The Twilight of the Superhero?

The invincible and escapist superhero of old has become obsolete.
The Twilight of the Superhero?
Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images
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Since the 1980s, flagship comic-book superhero movie franchises – from DC’s Superman to Marvel’s Iron Man – have seen some major movie studio investments and, more often than not, blockbuster returns.

But significant changes in the superhero mythos in our culture indicate that their future seems bleak.

Universal Studios leads the year’s movie profits without a single superhero movie. Meanwhile, the latest Fantastic Four reboot has failed terribly.

Their twilight may be upon us. The nature of the audience, the evolution of superheroes from flawless icons to more complex characters, and the influence of the so-called “Dark Age” of comic books on comic book movies and audiences have sown the seeds for their demise.

The recent flop of the Fantastic Four film is only the latest indication that the flawless, all-powerful superhero of yesteryear has no place in today’s culture.

Dawn of the Superhero Movie

Superhero movies have been with us since at least the 1940s, with Captain Marvel and Batman both receiving movie serial treatment. But because of their limited special effects and due to the outdated serial format (short films shown before main features), they received little to no critical attention.

While popular in its day, Christopher Reeve's Superman doesn't stand the test of time. (Nicholas Rumas/flickr, CC BY)
While popular in its day, Christopher Reeve's Superman doesn't stand the test of time. Nicholas Rumas/flickr, CC BY
David Koepsell
David Koepsell
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