Even more recently I wrote an article for my uni's student newspaper on the rise in popularity of the superhero film, but someone else beat me to it, so my article didn't make it in. As I'm a crazy online maverick (and because I'm certain my article is better than whatever did make it in!) I thought I'd post it here instead. So here it is.
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Rise of the Superhero
Whether they’re supermen, dark knights, or teams of colourful Avengers, nothing is drawing in audiences like superheroes right now. Ever since 2008 brought us Iron Man and The Dark Knight, the genre has exploded and you would be hard-pressed to find a single comic book character who has either not been committed to film or who is not making their way there soon. So what is it that audiences find so irresistible about a caped crusader?
Perhaps part of the appeal is that a new breed of superhero film is emerging and bringing with it a brand new method of storytelling. Or, brand new to cinema at least. For years comic books have been filled with standalone characters living within the same universe and happily crossing-over with one another whenever they pleased. Now, for the first time, Marvel Studios has brought this logic to the big screen with the Avengers, while Warner Brothers are starting to follow suit with 2016’s Batman vs Superman. Audiences are not seeing film series emerging through sequel after sequel, but rather cinematic universes, made up of standalone movies, sequels, spin-offs and crossovers. It feels like the characters and worlds that exist in superhero movies are free of boundaries and have become a part of something much bigger than a single movie.
The thing is, of course, superheroes are part of something much bigger than a single movie. Or even a series of movies, or an entire cinematic universe for that matter. They’re an integral part of our culture. Superhero movies are perhaps so popular because we feel a connection with these characters that it would be impossible to feel with a character whose existence is limited to the duration of one film. It has been said that Superman’s iconic ‘S’ emblem is the second-most recognised symbol in the world, after the Christian cross. In 1965, a poll of college students conducted by Esquire magazine named Spider-Man one of the most influential revolutionary figures of his time. These characters are fixed in our cultural consciousness to such an extent that you don’t have to read comic books or frequent cinemas to recognise them. This familiarity is almost certainly what draws people to these characters and makes it so easy for audiences to connect with their stories.
And there really is a very human connection we feel with these superhumans; a connection that is especially strong in the modern day and age. We live in the age of the individual. Thanks to social media, it is an age controlled by individuals. As a result, people are more aware than ever of the flaws in society. Everyone wants to be able to forge their own identity that is somehow separate from the societal machine. At the same time we are more willing – and more capable – than ever to take action against the flaws and injustices we see in the world. The figure of the superhero reflects and informs this mindset more than any other fictional construct. Superheroes tell us we have the capacity to transcend society and still be there to help it. Superheroes are a testament to the power of the individual but also remind us that it’s down to us to use that power to bring about the change we want to see in the world. In short, superheroes resonate so strongly with modern audiences because they teach a lesson that perhaps we all feel society needs to hear – that everyone possesses the power to do great things, but with such great power must come great responsibility.
