The First Era
Before we get started, how about a little history? The very first superhero film was The Adventures of Captain Marvel which premiered as a serial in 1941, around the same time the comic book industry was coming into their own. The film was well-received and led to the creation of more serials based on rising stars in the comic world such as Batman, Superman and Captain America. Though not quite as groundbreaking as they are today, these serials paved way for more recent films.
Due to the perceived violence and the effect these comics had on children, the superhero film and its legacy was cut short. For the next three to four decades, only a handful of superheroes saw the light of day when it came to the big screen. That all changed though when a film from a galaxy far far away took the world by storm, which resulted in a sudden interest in more fantasy based films.
Along with this storm flew the man of steel in the classic 1978 film, Superman, starring Christopher Reeve. Superman was met with critical acclaim and is noted for giving life to the sub-genre once more.
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