LEARNING INTENTIONS

To examine the recent genre trend of superhero movies.

The Rise of the Superhero 1

“Wonder Woman.” “Iron Man.” “The Avengers.” “Guardians of the Galaxy.” The past decade or so has seen an influx of superhero films based on comic books — major big-studio movies starring the highest-paid actors in the world (think Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Downey, Jr.) and outperforming any other movies released.

While 1990s blockbusters like “Jurassic Park,” “Titanic,” and “Braveheart” were standalone epics based on books or historical events, today’s highest-grossing films are primarily superhero movies, based on a combination of factors such as escapism, cutting-edge special effects, and an older, wealthier population of comic-book fans.

The most significant, and grim, factor behind the rise of superhero movies has been the economic crash of 2008. There were popular superhero movies prior to this, such as “Spider-man” and Christopher Nolan’s excellent “Batman” series reboot but following the economic downturn — in which many people lost their jobs and homes — superhero movies went into orbit.

People suddenly wanted escapism into a different world where the hero always triumphed and where distinctions between good and bad were easy to tell. Blockbuster epics with tragic endings like “Braveheart,” and “Gladiator” fell out of fashion, as no one wanted to compound the grim economic situation with an equally depressing movie. Comic-book superhero movies, in which the hero triumphs over evil, became more appealing to the public. (While this economic downturn was not as severe as the Great Depression, it’s notable that the popularity of comic books in the 1930s mirrors the popularity of superhero movies today.)

With the rise of computers, special effects have become more realistic and believable — something that previously limited superhero movies. Compare the stiff, lumbering shark of “Jaws” — a movie that had exceptional special effects for its day — to the beautifully computer-generated creatures and atmospheres of today’s superhero movies.

Special effects designers have a wider range of options to work with, as well as better software and technologies, than they did 20 years ago. Need Captain America to soar to the heavens? Stand the actor in front of the green screen and virtually create the sky behind him. Need Ant-Man to fly through Iron Man’s suit and sabotage it? That can be achieved realistically as well.

Whereas “Titanic” required a replica ship, today’s computer-generated imaging can produce entirely believable superhero action scenes through the digital manipulation of pixels.

The third factor in the popularity of comic-book superhero movies is the older age of the audience. Today’s superhero movies — even if they’re rated PG-13 — are primarily made for adults who grew up on comic books and now have a disposable income. These adults are mostly Generation X-ers and Millennials who read comic books as children during the 1970s-1990s and now have the money to see films and buy paraphernalia. While kids can beg Mom and Dad to buy movie tickets and Mom might possibly agree, adults can always purchase tickets and attend films — creating a great source of potential viewers who have fond childhood recollections of their comic book superheroes and villains.

The Rise of the Superhero 2

We now live in an age where comic-book and graphic-novel adaptations have taken over Hollywood and have fixed themselves into mainstream pop culture. The past decade has seen Marvel and DC, the two major companies in the comic-book industry (cranking out blockbuster superhero films that have flooded theatres.

The influx of film and TV adaptations of comic books such as “The Avengers,” “Iron Man,” and “The Flash,” has created some of Hollywood’s highest-grossing films. The hype surrounding superhero films has further exploded this seemingly invincible genre, creating a multi-billion-dollar industry.

Needless to say, superhero movies have cemented themselves into people’s minds. Here are some reasons why.

The Superhero Spectacle

Superhero movies have infused everything from unabashed romanticism, charming neo-noir outlooks, to action-packed vigilantism and heavy artillery into their stories.  Delivering justice in a world where spandex costumes, unitards and leotards are very à la mode, these movies offer a perfect blend of lighthearted silliness and gravitas. “Frankly, the reason I go to see Marvel or DC movies isn’t because I’m invested in the superheroes, it’s because I know I’m going to see this beautiful, amazing spectacle [unfold],” said Pamela.

Not surprisingly, these movies manage to engage audiences (who sit through the entire end credits awaiting an extra scene or a sneak peek of the next instalment in the franchise) right to the last second. As Ahmed, said, the post-credits scenes of superhero movies always leave the audience eager and anticipating. In fact, another university student noted that her favourite scene in “Captain Marvel” was the post-credits scene “because it was a precursor to “Avengers: Endgame,” which I am really excited about.”

Relentless and Canny Marketing Strategies

Superhero movies are among the biggest money-makers in Hollywood, consequently building a fandom that is ripe for strategic corporate appropriation. It is very lucrative to sell anything from comic book paraphernalia to opening weekend tickets to millennials and generations Xers who grew up in the world of comic books and now have a disposable income. 

Furthermore, because of the increasing conglomeration of movie production studios, their budgets are expanding, and production values are continuing to grow. In fact, on average, $35.9 million goes into the marketing budget for these movies, from billboard advertising, viral marketing (take, for example, Deadpool’s trailer release, which generated an enormous social media buzz), to hiring big-name actors and actresses to create a dream cast.

Fan loyalty

The superheroes-on-a-mission trope comes pre-sold to an audience that has followed the journey of wholesome and nostalgic figures like “Iron Man” or “Batman” or “Thor” or “Captain America” for years (even decades). The genre has garnered the kind of fan loyalty among generations of comic-book cognoscenti and avid superhero fans that is very hard to inspire. “When I watch the movies now, I obviously know the plot, I know the story. I am familiar with the characters. And it takes me right back to when I was growing up. So, it’s a very nostalgic experience,” said Mariam.

The Master Narrative of a Super Franchise

Through the silver screen, Marvel and DC have brought to life crime-fighting superhero characters that are caught up in all-out battles against diabolical enemies, creating a mega-franchise. For Sofia, what makes superhero movies so enjoyable is “the interconnected universe [like in “Avengers: Infinity War”] that has so many characters that are so diverse, and that you learn to know, understand and love.”

The Art of Escapism

With cutting-edge technology, computer-generated imagery, and special effects, the superhero genre invites audiences into the adventures of larger-than-life characters with extraordinary powers. These over-the-top movies offer a refreshing dip into the immersive, bizarro world of American super-soldiers, of the hammer-wielding Norse god of thunder, or of the wall-climbing, nerd-tastic Spiderman.

The Issue of Representation

“I watched “Captain Marvel” and it was so cool seeing a female superhero who made everyone quiver in her path,” Pamela noted. Superhero movies have recently made leaps in representing diversity within their casts. “Captain Marvel” was the first female-led superhero movie produced in Marvel’s 11 years of filmmaking. DC’s 2017 feature film “Wonder Woman,” with its standalone superheroine played by Gal Gadot was also a toast to Patty Jenkins, the first-ever female director of a studio superhero movie. “Black Panther,” also released in 2017, has been dubbed a “ground-breaking celebration of black culture,” with its majority all-black cast and crew. And Marvel’s Netflix series, “Jessica Jones” has bucked not only the stereotype of women as weak and frail. 

Reassurance in an era of uncertainty

 Superhero comic books became really popular in the late 1930s and early 1940s, between the two World Wars. They also increased in popularity in the 1960s, during the Cold War, when people needed an “embodiment of reassurance,”.   To many, superhero movies offer reassurance in their portrayal of “a clear enemy that can be fought and defeated and ‘avenged.’ We know who is good, we know who is bad, and we know that ultimately, the good guys will win. In an era of uncertainty where terror attacks are happening, superhero movies give us the sense that we can go into this escapist space of the dark cinema and watch a fantasy world where things actually do work out, where everyone ends up safe.

But while the past decade has seen superhero films reaching a crescendo in the world of cinema, the question of where this genre is headed remains. A problem with this addiction and this superhero craze, is that it normalizes negative facets of human behaviour. For example, we think that billionaires are okay because “Iron Man” is okay. Furthermore, these movies are also normalizing a certain kind of violence, a certain kind of political ideology of fighting in order to preserve peace. 

So, while some believe that the inevitable demise of the superhero genre (much like the Western genre) is imminent, others contend that even if it dies, the genre “will rise once again from the ashes.” The superhero movie craze is part of a cycle of popularity and this cycle will continue as long as people need reassuring and conglomerates keep making money from these giant spectacles. 

How well do you know your superhero movies?

• What is the bad guy's character name in "Fantastic Four"?

• Robert Downey Jr. plays "Iron Man", better known as whom when he's not fighting crime?

• In which 2000 movie did Hugh Jackman play the character Wolverine?

• What is Superman's real name?

• Who would you call if Mr. Freeze attacked?

• How did Spider-man get his superpowers?

• What African country is Nakia operating in as a spy before T’Challa arrived and brought her back to Wakanda?

• Which superhero has the magic lasso and bullet-proof bracelets?

A Marvellous Transformation

How one comic-book company changed the superhero and conquered the entertainment world 

by Danny Fingeroth

Marvel's movies, TV shows, and comics are among the most popular in the world. Everybody knows the Hulk, Spider-Man, and the Avengers, right?

Well, believe it or not, Marvel was once a tiny company with one employee and a handful of comicbook titles. Movies and TV shows were totally off its radar. Actually, Marvel barely existed in 1961; the company had nearly gone out of business a few years earlier. During the 1950s, some adults began blaming comic books-without any evidence-for encouraging teenagers to commit crimes. This led many readers to abandon the medium. Marvel's editor-writer Stan Lee and a handful of artists struggled during those years to hold on, producing comics about cowboys and monsters.

Getting Back in the Game

Years before, Marvel had some success with superhero comics, but those heroes had faded. By the early 1960s, DC Comics' Superman and Batman were the stars of the comic-book world.Marvel tried to get back in that game by developing a new kind of superhero. Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby created the Fantastic Four, a team featuring the stretching Mr. Fantastic, the flame-powered Human Torch, the Invisible Girl-later Invisible Woman-and the rock-skinned, super-strong Thing.

Unlike DC's super-teams, the FF didn't always get along, but bickered and argued, just like real people. These more realistic comic-book stars struck a chord with readers, who were growing bored with heroes who seemed unrealistically perfect. Lee and Kirby-sometimes with help from writer Larry Lieber-then came up with flawed heroes Iron Man, the X-Men, and the Avengers, which led to more success.

But one more key player was still to be introduced. With artist Steve Ditko, Lee created Marvel's most famous character: Spider-Man. "Spidey" was shy high school student Peter Parker, who had been bitten by a radioactive spider-it could happen!- and as a result, gained spider-powers. Readers identified with this superhero who could be you, and Spider-Man turned into a major success. It was time to see if Marvel heroes could be popular outside the world of comic books.

Iron Man Hits It Big

Marvel had some TV success in the 1960s, including the Spider-Man show and a live-action Hulk series in the 1970s. But starting in 1998, things really began to change. That year, one of the company's more obscure characters, Blade the Vampire Hunter, was featured in the movie Blade. That success led to 2000's X-Men and 2002's Spider-Man. Those movies did well, too, but they were done by Hollywood film studios, so Marvel had limited control over them. In 2008, Marvel started its own film studio-enabling the company to make movies of their complicated characters the way they wanted them to be done. That year Iron Man came out, with Robert Downey Jr. as the title character. When Iron Man was a success, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was launched Marvel could now tie its movies and TV shows into one giant storyline and bring together characters like Thor, Iron Man, and Black Widow in the Avengers movies. The company turned comics like the little-known Guardians of the Galaxy into popular movies.

Success followed success. In 2019, Avengers: Endgame became the top-grossing movie of all time in the world. Now, Marvel's popularity shows no sign of running out of steam. Not bad for a company that once upon a time almost went out of business.

Popularity of film genres over time

Go to this website and explore the changes in popularity of film genres.