Short history of comic book movies
After writing some thoughts on the Marvel cinematic universe. Wanted to give a blog post on other movies that exist. Before the MCU other superhero movies existed, wanted to reflect on that. Loads of possible films to discuss, the list is rather long. So only going to focus on the ones I consider important. Quite a few that I consider as important you’re welcome to disagree with me.
Superman 1978
Offering a template for the future of the superhero genre. Richard Donner set the blueprint that Tim Burton would follow, both contributing to the genre as we know it. Genre owes much to these two directors, the current boom started in the 2000s follows the template. Genre owes Richard Donner and everybody else a huge debt. Worth repeating just how important this movie turned out to be.
Watching this movie today it has aged a bit but overall feels similar to modern movies. Brings Superman down to earth, grounded in reality. Something nobody had tried before to do, some silly comic book moments still believable within the story.
Mario Puzo’s original script was vastly different compared to the final product. Richard did a rewrite and gave us one of Donners most important contributions to film. Starts with an origin story, and deep storytelling along with complex characters with drama. The result is creating something new and refreshing.
Attention to detail along with laying the groundwork for the man of steel to appear after 45 minutes. Sharing an adaption that is proud to tell an accurate comic book origin. What Richard Donner did was show the world the potential, leading others to borrow from his playbook.
Batman 1989, 1992 – Tim Burton
Tim Burton directed Batman 1989, and Batman Returns 1992. Tim’s vision is darker stylised and more realistic, a take on Batman’s origin. This feels like a Burton film, his fingerprints are all over this. He is focusing on the psychology of the character over being comic book accurate. Radically different compared to what came before, focusing on darker stylised elements of the comics. Some people dislike this approach but takes very core themes from comic books. Borrowing themes and ideas over using direct stories, new take on old stories.
Warner Brothers took a huge interest, playing a major part in creating an action hero Batman. The biggest most obvious criticism is just how many people get murdered by him. Thus it is not a very comic book-accurate flick at all. I don’t think Burton is fully to blame for this more executives following what the 1980s looked like. Superheros are untested and the studio really wants to make it a success but not got much faith in it. Why did I include it?
Complaints often focus on it not being comic book-accurate. That was never the goal or point behind it. What you instead get are major psychological themes that underpin and form the Batman universe. Showing it in a new fresh light compared to before along with pushing the norms. Okay took a while but the modern dark version of Batman couldn’t have happened without it. Batman Returns gives you an idea of what the future could look like.
Tim Burton had made his Batman movie but when Batman returned he would get greater creative freedom. The result was Burton agreed to do another one. Pushing his stylised horror meeting the universe of Gotham. Really digs deep into the stylised horror and, a much darker tone overall including the story. The main villain is the Gotham elite, much darker direction compared to dark last movie. The Penguin costume pushes that, opening is more like a horror movie. Still filled with action the top gadgets and everything else. Takes creative risks, Gotham is a dark, timeless alternative design that is bigger. Speaking of which that design would go on to influence modern Batman for decades to come including cartoons.
Parents complained to McDonald’s about Batman Return’s dark nature. Mismatch in terms of the partnership with McDonald pulling the partnership. The terms for the further partnership were Tim Burton could not be the director. Warner Brothers fired him from the 3rd movie, producer in name only.
Batman & Robin
This movie was so bad it changed comic book movies for the better. Watchable but my god it is awful crap. Sadly however far strong junk compared to some of the 2000s movies that got made. So awful at times you just have to laugh at it.
Fox Xmen 2000, 2003, 2006
The Superhero genre was largely unproven, small number of successful films followed by failure. 20th-century Fox had little faith in X-Men being a major hit. The surprise commercial success of Xmen started boom times for superheroes. Hollywood jumped on the bandwagon, using various Marvel properties film rights it owned after Marvel wanted to create movies. Unlike Batman or Superman, the studio was embarrassed by the source material. Steering away from the source material, the meta costume joke is easy to miss in X-Men. Takes important themes but the story is different from the comics. Overall style with feel is lighthearted and family-friendly with more adult tones. Borrowing the best ideas but not being shoehorned by the comic book story. Character development adds to the overall story and special effects are used as plot devices. The human vs mutant conflict is a long story arc that finally pays off in the last movie. Watchable if flawed trilogy but still important showing the genre could be a box office success. Did show that the genre had box office legs and loads of movies followed the formula.
More Batman, dark knight trilogy 2005, 2008, 2012
Christopher Nolan’s dark knight trilogy used Richard Donner’s template to refine it. Borrowing heavily from both Richard and Tim’s previous works. A modern realistic take on the character, grounded in the real world. Not limited but embraces expanding on that idea. Attention to detail here that most films don’t come close to matching. A scene with a bomb timer that is the same length as the timer.
Inspired by the comic book source material, it is a love letter full of detail. Not embarrassed telling an accurate comic book origin story, similar to Superman. Christopher’s trilogy is a story split into three parts, it was never intended to be a trilogy. Therefore each part just adds to what came before and adds what is necessary. The final chapter is a perfect ending for the story arc. Created during the middle of the comic book box office boom fanatic piece of history. Showing that when Hollywood takes risks by respecting the source material magic can happen.
Hollywood today is full of green screen computer-generated imagery (CGI) using fake backgrounds. Saving studios on production costs during shooting, don’t have to do duplicate costly reshoots. Nolan instead opted for physical locations with effects. Any CGI is limited and sparingly used. Lighting to costume design shows the benefit of this old-school approach. An excellent script with set design, and special effects that look real are rare today. Nolan treats Batman with respect and creates three of the best movies ever made. Instead of playing safe, it takes risks to explore themes nobody else considered. The mental health of Batman is the obvious one. Tim Burton’s effort can’t begin to hold a candle to this.
Iron Man 2008
The birth of the Marvel cinematic universe started long before Iron Man. In a previous blog post, I have written a section about it along with thoughts on MCU as a whole. Following Richard Donner’s template, Marvel created its superhero formula learning from what worked and what did not. At the time this was a risky move, an unknown hero who was not like other heroes. The studio behind it created a charming flawed character that was relatable. What makes this movie so improve is what comes next. Giant massive story arc along with decade long series of hits. Leading us to the Avengers infinity war and Endgame which pushed how many heroes you could include in one movie.
Logan 2017
Fox X-Men movies are a mixed bag, from watchable junk to rather good. I have written about Fox X-Men and my thoughts here.
Logan is a conclusion to Charles and Wolverine’s story arc. Aged extremely ill Charles Xavier and Logan. It is perfect in so many ways, in how it tackles certain issues. Gives us a bunch of vulnerable, characters with loads of emotion and development. It works as a stand-alone or part of the X-Men ecosystem. The story is an alternative take on the war between humans and mutants. More grounded darker script allows Hugh Jackman and Sir Patrick Stewart to shine. Different approach and style compared to what came before. Genre-based needed a refresh and this darker take is great. Reminds me of what Christopher Nolan did with Batman reboots 2005, 2008, 2012. Logan 2017 came out and went the darker more grounded route to.
Genre as a whole has kept to action but slowly tried to explore other ideas. Honestly, time for another risk to be taken. Deadpool is R rated action comedy gamble but not that big of a risk. Pretty much every single superhero movie is action based.
Time to expand on what I wrote and explain why Logan was included on this list. The much darker side to having superpowers is shown here, gift and curse. Old age with illness are core to the plot, Xavier illness is believable. A character that weak physically from old age, unable to control his powers. Logan acts as protector just like Xavier did. Both are written like old friends, teaching each other bringing out the best in each other. You do see Xavier darker side here pushing Logan towards helping X-32. However it only briefly shown and easy to miss what going on. Flawed character is nothing new but to see vulnerable in a different way. What we get here is two characters sharing a similar experience.
Human and mutant war takes a dystopian twist, mutant kind is killed off by private company seeking to use them as weapons. That subplot turns out be the main real plot. Logan showed a much darker side but was still family friendly filled with adult themes. Age filled with more light-hearted fewer adult themes Logan showed you could be successful with adult themes. X-Men comics are full of them.
Outside of Kickass a black comedy, the genre has largely been action movies. Deadpool is an action comedy filled with violence, Does have some black comedy elements but focuses more on action. Making a movie for adults was a huge risk. Logan was a fresh much darker but family-friendly take.