For those not familiar with the story of The Losers, told originally in a five-part graphic novel series by the British partnership of writer Andy Diggle and artist Jock, this all-too-brief trailer should be able to bring you up to speed.

The eponymous Losers are five members of a special forces unit in the employ of the US government, who are one day betrayed and left for dead by their CIA handler. Out for revenge, they team up with the mysterious Aisha (portrayed here by Zoe Saldana), whose goals seem to align with their own.

The story is far from cut and dried, however, and there’s enough betrayal, intrigue and double-dealing to keep you guessing from start to finish.

Comparisons can be drawn between this film and the A-Team, which also sees a release this year. Still, anyone who enjoys their action movies with an intelligent plot, a dash of sly political wit and a broad cast of genuinely well-developed characters, you should definitely give this one a go.

The Losers is due to come out in April 2010.

Source: ComingSoon.net.

Images by the very talented Scott Campbell.

Here’s a teaser trailer for the film adaptation of Mark Millar’s Kick-Ass comic.

I have to admit, I’ve never been a fan of Millar’s output, which I always considered tried that little bit too hard to be edgy, while other (IMHO, better) writers managed it with a bit of subtlety and grace. I hated the Wanted comic and I’ve heard the film version, while vastly different to the source material, wasn’t worth the time of day either.

I have to admit though, this film (directed by Matthew Vaughn, of Layer Cake/Stardust fame) looks kinda cool.

The story centres around a young, bored teenage boy named Dave Lizewski (played by relative newcomer Aaron Johnson), who decides one day that he’ll fight back against the injustices of the world by donning a costume and assuming the mantle of the crime-fighting, though super power-free ‘Kick-Ass’. As you’d expect from Millar, not all goes according to plan.

The film also stars Nicolas Cage as fellow vigilante, ‘Big Daddy’, as well as Superbad‘s Christopher Mintz-Plasse.

Kick-Ass is due for release in the second quarter of 2010.

Source: Empire.

The story follows an original superhero team known as ‘The Seven Guns’, a group of young inventors who have enhanced their bodies through scientific modification, giving them immense power. Once heroes held in high regard, by the time the story begins they have fallen considerably out of favour.

At the beginning of Black Summer, one of the Seven Guns has murdered the President of the United States, ostensibly due to their alleged involvement in war crimes, electoral fraud and violation of the Geneva convention.

Given the striking similarities between the fictitious cabinet in Black Summer and that of the former president George W. Bush, I can’t see this film coming about exactly as Ellis intended. Just look at what happened to Mark Millar‘s ultraviolent Wanted when that was brought to the silver screen.

I’d hedge my bets on the likelihood of this film being anything like the comic. As a general principle, without the visceral intent of the original source material, books like this don’t have a lot to offer as film adaptations.

Source: Comingsoon.net.

So then, laughter! You can either choose the knuckle-chewing, wild-eyed laughter of the certifiably insane; or, like me, the quiet, knowing chuckle of the man who appreciates the occasional futility of the times we live in.

So don’t let the creeping suspicion that we are governed by an amoral, self-serving, shit-for-brains shower of bastards get you down! Laugh long, and laugh loud at this specially-prepared Top 10 of the finest web-based comics of all time. Each of them selected for their subtle blend of observational wit, irony and occasional graphic violence.

10. Achewood

The absurdist, noirish Achewood centres around a cast of anthropomorphic toys and pets. Frequently strange, always hilarious.

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9. Gone With The Blastwave

Gone but not forgotten, Kimmo Lemetti’s apocalyptic Gone With The Blastwave is a sprawling testament to the ridiculousness of war, framed in Lemetti’s own full-colour paintwork.

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8. Penny Arcade

One of the oldest and most popular webcomics still running, the videogame-oriented Penny Arcade manages to stay relevant by bringing its susbscribers a humorous mix of current affairs, gaming and industry information three times a week.

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7. Red Meat

From the twisted files of Max Cannon comes Red Meat, a warped journey into the world of the most bizarre cast of misfits and freaks ever to grace a three-paneller.

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6. Pictures For Sad Children

Love, afterlife and the rat-race are all common themes in Pictures For Sad Children, a twice-weekly look at the darker side of humour.

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5. Hockey Zombie

Unabashedly crude humour based on the adventures of a hockey-loving zombie and his rag-tag band of associates, Hockey Zombie is not for the easily offended. Home of the popular ‘Shark Week’ strips (above).

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4. Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal

Surreal, shocking and riotously politically-incorrect, Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal is a cynical jab at relationships, science and working life. Worth reading for the ‘best case, worst case’ strips alone.

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3. Nedroid Picture Gallery

Reginald and his diminutive chum Beartato form the central cast of Nedroid Picture Gallery, as they set out on a trippy yet charming series of adventures.

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2. Hark! A Vagrant

I bet you never thought something like history could be funny, right? Well guess what? You’re DEAD WRONG, and Kate Beaton’s Hark! A Vagrant is the proof!

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1. Subnormality

As you can probably tell from the image above, Subnormality is not about light reading. It’s easily the densest, most verbose piece of webcomic I’ve ever read, and the fact that Winston Rowntree (usually) puts it out once a week is testament to the effort that goes into crafting each one.

The tone of each comic is typically a sideswipe at socio-political attitudes in the modern world, including the absurdity of present-day priorities and the self-centredness of society in general. If you like your comics thought-provoking and aren’t afraid of a stiff read, Subnormality is without a doubt the comic for you.

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Honourable mentions: The Perry Bible Fellowship, Sinfest, A Lesson Is Learned But The Damage Is Irreversible, XKCD. It was tough leaving these out, but each is still well worth reading.