Spring Break
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The evolution of the superhero genre
Paresh Jha
Issue date: 9/29/08 Section: Focus
The "superhero film" has become increasingly frequent this past decade. There used to be a time when a Batman or Superman film could not even be labeled as being in the superhero genre. It was either an action adventure or sci-fi fantasy film. Times have clearly changed. But is it for the better?
Arguably, the superhero genre truly started with the release of "Spider-Man" in 2002. The friendly neighborhood wall-crawler proved to moviegoers that even the fantastical and unbelievable could be compelling as well as fun. Thanks to "Spider-Man," studios realized that character-driven superhero flicks could sell. Movies like "Hulk," "Daredevil" and "Fantastic 4" attempted to follow suit but did not meet the same success as the old web-head.
Things got even better with the arrival of "Spider-Man 2" and "Batman Begins." This began a sort of superhero renaissance. Audiences, studios and actors alike began to take the genre seriously.
Fast forward to this past summer and it would seem like comic book overload. Viewers and producers enjoyed the successes of five different superhero films ("The Dark Knight," "Iron Man," "The Incredible Hulk," "Hancock" and "Hellboy II: The Golden Army"). One would expect more money and viewership to prolong the life expectancy of the superhero genre.
However, it could be argued that once at the top, the only direction is down. This could very well be true, but that would seem like the case for specific franchises. Just because "The Dark Knight" reached a certain peak this past summer is no indication that the superhero genre has reached a peak. In fact, the genre as a whole seems to be moving forward and picking up even more steam.
Hollywood even created an original hero for the movies this past summer in the form of "Hancock," which proved successful thanks to the star power of Will Smith. Marvel Comics formed their own film studio, giving them rights over how most of their characters get translated onto the silver screen. Marvel Studios' first effort was the huge success "Iron Man" and they have already confirmed future movies "Iron Man 2," "Captain America: The First Avenger" and "Avengers."
Arguably, the superhero genre truly started with the release of "Spider-Man" in 2002. The friendly neighborhood wall-crawler proved to moviegoers that even the fantastical and unbelievable could be compelling as well as fun. Thanks to "Spider-Man," studios realized that character-driven superhero flicks could sell. Movies like "Hulk," "Daredevil" and "Fantastic 4" attempted to follow suit but did not meet the same success as the old web-head.
Things got even better with the arrival of "Spider-Man 2" and "Batman Begins." This began a sort of superhero renaissance. Audiences, studios and actors alike began to take the genre seriously.
Fast forward to this past summer and it would seem like comic book overload. Viewers and producers enjoyed the successes of five different superhero films ("The Dark Knight," "Iron Man," "The Incredible Hulk," "Hancock" and "Hellboy II: The Golden Army"). One would expect more money and viewership to prolong the life expectancy of the superhero genre.
However, it could be argued that once at the top, the only direction is down. This could very well be true, but that would seem like the case for specific franchises. Just because "The Dark Knight" reached a certain peak this past summer is no indication that the superhero genre has reached a peak. In fact, the genre as a whole seems to be moving forward and picking up even more steam.
Hollywood even created an original hero for the movies this past summer in the form of "Hancock," which proved successful thanks to the star power of Will Smith. Marvel Comics formed their own film studio, giving them rights over how most of their characters get translated onto the silver screen. Marvel Studios' first effort was the huge success "Iron Man" and they have already confirmed future movies "Iron Man 2," "Captain America: The First Avenger" and "Avengers."
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