Superheroes In Glasgow

International box office figures are booming thanks to caped crusaders, web-slingers and men of steel, meaning that the superhero film is now a well established modern genre. With their cinematic presence still on the increase (2011 will see the release of the Green Hornet, The Green Lantern and Thor, to name only the classic heroes making it to the screen), Glasgow Film Festival 2011 is giving over an entire strand of the festival to the celebration of these men in tights, ‘Superheroes in Glasgow’. Curated by none other than Mark Millar, the writer of Kick-Ass and, incidentally, the biggest selling British comic book writer of the last decade, an honour he achieved with both Marvel and DC landmark titles such as The Ultimates and Civil War. Given his Glasgow residency it was a no brainer that the festival, now in its 7th year, turned to Millar with the plan “to do a comic festival WITHIN the February film festival this year”.

Since then the man behind the comics magazine CLiNT, has been busily working with the Glasgow festival programming team to create a unique event that will look into the immersing world of comic book movies and graphic novel adaptation. Of course this wouldn’t be a film festival without the films and several gems are on the itinerary here, with Battle Royale 3D and a chance to watch the Richard Donner cut of Superman II potential highlights. But Millar promised a comic festival, after all, and he has not disappointed. Using his little black book of industry contacts he’s also bringing some of the biggest names in the comic book world to the Glasgow Film Theatre.

Over the festivals duration several workshops and talks will give visitors an insight into the hybrid world where art meets literature and how, when the studios come calling, the adaptation process takes place. Indeed, acclaimed Glasgow based duo Metaphrog will be discussing just that as the authors of the Louis graphic novel series illustrate how media comes and goes from the comic book form, whether page to screen or vice versa. Also giving a workshop will be Frank Quitely who has frequently collaborated with Grant Morrison on such titles as Batman & Robin and All Star Superman. The latter being a stripped down retelling of the Kryptonian’s origin story which was so successful that an animated feature has been adapted for release this February.

The big names don’t stop there, with the opportunity to listen to the trials and tribulations of artist and writer Dave Gibbons who is probably best known for his collaborations with Alan Moore. The titles produced by the pair include the Superman arc For the Man Who Has Everything and the Citizen Kane of graphic novels, Watchmen (of which Gibbons served as a consultant on the Zack Snyder’s 2009 adaptation). There's also a workshop with Millar himself looking at the art of writing for graphic novels, a must see event for budding graphic novelists, film fans, webheads or just anyone who has had mild fantasies of being a costumed crime fighter..

The annual Glasgow Film Festival will run from 17 to 27 February 2011 at venues across the city.