summer comic book movie. Marvel’s Fantastic Four (not the low budget Corman version… which may turn out to be a better movie), directed by the guy who did Barbershop will be a blip on the radar (let’s face it, The Incredibles has already done it better than they can ever hope to).

However, the award for the most concienciously adapted comic movie for the year, if not ever, will go to Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller’s Sin City. Adapted from Miller’s comics, this will be one of the most abmitous artistic projects of the year, not to mention one of the most star studded. Rumor is that they used Miller’s comic books as the direct story boards.

So my suggestion is check out the film noir, Chiaroscuro (an Italian cinema term for light and dark), inspired art and then watch this trailer (or if you’re feeling lazy, just keep the charater to the left in mind when you see Bruce Willis). All I can say is wow.

update (3/9): I’m apparently a visionary. Yahoo Movies just set up a site for Sin City that does a side by side art to image comparison. It’s pretty amazing… take a look.