Ten Awesome Comic Book Moments in Media

Comic Books have fully saturated mainstream media. Everyone wants a comic book something because they make all the money everywhere always. So with a glut of content, is it possible to rise above it all? To stand above the sea of... stuff. Well if you read the title, then you'll know that, yes, it is. Here are ten awesome comic book moments from all of media -- not just comic books. The order of awesome-ocity can be debated, but we can all agree they kick so much ass. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="354"] Not Included[/caption]

10. The Ending Scene of Batman Begins

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6TmhHAsvwg Batman Begins kicked off some of the best Batmanning in a while. It was a take that washed away the sour taste of Clooney Batman and His Nipple-y Technicolor Adventure and got people excited about Batman again. However, it's the last two minutes or so that really hit hard. It so simply sets up a whole new Batman world, a dark and gritty Gotham back when dark and gritty weren't buzzwords that made you instinctively vomit in your mouth. Coupled with the badass, very Batman exchange of: "I never got to thank you!" "And you'll never have to.", it makes for a chills-inducing comic book moment.  

9. Cyclops Unleashed

Cyclops gets a lot of shit. He's a boy scout (well, was, I suppose), stuffy, and kind of a dick. It seems like most writers don't know how to handle him either, making him a crooked authoritarian or a fervent militia leader. However, Joss Whedon knows how to write him. And write him he did. In Astonishing X-Men, a broken down Sentinel attacks the school. It's taking too long to bring it down, so with his student's lives on the line, Scott takes off his visor and opens his eyes...  

8. Iron Man's Entrance in Avengers

http://youtu.be/NcdqMhhzNN4?t=1m As Captain America and Loki have a colorful fight on the ground, it looks like The God of Mischief has the upper hand on the super soldier, but then AC/DC starts playing over a gunship's PA, announcing the arrival of a rich guy in power armor. It's weird to read, you just have to watch it.  

7. Train Fight in Spider-Man 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z00fTwhmYX0 Spider-Man 2 is one of the best comic book movies ever made (and has one of the best comic book video games). It's filled with great spider action, but it also delves into what makes a hero and what really is the greater good. Plus, Spider-Man was all kinds of my jam back then, so this holds a special place in my heart. Above is the extended version of the fight, which is just more goodness on the great pile. The scene after this, where he stops the train, is also just as awesome, and because I'm a kind and benevolent author I'll put it down below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYOYewO_Veg  

6. Silver Surfer Philosophizes

If you haven't read Silver Surfer: Requiem, do it now. Even you're not a fan of  superheroes, do it. Do it now. It's great. Fantastic writing and even better art. Give. It. A. Shot. Silver Surfer, the character, has always been a cosmic philosopher. His book contain as much pondering the universe as it does traveling the universe. No more so than in the limited series Requiem. Here, he shares some of his pondering with Spider-Man, who attempts to convince him of the good in people. The whole exchange is awesome, look it up!  

5. V's Revolutionary Speech

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKvvOFIHs4k While not as good as the graphic novel, and having been taken up as the banner of some of the least active activists I know, V for Vendetta is still an above average movie. Good, some would say. This speech is one of the best in the movie, and remember, it's a movie filled with grand speeches. V's eloquent words backed by the great music and the urgency added by the government's forces scrambling to shut him down. Such an awesome moment.  

4. Superman Saves a Plane

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7LwYWinYdQ Superman Returns had it's flaws. Boy did it ever. But I think it's biggest flaw was being average. In a genre where you always have to go bigger, Returns just kinda stayed the same. Which is weird, because this scene where he saves a plane is one of the best Superman moments maybe ever. Despite it's one weird logic problem (wouldn't he know not to steer with the wing? Maybe he was just rusty from being gone for so long), this scene does almost everything right from the directing to the always amazing John Williams score. Oh, and the only other memorable moment in the movie gets an honorable mention too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2gQo-0VW5c  

3. Nightcrawler Runs for Office

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xqscmh_x-men-2-clip-whitehouse-attack_shortfilms Two Brian Singer movies in a row?! Well the man does something right. X2: X-Men United is one of the top ten best comic book movies ever made. It's filled with such badass set pieces and so many memorable fights, that you can watch over and over. And I have. This fight in particular, wherein Nightcrawler takes down the secret service by himself, is the first scene of the movie. WHAT AN OPENER! The music, the action, the effects, the directing. All top notch.  

2. Wonder Woman Busts Outta Da Joint

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxSUXIurI-8 Wonder Woman, outside of the comics, has been grossly under represented. However, it does seem to be a risky proposition as most writers seem to struggle to find a balance with her. If they feel the need to make her "badass" they show her as an overly violent, blood lusting warrior or if they try to show any femininity it comes out as some kind of over-sexed fan service moment. Here is one of the few exceptions. In Justice League, the Thanagarians have invaded Earth and captured the Justice League. It's Wonder Woman who breaks them out, and leads the League on a one way trip to Kick Ass Town (it's more of a hamlet). It strikes a perfect combination of feminine whiles and tempered warrior, which makes for one hell of a moment.  

1. The Birth of Batman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6K1qNsE9v0 I've mentioned it many times before, but Batman: The Animated Series is one my most favorite things ever, so maybe I'm biased. I'd put it's movie, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, up against pretty much every other Batman movie. It holds up to this day. To any day. And in a sea of grand moments, this one stands out among them. Where to begin? I mean. The way it builds, the somber setting, Alfred shrinking back in fear, Batman and his Bat Glare. But the most powerful thing for me? The moment Alfred hands over the mask, that all powerful theme blasts in. That's it. That's the moment Batman is born. The music only builds from there, only getting better, and never lets up. Batman has begun. I get mega chills every time I watch this. Every time. Do you know how many times I've seen this? 40 or 50 maybe. More if you include just watching the movie. It's powerful, one of the most powerful comic book moments in all of mainstream media.