Have superheros transcended the comic book medium?

Avatar image for spector_rand
Spector_Rand

3946

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

So, we are in the age of the CBM. We have half a dozen coming out every year on average, with them raking in box office dollars on a ridiculously consistent basis. They make so much money internationally that the public awareness of the characters has sky rocketed dramatically. Superheroes matter a lot more to the world now, their exposure making them a part of everyday life where once they were only acknowledged by the nerdy or the young. There are nowhere near as many negative connotations associated with liking superheroes now as there used to be (as far as I know anyway, I have only really assumed this due to the portrayal comic nerds receive in the media.) I myself only started reading comics when Iron Man came out, though I have quickly developed my knowledge of the comic book world. Yet, I don't really fit the stereotypical nerd definition, not to say you have to be like that if you read comics, only that it was what people assumed nerds were like.

However, with the increase in public awareness, we have also seen some dramatic changes. For one, there is significantly more money in making superhero movies then there is in comic books. Marvel has become one of the most succesfull movie studios in history. In fact, there success rate/number of films made ratio means they ARE the most succesfull film studio ever. The Marvel Cinematic universe has THREE films in the top ten highest grossing films, with one at number three and another steadily climbing toward its projected 1.6 billion total. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is the highest grossing film franchise of all time, with its slate of movies in the future meaning no one will be overtaking it anytime soon. Batman and Spiderman both crack the top ten most successful film franchises of all time. The adaptability of the genre gives it unprecedented life. Look at the wide variety of TYPES of superhero movie we've seen over the last decade. Spy Movie, War Movie, Comedy, Space Opera, Sci Fi, Horror, Drama, the list goes on.

This leads to my second point.

If making movies is the more viable option for the companies to make money, shouldn't the companies begin to change the comics to suit the movies? Well, thats already happened really. If you look at Marvel pre Iron Man, the world is a very different landscape. Characters have become more like their film versions, worlds have changed and past history has been thrown away. Just look at some recent changes:

  • Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are no longer mutants
  • The rise of Hawkeye and Black Widow in the Avengers ranks
  • The Avengers prominence in the comics
  • Iron Man's personality change
  • The rumoured exodus of the X-Men

There are many others as well, but I don't want to go through every change. However, I think the point is clear: the comics are changing to suit the movies.

So, the question I pose to you is: Have superheroes outgrown comic books?

Avatar image for hatemalingsia
hatemalingsia

15494

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Soon.

Avatar image for mandarinestro
Mandarinestro

7651

Forum Posts

4902

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

This is the truth of Batgod.

Avatar image for lettsplay10
lettsplay10

21361

Forum Posts

1143

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Yeah

Avatar image for asgaard
Asgaard

4880

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#6  Edited By Asgaard

Another interesting thread @spector_rand: and the answer is Yes, currently everything in the marvel machine is calibrated to support the MCU, perhaps Loki is the best example how his live action interpretation changed the comic version...

Avatar image for spider-manwins
Spider-ManWins

3899

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

@wrglfan2814: ironman was a b list character for sure before black widow and hawekeye were probably c listers, guardians were f listers, and green lantern remains as such lol

Avatar image for eyedcyou
EyeDCyou

7512

Forum Posts

378

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 9

User Lists: 13

#10  Edited By EyeDCyou

I'll make a few comments

- The MCU is not the highest grossing film franchise. You HAVE to account for inflation (I'm getting tired of saying this). Star Wars still holds the title.

- Comics are changing to suit the movies cuz $$$. People love the movies, and CB companies realize that non-comic readers who like the movies are more likely to pick up comics if they are similar to the movies themselves.

- AoU isn't going to make 1.6B if that's the film you were referring to. Avengers only made 1.5B, and AoU is tracking much slower than Avengers was during its time.

But anyway, yeah they sort of have, but I think that happened a while ago.

Avatar image for spector_rand
Spector_Rand

3946

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

@eyedcyou:

- The MCU is not the highest grossing film franchise. You HAVE to account for inflation (I'm getting tired of saying this). Star Wars still holds the title.

I don't really know how to work inflation values, so I just worked with what I know. Why is it so important to use it? Just curious.

- AoU isn't going to make 1.6B if that's the film you were referring to. Avengers only made 1.5B, and AoU is tracking much slower than Avengers was during its time.

Thats just the projected number they had for it was all I meant. Its currently at 1.3.

Avatar image for eyedcyou
EyeDCyou

7512

Forum Posts

378

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 9

User Lists: 13

@spector_rand: Inflation is important because if you don't use it, it's unfair to the older movie. The average cost of a movie tickets in the 70s was $2. Today it's $10. If the 5 people saw a movie in 1970, that would make $10 for the 1970 movie. If the same 5 people saw another movie from today, it would make $50 for the modern movie. so the modern movie made more money just because tickets are more expensive today.

Avatar image for spector_rand
Spector_Rand

3946

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

@eyedcyou: ah ok that makes sense. So its possible a real old school movie could be the highest grossing movie ever?

Avatar image for eyedcyou
EyeDCyou

7512

Forum Posts

378

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 9

User Lists: 13

@spector_rand: Gone With the Wind is actually the highest grossing movie of all time. And it's not close.

Avatar image for gokuss4z
gokuss4z

3613

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Yep it's gotten to the point where the movies have gotten so big that they are are influencing the the comics that they are based off of. It's both amazing and sad at the same time.

Avatar image for spector_rand
Spector_Rand

3946

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

@eyedcyou: I just looked it up haha yeah, the lead by a large margin.

Avatar image for masterkungfu
MasterKungFu

20773

Forum Posts

9757

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 3

User Lists: 11

yep