2016 ComicBook.com Movie Awards: The Winners

Thousands of fan votes are in. Hours of deliberation have taken place among the ComicBook.com staff. The winners have been chosen.

The 2016 ComicBook.com Movie Awards took the best of the best films and elements of each and put them into 10 categories: Best Visual Effects, Best Comic Book Movie Score, Best Reimagined Character, Best First Big Screen Appearance, Best Franchise Movie, Best Comic Book Movie Fight Scene, Best Comic Book Movie Director, Best Comic Book Movie Actress, Best Comic Book Movie Actor, and Best Comic Book Movie.

The prestigious honor of receiving the Golden Issue trophy can only be bestowed upon one movie, actor, composer, or scene for each category. This year, ComicBook.com is awarding 10 Golden Issues. With six comic book movies and even more epic franchise films to choose from, the real winner was the fans.

Thousands of fan votes were accounted for and weighed against critical reception, accuracy by comparison to comics, and the ComicBook.com staff’s picks.

On the following slides, we announce the winners of the 2016 ComicBook.com Movie Awards.

Best Visual Effects

The Golden Issue for Best Visual Effects in the 2016 ComicBook.com Movie Awards goes to Doctor Strange.

Scott Derrickson’s entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe took Benedict Cumberbatch’s portrayal of Doctor Strange to unthinkable realms. The visual effects team created something for the big screen which has never been seen before. Combining moments similar to that of Inception (through a kaleidoscope), the Quantum Realm of Ant-Man, and the creative imagination of Steve Ditko’s comics, Derrickson’s visual effects team crafty a trippy and beautiful take on the Sorcerer Supreme’s world.

Congratulations, Doctor Strange!

 

Best Comic Book Movie Score

The Golden Issue for Best Comic Book Movie Score in the 2016 ComicBook.com Movie Awards goes to Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.

The epic music of Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL launched Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice‘s original score into a top tier realm. Starting the film with an emotional “Beautiful Lie” track to tell Batman’s origin story and sending us home with Wonder Woman’s theme pounding in our memory, the decision was easy for fans and staff alike.

Congratulations, Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL!

 

Best Reimagined Character

The Golden Issue for Best Reimagined Character in the 2016 ComicBook.com Movie Awards goes to Deadpool.

After debuting in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Ryan Reynolds and 20th Century Fox complete revamped (and fixed) their take on the merc with a mouth. The first successful R-rated comic book movie owed many thanks to its sarcastic, witty, action hero and how brilliantly he was portrayed by Reynolds. The fourth-wall breaking, bad guy slicing, ruthlessly hideous Wade Wilson was exactly what the fans wanted.

Congratulations, Deadpool!

 

Best First Big Screen Appearance

The Golden Issue for Best First Big Screen Appearance in the 2016 ComicBook.com Movie Awards goes to Wonder Woman.

Gal Gadot’s portrayal of Diana Prince was among the brightest highlights from Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. The character stayed true to her comic book counterpart for action sequences and became a major part of the DC Films world with limited screentime in a juggernaut battle between DC Comics biggest heroes. 

Congratulations, Wonder Woman!

 

Best Franchise Movie

The Golden Issue for Best Franchise Movie in the 2016 ComicBook.com Movie Awards goes to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

Filling in the gaps between the Star Wars prequels and original trilogy films, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story told the brave story of heroes who had never been heard from. Leading up to the doorstep of Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, the film paired a nostalgic feeling with modern effects for a well-received addition to the Star Wars franchise from fans and critics alike.

Congratulations, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story!

 

Best Comic Book Movie Fight Scene

The Golden Issue for Best Comic Book Fight Scene in the 2016 ComicBook.com Movie Awards goes to Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice‘s Trinity vs. Doomsday sequence.

While Captain America: Civil War saw almost all of Marvel’s big screen heroes pitted against each other and Deadpool combined dark humor with intense violence for its opening bridge battle, it was Batman v. Superman’s Trinity coming together for the first time which stole the year. Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman came together to save the world against one of DC Comics biggest threats. In addition to brilliantly directed fight choreography and beautifully captured cinematography, the movie had the courage to kill one of its main characters.

Congratulations, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice!

Best Comic Book Movie Director

The Golden Issue for Best Comic Book Movie Director in the 2016 ComicBook.com Movie Awards goes to Captain America: Civil War‘s Anthony and Joe Russo.

The Russo Brothers had the powerful responsibility of directing Marvel’s biggest film to date which saw its core characters pitted against each other. Every character, no matter which tier they sit upon, was given a full and meaningful arc. New faces were introduced to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and made to feel important while heavy hitters such as Captain America and Iron Man were given valid and understandable purposes. Digging deep into the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Russo Brothers executed their duties flawlessly.

On top of everything, they introduced the third portrayal of Spider-Man in 15 years masterfully.

Congratulations, Anthony and Joe Russo!

 

Best Comic Book Movie Actress

The Golden Issue for Best Comic Book Movie Actress in the 2016 ComicBook.com Movie Awards goes to Margot Robbie for her portrayal of Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad. 

Robbie was in the spotlight from the moment she was cast as Harley Quinn. The first ever live-action adaptation of a fan-favorite character is naturally a hot seat but Robbie kept it cool. Tossed into a A-list cast of co-stars for David Ayer’s Suicide Squad, Robbie made Harley Quinn a household name and brought a lovable kind of crazy to the role.

Congratulations, Margot Robbie! 

 

Best Comic Book Movie Actor

The Golden Issue for Best Comic Book Movie Score in the 2016 ComicBook.com Movie Awards goes to Ryan Reynolds for his portrayal of Wade Wilson/Deadpool in Deadpool.

Reynolds fully embodied an accurate adaptation of the Deadpool fans know and love from comics. The ruthless, perfectly timed foul mouth humor was ever present, but it was sharing the screen with a justifiably angered man trying to get back to his girlfriend. Both as Wade Wilson and Deadpool, Reynolds hit the nail on the head for Deadpool for an inarguably fantastic take on a comic book character.

Congratulations, Ryan Reynolds! 

 

Best Comic Book Movie

The Golden Issue for Best Comic Book Movie in the 2016 ComicBook.com Movie Awards goes to Captain America: Civil War.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe threw its best known heroes at each other in battle during Captain America: Civil War. New characters were brilliantly introduced, lower tier names were made important, and justified arguments divided Captain America, Iron Man, and the Avengers as a whole. Issues of betrayal, heroics, and friendship were bravely tackled. While the film elected not to kill off any major faces prior to Avengers: Infinity War, the landscape of the Marvel Cinematic Universe was left forever changed following the movie’s events.

Congratulations, Captain America: Civil War!