This movie follows the adventures of Don Swan (Mark Hamill) as he desperately tries to maintain the integrity of his favorite comic book character (Commander Courage) before a movie studio destroys the character's good image in favor of a more violent, aggressive one.
Commander Courage (a fictional character created by Hamill) was supposedly a patriotic superhero inspired by the bombing of Pearl Harbor to fight against the Axis. His powers were granted by an Indian shaman named the White Wolf. His nephew became his sidekick, Liberty Lad.
The movie studio has no interest in Swan's idealistic character. They want the updated, anti-terrorist vigilante portrayed in the current comic series (once again, fictional). This new character never reveals his face, nor does he even have a secret identity. Instead of his nephew, this new hero is accompanied by a sexy young woman with many weapons, Liberty Lass.
This movie is a David and Goliath struggle between Swan defending the history behind a great character, while the studio feels that the modern way is the only way to make a profit. I felt that this is a very relevant theme for all of the comic book fans who cringe when they watch as a movie adaptation of their favorite hero is not accurate at all. For example, I remember rumors in the late 1990s about a possible Superman movie in which Superman would be portrayed as a human with a strong desire for justice through vengeance. As a dedicated fan of DC Comics, I would be disappointed if a movie did not portray the Man of Steel as an alien who was adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent, fights for justice as well as mercy, and (most importantly) never takes the life of another human being. That is what Swan's quest to keep Commander Courage authentic is all about; keeping the icon characters true to their roots is all that studios need to do. There is no need to change the original formula.
The movie is filmed similar to a documentary, with Swan and the other characters interacting with other fans at the Comic Con International, which is sure to bring smiles to any fan-boy or fan-girl who has attended a comic convention. The icing on the cake has to be the celebrity appearances by many legendary comic book creators.
Commander Courage (a fictional character created by Hamill) was supposedly a patriotic superhero inspired by the bombing of Pearl Harbor to fight against the Axis. His powers were granted by an Indian shaman named the White Wolf. His nephew became his sidekick, Liberty Lad.
The movie studio has no interest in Swan's idealistic character. They want the updated, anti-terrorist vigilante portrayed in the current comic series (once again, fictional). This new character never reveals his face, nor does he even have a secret identity. Instead of his nephew, this new hero is accompanied by a sexy young woman with many weapons, Liberty Lass.
This movie is a David and Goliath struggle between Swan defending the history behind a great character, while the studio feels that the modern way is the only way to make a profit. I felt that this is a very relevant theme for all of the comic book fans who cringe when they watch as a movie adaptation of their favorite hero is not accurate at all. For example, I remember rumors in the late 1990s about a possible Superman movie in which Superman would be portrayed as a human with a strong desire for justice through vengeance. As a dedicated fan of DC Comics, I would be disappointed if a movie did not portray the Man of Steel as an alien who was adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent, fights for justice as well as mercy, and (most importantly) never takes the life of another human being. That is what Swan's quest to keep Commander Courage authentic is all about; keeping the icon characters true to their roots is all that studios need to do. There is no need to change the original formula.
The movie is filmed similar to a documentary, with Swan and the other characters interacting with other fans at the Comic Con International, which is sure to bring smiles to any fan-boy or fan-girl who has attended a comic convention. The icing on the cake has to be the celebrity appearances by many legendary comic book creators.