The Evolution of the Superhero Film

But then in 1989, Warner Brothers gave a little-known director $48 million to give Batman another go, bringing the character more inline with creator Bob Kane’s dark, tortured original vision. Despite fan outcry at the casting of Michael Keaton, Tim Burton’s Batman was a phenomenon when it opened. Not only did it make loads of cash, but it put a crack in the shell that geeks had traditionally hid behind. No longer was it uncool to wait in line for 3 hours to see a movie; no longer did people think that a superhero logo t-shirt was lame. Batman helped give geek culture its first inklings of an identity.

Studio heads started scouring comic books for anything they might be able to make into a Batman-style cash cow. Some bombed in spectacular fashion, but even the most successful of them were dumbed-down PG-13 offerings that did only average business and then faded into obscurity.

What many filmmakers – or at least studio heads – at the time failed to notice was that dedicated artists and writers had been working behind the scenes since the early 80’s to give worn-out heroes new back stories and entirely deeper and more complex narratives. The material was there for some intricate, meaty storytelling – it just needed to be brought out.

But as audiences grew increasingly sophisticated and aware of the potential for edgy superhero films, studios continued releasing movies that pandered to the widest audiences possible. Movies like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Jim Carrey’s The Mask were huge hits based on comic books, but were toothless and wildly different from their sources. (The original TMNT comics were gritty, noir-ish tales of battles, blood n’ babes, and The Mask was legendary for its nearly X-rated violence).

A few films of this era are notable for their adherence to the source material. James O’Barr’s The Crow and Wesley Snipes’ vampire films Blade and Blade II were violent, gory, and scary, just like the comic book and were hits, but The Punisher and Spawn had the same qualities and bombed. The Shadow, Dick Tracy, and The Rocketeer were all films that stuck closely to their 1930’s source material, looked gorgeous, and were mostly ignored by audiences. It became clear that there was no ‘one size fits all’ model for superhero movies.

But geeks the world over will tell you that the ‘second great collapse’ of the whole superhero-movies-being-taken-seriously thing was predicated entirely by two films that repeated the sad watering down of the Superman legend decades earlier. After an okay Batman sequel, Tim Burton moved on to other projects, leaving Joel Schumacher to make Batman Forever and Batman & Robin, which nearly singlehandedly sunk the entire genre of superhero movies in two fell swoops. Loud, garish, and over-the-top, his two Batman films were stuffed with bizarre performances and ended up as campy, neon-lit smears on the superhero canvas. Once again, people thought the superhero film would slide hopelessly into irrelevance, and once again, they were to be proven wrong.

In 2000, X-Men was released. Based on one of Marvel Comics’ most beloved titles, 20^th Century Fox lucked out when they chose Bryan Singer to direct the film. As a gay man, he understood the themes of loneliness and resentment the characters felt, and managed to write believable, coherent dialogue that resonated with audiences. Flawless casting and top-rate effects didn’t hurt, either, and when it was released X-Men ushered in a whole new era. Geek culture got its second jolt of energy, and again, even more starkly than before, it became clear that superhero films could be exciting, dramatic, deep, and – dare I say it – believable.

As an example, M. Night Shyamalan’s Unbreakable wasn’t an action-packed adventure film, but a slow-burn drama about a man who realizes he has superpowers. It wasn’t entirely successful, but it served to show the breadth that the genre is capable of.

Of course, action-packed spectacle is what most superheroes are all about, so it’s no surprise that’s what the majority of them lean toward. The past decade has seen its share of weak entries on the field – Daredevil, Elektra, Catwoman, The Punisher, Hulk, Ghost Rider, Fantastic Four, Hancock, and The Green Hornet have all either bombed outright or underperformed at the box office, victims of studio meddling, outdated concepts, muddled writing, or all three.

But that time has also had some of the most capable, soaring, enthusiastically awesome superhero storytelling that’s yet to be seen, due in no small part to the filmmakers respecting the source material and – most importantly in the age of ubiquitous social media – listening to the fans.

Spider-Man was warmly embraced by geek and non-geek alike, but the high-water mark was set with Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins, a ‘reboot’ of the Batman mythos that used top-tier talent, a multi-layered script, and a dark, sinister vision of a tortured superhero. The trend continued with Iron Man, which revived Robert Downey Jr.’s career, and Hellboy, which, although not a success on the same level as some of its peers, was nonetheless seen as an entertaining, bang-on adaptation of an underground comic book classic.

The bar was raised even higher with The Dark Knight, which, despite its complex plot, intricate characters and adult themes, grossed over $1 billion worldwide, and won Heath Ledger a posthumous Oscar for his ferocious, eloquent turn as one of the most diabolical villains ever put to screen.

With the final acceptance of superhero movies as a legitimate film genre, some filmmakers took chances that would likely have been unavailable to them a decade previously. Kick Ass, Jonah Hex, The Spirit, and Watchmen – long known as the ‘un-filmable comic book’ – all took their chances, to varying degrees of success. But no matter – superhero films, and the geek culture that fueled their early growth, have now gone mainstream, as fans debate the smallest details in spy pics sent around the world on Twitter, Facebok and Google+.  Indeed, the success of the genre has even altered how ‘tent-pole’ summer movies are being made.

For instance, Marvel Studios – no longer content to make a single superhero movie and hope a few sequels can be squeezed out – has made an ambitious, long-term plan that will culminate in what they hope will be an epic blockbuster. Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, and the just-released Captain America all serve as origin stories, as each of these characters will next be seen in The Avengers in 2012. Sharp-eyed fans will also notice crossover details in all of them (for instance, Tony “Iron Man” Stark’s father plays a central role in Captain America, while the ‘super soldier’ serum in Captain America makes a conspicuous appearance in The Incredible Hulk, and so on).

But the danger of dilution and a misunderstanding of what makes a superhero movie special is never too far away. Witness the troubling recent trend to just take a ‘do-over’ if a film doesn’t perform to expectations. The Amazing Spider-Manwill see a new cast and a new director tackle the same origin story in 2012, and on the heels of the disappointing performance of Superman Returns, a new team will have another go with Man of Steel in 2013. The Green Lantern wasn’t a bomb, but it wasn’t a runaway success either, and sequels to Iron Man, Thor, and – believe it or not – the as-yet unreleased The Amazing Spider-Man have already been announced.

If you’re a fan of superhero movies, now is an exciting time to be around. But if history is any indication, care must be taken – no one wants to see the ‘third great collapse’ of the superhero genre.

Notable Names in Superhero Lore

Zorro

First appearance: 1919

First film: The Mark of Zorro, 1920

Nickname: The Fox

Arch-enemy: Many – usually other power-hungry noblemen

Often cited as an early archetype for superheroes, some would argue that Zorro doesn’t fit, but he’s actually got the same attributes as Batman. Nobleman Don Diego de la Vega uses his black-masked alter-ego to fight crime in 19^th-century California.

Superman

First appearance: 1938

First film: Superman and the Mole Men, 1951

Nickname: The Man of Steel, The Big Blue Boy Scout

Arch-enemy: Lex Luthor

Probably the best-known superhero out there, he has become an icon of The American Way, and has been the subject of countless movies, films, serials, books, videogames, and comics. DC Comic even killed him off in 1993, but brought him back pretty quickly. Clark Kent is actually Kal-el, an alien from the doomed planet Krypton who uses his powers to do good deeds and battle evil.

Batman

First appearance: 1939

First film: Batman, 1966

Nickname: The Dark Knight, The Caped Crusader

Arch-enemy: The Joker

Currently riding high as superhero royalty, Batman has seen many incarnations, but the latest one is probably the closest to the dark, WW2-era creation that Bob Kane intended. Billionaire Bruce Wayne moonlights as a violent, shadowy vigilante with the help of high-tech gadgets and his trusty butler Alfred.

X-Men

First appearance: 1963

First film: X-Men, 2000

Nicknames: None

Arch-enemy: Magneto

With a large roster of characters and a near-limitless potential for crossovers, spinoffs and sequels, this is one of Marvel’s most valuable properties. The first few films were great; the third and a Wolverine spinoff, not so much. Professor Charles Xavier runs a school that teaches those with mutant powers to control their gifts as they fight crime, prejudice, and a government who wants to harness their powers.

Spider-Man

First appearance: 1962

First film: Spider-Man, 2002

Nicknames: Webhead

Arch-enemy: The Green Goblin

Although Sam Raimi’s first two Spider-Man films were huge successes, the third was stuffed with too many characters, and suffered as a result. Sony decided to reboot the franchise with an entirely new cast, new origin story, and new director. Peter Parker – a shy, introverted high schooler – gets bitten by a radioactive spider and gains super strength and the ability to shoot webs and stick to walls.

Iron-Man

First appearance: 1963

First film: Iron Man, 2008

Nickname: Shellhead

Arch-enemy: Mandarin

One of the lesser-known comic book titles nonetheless became a massive hit under the steady direction of long-time fan Jon Favreau – not to mention the perfectly cast Robert Downey Jr. Billionaire weapons developer Tony Stark loses interest in building weapons that people use to kill, and designs his own high-tech armor that allows him to fight his own wars against those who would harm the innocent.

The Green Lantern

First appearance: 1940

First film: The Green Lantern, 2011

Nickname: The Emerald Knight

Arch-enemy: Sinestro

Although he’s been around for 70 years, the Green Lantern hasn’t achieved the same level of success as his peers, despite a large, loyal fanbase. The big-budget Green Lantern movie this year wasn’t a bomb, but it didn’t perform as well as expected; a sequel is about 50/50 right now. Hal Jordan is chosen to join the Green Lantern Corps, a group of intergalactic police that each wield a power ring which gives them nearly unlimited power to fight evil.

Captain America

First appearance: 1941

First film: Captain America, 1990

Nickname: Cap, The Star-Spangled Avenger

Arch-enemy: The Red Skull

Created as a propaganda tool to stir up patriotism during WW2, Cap has been fighting bad guys ever since. In March of 2007, he was cut down by a sniper’s bullet and killed in a much-publicized story arc…but not really. No one ever stays dead in the comics. Steve Rogers is a wimpy kid with a big heart. When he’s given the super soldier serum in 1942, he transforms into Captain America, fighting injustice and evil around the world. He’s eventually frozen, waking up to continue the battle in the present day.