The superhero film: a homage to everything that people expect of this small world the minute they open their eyes – a world plagued by the stench of greed and pride, yet saved by the promise of salvation. No one comes into this world thinking that they could be a hero. Some learn it, some are inspired to be it, and some are blessed with the miracle of luck as they save a child from certain death, but nevertheless, a hero is not a superhero. A superhero rises to any occasion, saves anyone in need, and is the epitome of everything good in any situation.
Needless to say, no human being can be a superhero, especially since we don’t have the ability to fly, to shoot raw energy from our eyes, or even to survive large amounts of exposure to radiation. So we look to the world of fiction to write down and draw our wishes for a perfect society with a perfect role model for our children, a society that is beyond our mundane lives, and a society that looks to the skies in times of need.
Though our friendly neighborhood heroes have been around on paper for many a decade, the superhero film has only recently begun to rise to the forefront thanks to the powerhouses that are Marvel and DC Comics.
As the film industry continues to follow society’s current needs, the state of the superhero film will continue to follow as well. From the past to the present, these eccentric personalities have gone through major reconstructive therapy in order to reflect the current need for a hero – and for money of course. Separating the timeline into different “eras”, we outline the superhero film.
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