Superhero Films

Superhero films are a direct descendent of superhero comics, and many popular comic book characters over the years have been adapted for the movies. These adaptations began in the 1940s with heroes such as Superman, Batman, and the character we now know as Shazam! appearing in weekly film serials. Many, though, consider Superman and the Mole Men (1951) as the first superhero feature film, though it was not until the character appeared in Superman (1978) that a superhero film finally attained significant box office success. The Tim Burton–directed Batman (1989) made a similar impact on the box office while also expanding into ancillary markets such as video games, action figures, and apparel. Still, the Superman and Batman franchises were stand-alone successes rather than initiators of sustained popularity for the genre. It was not until the string of popular superhero films appeared in the 2000s, including X-Men (2000), Spider-Man (2002), The Incredibles (2004), Batman Begins (2006), and The Dark Knight (2008) that the genre garnered sustained critical recognition alongside commercial success. The superhero genre then became a global phenomenon with the release of Iron Man (2008) and the subsequent development of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Much of the published scholarship related to superhero films has arrived subsequent to Iron Man’s release. The General Overviews section includes textbooks and edited collections surveying the history of the genre as well as laying out the major areas of scholarship. Politics and the Post-9/11 World outlines the work in one such area, detailing the connection superhero films have to American political ideology since 11 September 2001. The section on Genre includes scholarship on the narrative strategies, thematic tendencies, and transformations of the superhero film during its history. Cultural studies have also played a major role in superhero film research as outlined in both the Gender/Bodies and Race and Ethnicity sections, while the impact of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has also garnered much scholarly attention. Connections to ancient mythology, religious tropes, and ethical decision-making are prominent topics of interest in the section on Morality and Supervillains. There is also a growing number of sources approaching the genre through the Reception and Fandom critical lens, charting the real-world impact of superhero films on society.