Comic Book Critical Mass

Have we hit critical mass with superhero/comic book movies? Since the Dark Knight became the tentpost for all other movies based on comic books, there have been 22 new movies (as of 2012). That’s an average of 4 per year roughly. In the next 4 years, there are also going to be releases of about 4 movies per year. The question is: when does the genre hit critical mass and go on the backburner? There’s no reason for Marvel and DC to stop releasing new movies: these are usually guaranteed money makers. For audiences, the action is usually pretty compelling, and the character development has finally caught up with the special effects. Personally, I  just like to see the genre keep evolving. If a genre keeps reinventing itself, its easier for it to remain fresh. However, with the release of the Avengers, I think that one superhero facing off against one villain might not be enough anymore. The only way that will work is by grounding the story in reality like the Dark Knight. Otherwise, the one-on-one faceoff will be no match for several superhuman characters fighting each other. Satire is another part of the genre that needs more tapping into. Movies like Kick-Ass find new angles to poke fun at the genre, but for every Kick-Ass, you get the Spirit, Thor, and Red, which, while entertaining, are retreads of similar fare. What Marvel did with the Avengers is very impressive, but let’s hope it is not the best the genre has to offer. I would like to remember 2012 as a great year for superheroes, not the last great year.