Superhero films as a popular culture are a phenomenon that has experienced fluctuating amounts of success and change throughout its long history, spanning over seventy years. With origins in comic book lore, the mythology of superheroes emerged in 1940s films and has ultimately become a multibillion dollar empire. Over the last century, the heroes and mythology within superhero films drawn from various comic book universes have established an unrivalled relationship with audiences, who access the media through consumption of film, merchandise and paraphernalia.
This lasting connection is often attributed to the capacity of comic book mythology to connect with different generations of people across time and levels of society through reinvention – characters are revived numerous times in films that range diversely in themes and issues in order to more effectively reflect changing social contexts. Although these incarnations differ in relation to the issues they explore, the heroes remain cultural icons that connect older generations and comic book fans with new viewers, increasing consumption.
This connection in recent times has also been enhanced by an upwards trend in the humanisation of superheroes, allowing for audiences to relate to the mythology of the media they are consuming personally through a more coherent understanding of the hero, maximising engagement with the popular culture on a micro level. These characteristics are both evident in the three films used in my qualitative and quantitative content analysis, X-Men (2000), Dark Knight Rises (2010), and Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015).
In addition to these features, advancements in technology have allowed for both higher quality execution of superhero films and more widespread access to the media than available, allowing for the media to be consumed more easily and quickly. At the same time that society has influenced the nature of popular culture media being produced, the superhero genre has had its own impacts on the real world, both positively and negatively.
Positively, this breed of films is able to create a sense of community and collaboration among people, through events such as Comic Con which capitalise on the shared love of the popular culture in order to break down barriers between people, made easier through the growth of technology. In a negative light, superhero films such as those analysed are often blamed for the over exposure of violence to children and gun-desensitisation, the film Dark Knight Rises specifically linked to an act of extreme violence.
Themes and relevance – Content analysis x 2 Gun use and explosions and terrorism references “success of superhero films comes largely from their rich history as comic books, and studios are more interested in cultivating the already successful ones that have a loyal following” Why the Superhero Movie Era Will Come to an End “Filmmakers have long learned that invincible heroes are boring to watch. ” “Man Of Steel” Movie Shows How Superheros Have Changed since the First “Superman” The overwhelming method of carrying out a terrorist attack was by way of explosives. ” The State Of Terrorism In The World Today “From motion-capture (which we’ll be seeing a lot of in Avengers: Age of Ultron), IMAX cameras and CGI, filmmakers are able to pull off the effects required of these characters and pull them off right. ”
Why Superhero Movies Are Popular Right Now, According To Superhero Screenwriters umanisation Humanising our heroes (Vanita Kohli-Khandekar – Media specialist) “All media consumption is now about more realistic experiences whether you are playing a game or watching a reality show” due to the more informal and less-rigid nature of society Themes and social context In modern times, people of all generations are generally able to identify with some type or form of superheroes, given the phenomenon that exists in the long history of the superhero film genre.
As a popular culture, the mythology of superheroes has been consumed by viewers for almost a century, despite huge social changes that have occurred over that period of time. An example of this is the character of Batman – globally recognised as a symbol of comic book company DC Comics, the hero has existed as the protagonist of a large number of media creations since the origin of superhero media as a popular culture.
Utilising a diverse range of styles, formats and themes, these film products have targeted various different viewer demographics over time in order to better reflect changing societies. A member of Generation Boomers (1955-1965) may identify more strongly with the “Batman” of the 60s era, as conveyed by Batman (1966) in a lighthearted,”campy” tone. Comparatively, a Generation Y member (1977-1994) would more likely associate the character with the vastly contrasting image of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, containing themes of terrorism, technology and a much darker tone.
This strong connection across generations, defiant of the passage of time, can be attributed to the capacity of comic book mythology to be reinvented in ways that accurately reflect changing social contexts through the inclusion and integration of contemporary social values in the face of constant change. Superhero films are a phenomenon that allows for the same character or hero to be used in diversely different stories and issues, and although the character may not be altered in significant ways throughout its use in various media productions, themes and issues that are elevant to society at the time of the films creation are incorporated, allowing current audience to connect with the popular culture on a more personal level.
A theme that is increasingly relatable for modern audiences, and evident within recent superhero media, is that of terrorism. Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre in the United States and ongoing conflicts involving terrorism in countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan, people in modern societyy are easily able to identify with the threat of terrorism and the idea stat it represne. ts
This realteability draws consumers in, eroes and mythology of the comic book universe are manipulatred by producers of superhero films in order to create a relate ability for audiences in society. consumption of the popular culutre on a whole is increased by the ability to form a personal connection with the heroes of the media, as made possible through relateability. This is also seen in the humanisation of characters. as media specialist vorvokrm points out, “okekome” – people in today’s society look for a realistic themes such as terrorism are viewed within superhero films as a major issue or adversary, reflecting the current state of societies c=globally.
This has occurred in the aftermath of 9/11 and in the era of terrorist attacks in Iraq, Afghanistan and many others, when the threat of terorrism is real and happening. people in society identify, and this theme is exploited in marketing and production in order to maximise the consumption of the media. Over time, the film industry has evolved in way that allows the audience to expect a certain level of film quality, achieved through high level techniques and methods, especially in the post editing phase – for example, the innovation of CGI technology
Recently, this has also been achieved through the humanisation of superheroes, who’s weaknesses are acknowledged and overcome within the superhero genre. http://www. socialmarketing. org/newsletter/features/ generation2. htm the relationship between society and popular culture is two way – they are inter-influential, dependent on each other. As society changes and influences the media surrounding popular culture, the pop culture can also has a range of impact upon society, both positive and negative.
Positive impacts Superhero films in particular have had an extensive effect on global and local societies. POsotivel, superhero films lend a sense of collaboration and community, bringing the world together through themes of redemption and collaboration, most particularly seen in Avengers:: Age of ultra and x-men, which encourage values of openness and acceptance, and the working together of people of different beliefs and origins, breaking down barriers between people.
These messages of anti-racism and anti-discrimination have real-world effects. Likewise, on a micro level, these medias are abel to join people together through a shared love of the popular culture and its mythology, the relatable human values of the heroes allowing people to identify with them more and encouraging a love and connection with the popular culture. ON a micro level, this encourages connections between people and a closer society. nd also solidifies the commodification of the popular culture. Although this occurs between individual people within a community on a micro and meso level, this process also occurs on a macro level. An example of this can be seen in the event of Comic Con, a worlwide event created in often based in LA that revolves around the shared love of popular cultures, including to a large extent super heroes.
This event draws people from all over the world to the same physical place in order to share their love and connection with the superhero genre, for many younger generations this love beginning through the creation and consumption of media of super hero films. This process has been made ex[opnentially easier to occur with the innovation alf technology and the role it plays in modern society, especially in the process of globalisation and the sharing of values and beliefs among people.
Without the roel that superhero popular culture has played in this process, much of what exists today in relation to global communication and connection could not exist. This impact is positive due to the nature of the relationships created through shared love for superhero genre and events such as comic con and blah blah, which allow for the sharing of values from around the world and creating a more holistic perspective among people globally, breaking down barriers between cultures and physical separations.
Negative impacts At the same time that the super hero genre has created a positive social impact in relation to societal change over time, it has also had impacts that are viewed more negatively, and which have caused new problems in society. The excessive use of guns and physical violence in superhero genre films has created a desensitisation toward violence in modern times. Although this has existed to a certain extent previously to the new generation of superhero films, it was to a lesser degree. This difference may be attributed to the more advanced technology used nowadays. Gun and violence desensitisation is an issue that has become mrampant in today society, with a lagging rate of crimes that are related to the acts showcased in these films.
For example, the Aurora, Colorado insicdentin in which theatre goer attacked the midnight premiere screening of the dark knight rises, the themes in many of these movies have become issues due to their relation with terrorism and gun violence, and especially in relation to the access that many people over the world have oweve,r these negative impacts may have further reaching positive ones in instigating change, for example, chaining gin censorship laws to reduce desensitisation to guns and violence and the proposed changing of gun laws as a by product, which would undoubtedly reduce the rate of crime rates and mudrer rates in America at elast, due to reduced access to the means for this to occur.
