The comic book movie is alive and well, and it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

For a bit of time, I tried to resist it. Maybe I just wasn’t used to living in a world where it was cool to like comics. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. As long as knowing the score to the Giant game isn’t a necessary element of small talk, I can get used to this new world order.

It makes sense why Hollywood would want to adapt graphic novels and comic books onto the big screen. After all, comic books are kind of like storyboards but with a lot more onomatopoeias. Today’s breed of comic book movies go well beyond superheroes. There’s anti-heroes, talking trees, and even Canadians.

Comic book movies have become a genre of their own, albeit one that encompasses many other sub-genres. With Guardians of the Galaxy out this week, shattering box office records and bridging the divide between fan boys and critics, it is as good a time as ever to celebrate comics. I have dabbled in reading comics, but my knowledge of them comes more from film. Here are the rules in order to be qualified for this list:

1. Must be adapted from either a comic book or graphic novel.

2. Either it is the best possible representation of a comic book on the screen, or it does something completely unprecedented with the format.

3. It is just plain f***ing awesome.

4. It does not star Ben Affleck. Sorry, buddy.

Read my complete list below:

10. A History of Violence

This dark meditation on violence in America is about as brutal and explicit as you’d expect any Cronenberg Joint to be. A History of Violence doesn’t look or feel like a comic book movie at all; it’s set in a small town, nobody ever steps in toxic waste and gains super powers, and the hero is more of an anti-hero. A History of Violence is too often overlooked; even I wasn’t a huge fan of it when it first came out. The film boasts career best performances from the likes of Viggo Mortensen (at the time just known as Aragon), Ed Harris, and William Hurt.

9. Snowpiercer

As I wrote last month, Snowpiercer is a cult classic in the making. It is based on a little known French graphic novel that feels like it was meant to be a movie. It employs every genre from martial arts, to dystopian sci-fi, to black comedy. It is one of the most intricately detailed and original sci-fi universes in recent memory, with each section of the train that it takes place on having its own unique story to tell. In ways, Snowpiercer feels like a multimedia adventure: part comic book and part video game, in cinematic form.

8. X2: X-Men United

The original X-Men movies shaped much of my understanding of comic books. In fact, I loved the movies so much (not you, Ratner) that it inspired to buy some of the comics themselves. I almost put the original X-Men on because I watched the shit out of that DVD copy from Blockbuster. Besides some fantastic action set pieces (Magneto’s prison escape is especially noteworthy), X2 stands out by turning its biggest villain into a hero, as all the mutants now must fight for survival. X-Men has always been an allegory for Civil Rights, and X2 is when it worked the absolute best.

7. Spider-Man

Spider-Man holds a very special place in my heart. In fifth grade, I wore my DVD copy out. My love of the movie then led me to find my brother’s giant box of comics in the attic, and then me reading them. So, I also thank him for being much cooler than me. Spider-Man is not perfect, and it deviates from the source material in many ways. For instance, Spidey couldn’t actually blast webs out of his arms. Nit-picking aside, this is exactly what a Spider-Man movie should be, and it showed how Peter Parker, the vaguely Jewish* outsider, was one of the most relatable heroes out there. Raimi’s first Spider-Man would lead to an even better sequel (more on that later).

6. Iron Man

Iron Man was the hero that a country going through two wars needed. Tony Stark might be the coolest, most confident super hero alter ego out there. He is perfectly portrayed by Robert Downey Jr., who made his giant career comeback here. Iron Man mixes action and comedy perfectly, making it one of the more fun Marvel adaptations. Plus, it has a great twist ending, and it represents a time right before Marvel started using its own movies to promote movies that hadn’t even been made yet.

5. Sin City

Besides Planet Terror, Sin City is the best thing that Robert Rodriguez has ever done. This is one Tarantino ripoff that deserves to be mentioned in the same class as Tarantino, and that’s not just because Tarantino was somewhat involved in this project. Sin City is an interlocking crime story set in the grimiest city imaginable, the kind of place that makes even Gotham look tame. It’s shot in gorgeous black and white with splashes of red. A Dame to Kill For needs to come out already.

4. The Dark Knight

The movie that changed the game, for better or worse. The Dark Knight transcends the comic book movie into something between allegory and tragedy. Heath Ledger scored a well-deserved Oscar for his performance as The Joker. With all of his weird facial ticks and unpredictable impulses, Ledger’s performance is still as terrifying today as it was back in 2008. The Dark Knight ushered in an era of the gritty blockbuster, where every action movie thought that being dark would make them good. But The Dark Knight wasn’t good just because it was dark; it had a powerful story. It was about something. And most of all, it was still a blast to watch.

3. Guardians of the Galaxy

Speaking of which, Guardians is the first official film of the post-gritty era. In fact, it feels less like a comic book movie and more like a throwback to Raiders of the Lost Ark. It contains five protagonists who are all fully fleshed out. Maybe the best part about is that it is the rare super hero movie in which all of the heroes are true outcasts. They wear their flaws on their sleeves, and that it what makes this space opera so relatable. It is still in theaters. You have no excuses. Go see it right now.

2. Spider-Man 2

I do not hesitate to call Spider-Man 2 a masterpiece. Not only is it one of the best comic book movies of all time, it is also by far one of the best sequels. Like any good sequel, it expands upon the original and doesn’t just repeat all of the best parts of it. With Spider-Man 2, Sam Raimi proved that he was the perfect choice to direct a super hero movie, as he strikes the perfect balance between the silly and the sincere. Here is a super hero movie that asks the deep, dark existential questions behind being a super hero, and at the same time it is as fun as any summer blockbuster should be. It is a good thing that this was the last Spider-Man movie ever made, and that there were no future Spider-Man movies that might possibly have ruined the franchise’s reputation.

1. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Upon its initial release, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World was a box office flop. Today, it’s the kind of movie that you will see on cable and then watch it until the end because you have no choice. Scott Pilgrim is not about a hero, but rather its about somebody who is selfish and sometimes a little insufferable. Scott Pilgrim might be the only movie based on a comic book I have seen where it literally looks like a comic book come to life. It is a visually arresting spin on everything from nostalgia to video games (the Pee Bar is one of the film’s funniest moments) to romantic comedy. It is clever when it could have so easily been snarky. Scott Pilgrim is a perfect display of Edgar Wright’s genius, and it makes me all the more sad that we will never get to see his version of Ant-Man.

Every once in a while, a film needs to come around that alleviates all of your worries and reminds you that everything is awesome. As the main song suggests, “The Lego Movie” is exactly what you are looking for.

“The Lego Movie” is the movie that I had no idea I was waiting for. Even after waiting a week to see it, the hype does not tamper its impact at all. “The Lego Movie” proves that you don’t have to be Pixar to create something that is both great for kids and the annoyed parents that they drag with them to the movies.

Here’s the thing: I fall into neither of those categories. I am not young enough to be a child or old enough to take care of one. I am in the state between childhood and adulthood, which is why “The Lego Movie” was perfect for me.

The greatest trick “The Lego Movie” pulls is making a 90 minute Lego ad that doesn’t feel like one at all. Maybe that’s because nobody needs to advertise Legos anymore; at this point, the word is basically a part of the English language. Therefore, making a Lego movie is much more than just a blind cash grab.

Yes, “The Lego Movie” has a real story. Emmet (Chris Pratt) is a construction worker and a fairly boring dude. He only likes the pop song that everyone listens to (“Everything is Awesome”) and the most popular sitcom (“Where’s My Pants,” which just reeks of “The Big Bang Theory”). He is an empty vessel, to hilarious effect. That is until he meets Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks), who wins him over because she is a really hot Lego. He also finds out that he is the “chosen one” who will lead the Resistance against President Business (Will Ferrell) and reunite all of the Lego worlds. This is how the movie is able to bring Batman (Will Arnett) into the story. Will Arnett, by the way, might be the best Batman to date.

“The Lego Movie” is infectious. Try to watch it and not have a great time. It is packed to the brim with jokes, like it is trying to throw as much as it can against the wall. Basically all of it sticks. It crosses different pop culture zones with such ease while everyone involved also seems to be having a blast. This is the best opportunity you will get to watch some really respected actors basically making fun of themselves. Liam Neeson gets to play a tough cop loosely based off of his “Taken” persona, while Morgan Freeman gets to play the sage, but with much less useful advice.

Animation is probably the greatest way to boil down a complicated world view into something both simple and farcical. Hey, life itself is pretty cartoonish, and “The Lego Movie” is the cartoonish thing it deserves to imitate it. “The Lego Movie” is all about the goods that we consume everyday with such ease. What does it say about us that the song “Everything is Awesome,” the only song that DJs play on the radio, is so damn catchy?

But “The Lego Movie” is not a pop song, it is pop art. I feel weird for saying that, but it is true. “The Lego Movie” comes from the minds of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. The two of them also collaborated on “21 Jump Street.” They have a rare talent for taking a really bad idea and turning it into a really good product. Originality is rare today in Hollywood, and most remakes and movies based on toys are immediately shunned by the press, even if they do well at the box office. There really is something great to be said about taking something dusty and stale and turning it into something exciting and new. Lord and Miller actually respect the source material that they work with.

“The Lego Movie” not only makes the toy-based movie good, but also movies in general. It follows the typical movie structure basically to a T. If you know movies, then you will see that it hits basically every important plot point at just the right time. Yet, it takes all of those and hits the biggest high note possible. There is a big speech, but it is actually a good speech. It has a big third act twist that could have been disastrous, but it ends up giving the film its heart. Basically, “The Lego Movie” restored my faith in formula.

Despite playing by the rules, “The Lego Movie” is also about anarchy. It is about the power of drawing outside the lines and using your imagination. What Lord and Miller are doing with their career is playing the Hollywood game, but doing it the way that they want to. “The Lego Movie” is like watching a really creative kid who is on his way to being a really smart kid playing with his toys. “The Lego Movie” is like reliving your childhood, but with much better lighting.

Brain Farts From The Edge (Some Spoilers Follow)

• Not that the series needs any help, but Lord and Miller deserve their own “Muppets” movie.
• Little kids will watch Unikitty (Alison Brie), but probably not find her funny until they are much older.
• I’m calling it now: “The Lego Movie” is this generation’s “Toy Story.” There, I said it.
• Yes, this brought tears to my eyes at one point. When father and son hug, it is just such a sweet moment. The fact that I got this emotional over two characters that are barely in the movie says a lot about how effective “The Lego Movie” is.
• I love how the little sisters’ lego blocks are those big ones they gave you because you were two young to handle the little ones. Just a nice little detail.
• Is there a better on screen pairing than Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill? Their Superman and Green Lantern deserve their own spinoff.
• Speaking of which, in terms of that whole controversy of “The Lego Movie” stealing the Superman joke from Jerry Seinfeld: I think that Jerry might have been joking around with those Tweets. Comedians do enjoy sarcasm. If he isn’t, then he should really back off. Jerry, I think you’ve got enough money. Let them have this one. They earned it.