Why The Crow deserves a comeback
gamesradar.comThe Crow’s a different kind of superhero movie – a supernatural fantasy horror hybrid that puts an undead rock musician up against a band of merciless thugs in order to avenge his murdered fiancée and pass on to the next life. Because of its unique premise, compelling source material, and overall legacy, The Crow has never died. Over almost three decades, there have been three sequels, a TV adaptation, and multiple failed attempts to get a reboot off the ground. Now, a new movie is in the works; a ‘reimagining’ that promises to be a faithful adaptation of the comic book. And yet, the question remains: do we need a new version of this story?
At the franchise’s root is a comic book like no other. The Crow, written and illustrated by James O’Barr, was first published as a limited series from Caliber Press in 1989. The story sees Eric Draven and his fiancée Shelly murdered by a group of criminals when their car breaks down. Eric is killed first, unable to do anything as Shelly’s shot In the head and her body necrophiled. A supernatural crow brings Eric back from the dead to avenge their deaths so his soul can finally rest.
The comic wasn’t created for the world to see – O’Barr didn’t care whether it got published or not. When he was just 18 years old, his fiancée was killed by a drunk driver while on the way to pick him up from work. Wracked with guilt and anger, O’Barr created The Crow in order to cope. He blamed himself for the loss, much like Eric Draven blames himself for not being able to protect Shelly, and the result is a devastating love letter that explores the darkest parts of grief. The comic takes frequent breaks from the narrative to incorporate mood-setting song lyrics and poems, and intercuts scenes of
Read more on gamesradar.com
