In 1986 DC comics published a 12 issue limited series called Watchmen. Being a huge fan of comics in general, this series completely destroyed everything I thought I knew about the concept of super heroes. The gritty, noir-like tale was a major hit and struck a chord with fans and critics.
One thing though… unlike a number of other comic franchises, Watchmen was a comic that no one believed could ever be brought to the screen without losing a great deal of what made it so fantastic.
Zack Snyder, he of 300 fame, completely dispels any notion that Watchmen would fail as cinema. The Red Queen and I caught it today at the local theater and I was blown away by how closely it followed the original material and how well it translated into film.