Why Hollywood Should Let the Crow Rest
by PoeticCrow

An underground comic surprised everyone in the 90’s and became a cult hit. The Crow by J. O’barr. Originally published by Caliber Press then picked up and published in a soft bound three volume graphic novel by Tundra, The Crow was something new. It was violent, visceral but also passionate. This was no mere new hero on the front type of comic. This was an empowered piece of work. J. O’barr was showing us through Eric Draven’s eyes his own personal pain that he had experienced in his life. The creation of the Crow is how he dealt with it. Having lost his fiancé, O’barr dealt with his loss in the most creative way as an artist.

You would think this would make the work rather...sacred? When the first movie starring Brandon Lee hit the screen there was definitely enough of the grit and pain of the Crow graphic novel to bind it successfully to O’barr’s original intent. I found myself even forgiving of the hollywood mechanism that changed bits and pieces here and there, but the intent was sound. Also with the tragic death of Brandon Lee, the movie took on a more somber, almost reverent feel. Yet, with the smell of a franchise, Hollywood would not let go and would degrade a gothic icon to a mere cash cow by trying to continue with successors that caused more shame to the original than good.

Now another Crow movie is in the works, "Wicked Prayer." Somewhere Eric Draven must be turning in his grave. I don’t blame J O’barr for letting his creation slip from him and into the world of franchise. After all, it has made him a wealthy man. But I can’t help wonder what his thoughts are on what has happened to the work he originally created, inspired out of his pain of loss and transcended by a muse of creativity that is hard to top.

Hollywood, let the Crow rest in peace. Unless a story that is as inspired as the original comes into play...then you should let well enough alone. This is not an extension of the Crow legend but a desecration of it.