I have to say, this is the first time in a decade plus of writing Comics2Film where I’ve switched my answer from “nah” to “mmmmmaybe.”

Raju, who is covering the Toronto International Film Festival and it’s superhero entries Super and Griff the Invisible,  was pointing to the weak box office generated by Kick-Ass and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World as the latest evidence.

Scott Pilgrim Gets Knocked Out

While I wouldn’t call Kick-Ass a failure of any kind, I’d definitely score Scott Pilgrim in the “bitter disappointment” column. And I mean that only in terms of the lack of reception for what is one of the liveliest, most enjoyable films of the year so far.

But as I told Raju, you can expand the window all the way back to the end of 2008 and what we have is now a fairly long string of comic book movie duds. That’s the time frame when Punisher: War Zone became the third failed attempt by Marvel to launch their film-friendly vigilante.  Hot on the heels of that was Frank Miller’s under-appreciated The Spirit, which was too weird for the average moviegoer and too Frank Miller for fans of Will Eisner’s classic comic.

Then came 2009, and with it: Watchmen. Zack Snyder’s equally gallant  and foolish attempt to bring the ground-breaking graphic novel to the big screen fell far short of the massive hype and anticipation that preceded it. 2009′s other comic book movies? Astro Boy, Whiteout, Dragonball Evolution and Surrogates.

It’s a pretty sad year for the comic book movie when the sole winner is the lackluster X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

This year? Throw  Jonah Hex and The Losers on the compost heap along with the aforementioned indie darlings. Marvel wins again with Iron Man 2, a box-office titan, however unworthy of the original.

So is it the end for comic book movies? Mmmmmaybe, but nah. It’s a slump.

The mysterious shunning of Scott Pilgrim aside, Hollywood might do better to look beyond superhero fare to other comics that are out there. It could be that we’re having our fill of heroic action adventure but I think it’s more about quality than any trends.

If Green Lantern and Thor are great movies, then people will embrace them.

Check out the Toronto Star article for commentary from myself along with Cameron Stewart and Mark Askwith.

That’s it. No story.

Not sure who else sits on the Forum. I know my buddy, local comic writer Paul D. Storrie is the one who referred me to the museum folks, so he’s on the panel for sure.

So anyhow, if you’re in Dearborn, stop by and pose some tough questions to us at the forum, check out “Spider-Man 3″ on the HUGE screen, and then swing by Green Brain Comics because Saturday is Free Comic Book Day!

The movie looks coooooooooooooooooool.

I ran out to Best Buy to grab a copy of the DVD so I can watch the movie again before our chat. Now…I didn’t know it until I got into the store, but Best Buy has an exclusive version of the deluxe edition. Their’s has special 3D Lenticular artwork on the front.

It’s the same image as the normal deluxe edition, with Batman looming in the dusk and a swarm of bats beneath him. However, when you look at lenticular art straight on you only see the swarm of bats. Then, as you tilt it, the bats form into the image of Batman. It’s quite cool

…except…

The rocket scientists at Best Buy glued a price sticker right ON the lenticular art. In addition, they didn’t bother to shrink-wrap the deluxe DVD sets. So, the cool, exclusive, Best Buy-only artwork is automatically defaced before you even pick it up off the shelf.

Don’t they know about comic fans? We like our stuff MINT, baby!

I did try to peel the sticker off, but it just left a smear of sticky glue and torn paper residue behind.

What is the point of having a cool exclusive, and then damaging it like that?

I asked a blue shirt if he had any that weren’t “defaced” so, but he said they all came from HQ like that.

So I moved on the Circuit City and bought one there. It didn’t have he lenticular art, but they do give you an exclusive “lithograph” with your purchase.

OK…it’s a piece of crap, but at least they didn’t break it over their knee before handing it to you.

Overnight, “Vote for Pedro” is now he #1 search term bringing people to Thanator. Specifically, it’s the elusive “Vote For Pedro” font that has piqued the interest of so many web surfers.

This shall not stand! I demand…demand people stop coming here searching for the “Vote for Pedro” font! I shall never reveal yon Pedro Font unto thee!

You will pay for this, Pedro.

Oh yes…

You…will…paaaaaaaaay.