Streets of Fire: More Comic Book Than Musical?

Okay, so I just rewatched "Streets of Fire" and the whole time I kept thinking about comic books, not rock operas (even though it's kinda supposed to be both?). Like, the '80s were full of these neon-drenched, hyper-stylized movies but this one just screams graphic novel in a way that, say, "Flash Gordon" doesn't. Think about it: Tom Cody is basically a gritty, silent superhero who just happens to be passing through. Raven Shaddock is the over-the-top villain with his cartoonishly evil biker gang. And Ellen Aim is the damsel who needs rescuing, even if she is a rockstar. The whole production design reinforces this too. The stylized sets, the exaggerated costumes (those waders Michael Pare wears are iconic!), the heightened action sequences... it all feels like panels ripped straight from a pulp comic. Remember the battle axe fight in the back alley? I swear, that's straight out of a Frank Miller comic. And the way characters pose and deliver their lines? It's all very theatrical and unreal. This isn't trying to be a realistic depiction of anything, it's pure, unadulterated fantasy. I know people get hung up on the music, and sure, the songs are catchy (Diane Lane slays), but I think the film's comic book DNA is way more interesting. It's like, what if someone decided to film a Batman comic, but replace Gotham with a perpetually 1950s-ish, rain-slicked city and throw in some rock and roll? I’m not saying it's a good comic book adaptation (hehe, because it's not officially one!), but that's what it feels like to me. The director Walter Hill (duh, can't believe I forgot his name at first) plays with those archetypes so well. Anyone else see it that way? Or am I just imagining things after one too many viewings? (And maybe a glass of wine or two...)