by Eden
Whenever I brought up the concept of this project with people, the first thing they said to me was “Like Ghost World?” I don’t know if it’s the most famous non-superhero movie that most people know is based on a comic, but people absolutely know it’s based on a comic.
Josie and the Pussycats doesn’t seem to be based on any specific story from the comics, but it does capture their essence in a way that surprised me. Josie, Valerie and Melody are frustrated with how little traction they’re getting as a band (and the small paychecks that go with it) when they’re literally grabbed off the street by record executive Wyatt and offered a record deal.
It can be argued that Tomie isn’t even really about Tomie — it’s about all the people she influences and affects. Tomie is less a character than a force — she’s evil, sure, but that’s just her nature. She can’t help it. She has no morality.
Capturing Tank Girl’s anarchic qualities on film was never going to be easy, and Tank Girl (1995, directed by Rachel Talalay) tries really hard. I still have a lot of mixed feelings about this movie. I like it — I do own it, and I also own the soundtrack on vinyl (because of course I do) but I go back and forth about how much it actually works.
Mostly, though, I liked it mostly in the same way I always have. It’s a rich and messy comic with plenty of highs and lows. I think it’s a masterpiece when taken as a whole work, even if individual parts are failures.