Is the superhero genre overdone? | The Tylt

Scorsese and Moore are not incorrect. The first film that put superheroes back on the mainstream market was the 2000 “X-Men” adaptation. That’s right. 2000. That means it’s been nearly twenty years that men and women in tights have gotten bitten by spiders/been malnourished soldiers that go through experiments/are rich with big brains. It’s the same tropes differentiated only by their ratings (what is “Deadpool” if not an R rated "X-Men" tale, anyway?).

The superhero story is becoming tired. Worse, it’s becoming overrated. Like, OK, we get it, you were an average Joe and now you have powers. Bully for you. Where's the character development? Where are the deep twists and turns that flesh out the overarching themes? 

Sure, the superhero genre has given us some of our favorite characters and moments. But with the passing of “Endgame,” one would expect the momentum to die down. Nope—Marvel just announced a whole slew of upcoming movies and even a revamp in the Avengers crew. How much more can they squeeze out of this franchise before its totally dried out?

Many argue that superheroes are so pervasive, they’re taking away from all the non-superhero films and shows that are just as good. These little gems are ignored for a long-dead horse that continues to get beaten.  

Even super superhero fans are admitting it’s getting to be a bit overdone. After all, the phrase “too much of a good thing” exists for a reason. 

Alan Moore's statements are not only hypocritical, but insulting. First off, his whole career is based on characters who are not only superheroes, but of whom the majority are white. Secondly, his comments disregard the complex storylines and mores that superhero films promote, snottily writing them off as lowbrow entertainment. Thirdly, they ignore the diversity that is shown in the wide array of superhero characters available. "Black Panther," after all, was one of the most successful franchises in history. 

The genre has greatly evolved from when Adam West was “scaling” buildings. Heroes today have darker, more human sides—they make big mistakes, too, ones that not even powers can fix and whose consequences must be dealt with. That’s as deep and torn as any social commentary Lars Von Trier can come up with. 

The argument that there’s “too many” superheroes out there is also a shallow generalization. How many drama films are pushed out a year? Romantic comedies? Films about films (the ones that are without fail nominated for Academy Awards)? Each of these genres individually has more movies than superheroes, yet the latter is the only one accused of oversaturation. It's a clear bias stemming from an unfair stigma. 

Superhero movies are so beloved and popular because they express themes everyone can get behind: People in extraordinary situations who stick to their beliefs and triumph over evil despite the urge to just give up. Film snobs may argue that real life isn’t that way, but who are they to dictate what real life is like? We all know those they'd be the first ones to run away from Thanos with their tails between their legs, anyway. 

At the end of the day, entertainment is entertainment. Sometimes it means something, sometimes it doesn't. Take a chill pill, Uncle Alan.