Some of the most iconic characters ever dreamed up began as comics or graphic novels and have led the way for modern cinema. Beginning with 1978’s “Superman: The Movie”, popular comic book characters and storylines have been adapted into successful films, leading to the rise of the superhero genre and such blockbusters as “The Dark Knight” and “Marvel’s The Avengers” series. Beyond superhero stories, various graphic novels have been adapted into films that explore different genres and themes. Examples include “Watchmen”, “V for Vendetta”, “Sin City”, and “300”. We will examine all of these diverse stories and characters.