Comic books have been fodder for the silver screen since the Superman serials of the 1940s. The Man of Steel and Batman long sustained the genre, which exploded with the X-Men and Spider-Man franchises. Now second-tier Marvel crime buster Iron Man is creating surprise super-buzz, and Hollywood is scouring secret lairs for other less famous but cool comic book characters who deserve movie immortality. Hey, look no further: We’ve got your super cheat sheet!
She-Hulk
First appeared: The Savage She-Hulk #1 (Marvel) 1980
Origin: Hulk smash! She-Hulk sexy! A blood transfusion from Bruce Banner lends his cousin similar anger-management issues, green skin, and superhuman D-cups.
Movie potential: When not tossing 18-wheelers across state lines, She-Hulk is a lawyer who handles superhero cases. That’s cameo gold!
Hollywood identity: Jessica Biel and Katherine Heigl should Jell-O wrestle for the role…or just for exercise!
Luke Cage
First appeared: Hero for Hire #1 (Marvel) 1972
Origin: Framed for heroin possession, the former Carl Lucas was subjected to prison experiments that bestowed super-strength and bullet-bouncing skin.
Movie potential: Though Cage is now an Avenger (and bald), his ’70s blaxploitation roots, when he sported an Afro, squashed Harlem loan sharks, and shouted, “Sweet Christmas!” is ripe for retro treatment.
Hollywood identity: Start lifting again, Will Smith. You can totally rock that tiara and yellow blouse.
Captain Canuck
First appeared: Captain Canuck #1 (Comely) 1975
Origin: A Royal Canadian Mountie absorbs powers from aliens, dons maple-leaf-emblazoned Spandex, and battles evil in a near future where Canada is—get this—one of the world’s most powerful nations.
Movie potential: C.C. protects the border from an invasion…of Whopper-inhaling Americans, eh?
Hollywood identity: Keep it Canadian with Keanu!
Black Widow
First appeared: Tales of Suspense #52 (Marvel) 1964
Origin: This former KGB superagent not only defected but proved her love for the West by hooking up with Iron Man, Hawkeye, Hercules, and Daredevil. Foreign chicks, huh?
Movie potential: All this femme fatale needs is a license to kill, plenty of ammo, and John Woo.
Hollywood identity: We’d watch Jessica Alba read the phone book, so imagine her battling baddies and seducing villains. You just did.
Nixon
First appeared: Hard Boiled #1 (Dark Horse) 1990
Origin: The star of the ultraviolent graphic novel is an android programmed to think he’s a tax collector—until his wiring snaps and brain-splattering hell breaks loose.
Movie potential: The brainchild of Sin City’s Frank Miller and The Matrix’s Geof Darrow. ’Nuff said.
Hollywood identity: Killing machine with midlife crisis? Somebody get Nic Cage the right hairpiece, stat!
The Sandman
First appeared: The Sandman #1 (D.C.) 1989
Origin: Head off to never-never land with the Maker of Dreams as he navigates the legends of humanity’s collective unconscious (courtesy of author Neil Gaiman).
Movie potential: The comic that launched 1,000 goths is tailor-made for Tim Burton.
Hollywood identity: Jonathan Rhys-Meyers has the brooding prettyboy thing down.