I don't know why I prefer adaptations of graphic novels to film as opposed to comic books. Actually I do. Perhaps becaus a graphic novel is not as well known as a comic book, the creators don't have to be as wed to 'canon' as insisted and can have creative liberty in a way that the MCU refuses to let you.

American Splendor never lets you forget that it's based ona graphic novel and yet somehow I kept forgetting it. That's because Harvey Pekar is an ordinary man who lives an ordinary life and becomes famous for being, ordinary. Honestly that's more relatable than the latest burst from the Snyder verse. I was already much an admire of Paul Giamatti before American Splendor came out but this film cemented him in the role of Harvey Pekar. What does it say that the real Harvey is in this movie - and Giamatti seems more authentic?

The enitre cast is just as good: this may be the first time I became aware of Hope Davis who is just as great an actress as Giamatti as an actor and, naturally, far less famous. (Roger Ebert actually said her work as Joyce was superior to Giamatti's.) This film would have been by choice for a Best picture nomination ahead of Seabiscuit in 2003 (the other four were all certifiable classics)

I've now seen five great movies that are adaptations of little known graphic novels during the era of the 2000s: this film, Ghost World, Road to Perdition, History of Violence and From Hell. In the case of Perdition and Violence they are superior to the source material, in my opinion. Splendor is the most direct adaptaion in a sense but its also the most fun