Is "Comic Book Movie" a Genre?

Rocketman · 07-01-2013, 04:39 PM

This is something that I try to wrap my head around, and it usually ends with me getting frustrated. In film, we have a dozen or more genres, including:

Action
Comedy
Drama
Horror
Western
Sci-Fi
Romance
Romantic Comedy
Animated / Children
Mystery / Suspense / Thriller / Psychological Thriller

... Should "Comic Book" be its own category?
And beyond that, should "Superhero" be its own?

I don't know. On one hand, we can't deny that The Avengers is Sci-Fi / Action, but then The Dark Knight isn't really Sci-Fi.

You have Road to Perdition and A History of Violence. Both are not superhero films. Same with V For Vendetta, or From Hell.

If we're sticking to superheroes, should The Punisher be in the same category as Pixar's The Incredibles? Are they really under the same umbrella? Should Kick-Ass be in the same category as Jonah Hex?

It just seems very odd to me that this type of movie is the biggest and most popular in Hollywood now, completely owning the box office every year, and yet there really isn't a defining, all-encompassing name for it.

Any thoughts?

Teelie · 07-01-2013, 04:43 PM

Comic book movies straddle a lot of genres. Just about any existing genre can include a comic book movie in it.

cherokeesam · 07-01-2013, 05:10 PM

I'd call Superhero a subgenre of action, and/or "speculative fiction," the catch-all for fantasy, sci-fi and horror.

"CBM" is a fairly useless term. Technically, Richie Rich is a CBM, as is The Road to Perdition, as is Man of Steel, as is Tintin, as is The Avengers. Other than the medium from which they derived, there is nothing at all that makes them belong to a shared genre.

Senator Pleasury · 07-01-2013, 05:59 PM

It should be. Well, I talk about it as a genre anyways.

Lord · 07-01-2013, 06:06 PM

If Comic Book Movie is a genre then book adaptation is one as well. Superhero movie is a genre, comic book movie however is not, comic books are just another source to be adapted.

Senator Pleasury · 07-01-2013, 06:09 PM

edit

Blackman · 07-01-2013, 06:13 PM

no. I dont think Comic Book Movies is a genre. But "Superhero movie" is one

Senator Pleasury · 07-01-2013, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackman

no. I dont think Comic Book Movies is a genre. But "Superhero movie" is one

This.

Lord · 07-01-2013, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Racer Morose

That happens to share a lot of very clear similarities. Unlike books being adapted that can be extremely different and varied from movie to movie.

That depends on the comic book, not all of them are about superheroes. Adaptation of superhero comics are in the superhero genre, while Red for exemple is an action-comedy. Tintin isn't a superhero either, nor is Asterix, or Rurouni Kenshin, or the surrogates, and the list goes on.

Senator Pleasury · 07-01-2013, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord

That depends on the comic book, not all of them are about superheroes. Adaptation of superhero comics are in the superhero genre, while Red for exemple is an action-comedy. Tintin isn't a superhero either, nor is Asterix, or the surrogates, and the list goes on.

You are right sir. I meant to say "superhero movies." My bad.

jmc · 07-01-2013, 07:12 PM

Comic Book is a medium not a genre. Superhero films are a genre.

747 · 07-28-2013, 05:14 PM

Comic book movie is not a genre. Superhero movie is a genre, but a broad one.

Heretic · 07-28-2013, 05:41 PM

Comic book movies are not a genre any more than movies based on novels or tv shows are a genre. Until we start lumping in Twilight and Das Boot as the same genre, and X-Files: Fight The Future and Dukes of Hazard as the same genre, then we shouldn't be lumping in all comic book based movies as one genre.

Superheroes may be a blanket genre...but typically they cross over into a wide range of other genres . Also, not all superheroes are based on comic characters.

Teelie · 07-28-2013, 05:49 PM

And not all of them are actually heroes either. Some are anti-heroes or just vigilantes who do the job like a superhero without the actual intention of being a "good guy."

pr0xyt0xin · 07-28-2013, 05:52 PM

It probably is in these forums.

Its odd because I rank CBMs and other movies separately. For instance, The Avengers is a 10/10 as a comic book movie. But probably only like an 8/10 or 7/10 as a movie overall.

psylockolussus · 07-29-2013, 12:33 AM

Obviously not.

Its a category. Categories are different from genres.

Lantern Venom · 07-31-2013, 05:09 AM

""Spider-Man 2" is the best superhero movie since the modern genre was launched with "Superman" (1978)". --Roger Ebert.

If Ebert said "genre", then it's a genre.

Lord · 07-31-2013, 05:15 AM

He said superhero movie, not comicbook movie

spider-neil · 07-31-2013, 05:23 AM

Superhero movies are definately a genre.
The second a superhero turns up it's a superhero movie.
If there was nothing but detective work in a Batman movie it would be a superhero movie rather than a crime thriller.
If Spider-Man cracked jokes the entire movie it would be a superhero movie rather than a comedy.

spider-neil · 07-31-2013, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scar Predator

""Spider-Man 2" is the best superhero movie since the modern genre was launched with "Superman" (1978)". --Roger Ebert.

If Ebert said "genre", then it's a genre.

Case closed.

Lord · 07-31-2013, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spider-neil

Superhero movies are definately a genre.
The second a superhero turns up it's a superhero movie.
If there was nothing but detective work in a Batman movie it would be a superhero movie rather than a crime thriller.
If Spider-Man cracked jokes the entire movie it would be a superhero movie rather than a comedy.

Not sure what you're trying to say

spider-neil · 07-31-2013, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord

Not sure what you're trying to say

When a superhero is in a movie it becomes a superhero genre movie regardless of the content, therefore 'superhero movie' is genre onto it self.

Teelie · 07-31-2013, 10:18 AM

Super heroes and comic book movies are not the same thing.

A super hero can exist as any medium from a (comic) book to a cartoon to a movie or a video game. Just about anything. Even an oral story. Beowulf or Odysseus could be considered a super hero in the abstract of terms and they far predate the comic book format.

A comic book movie can only exist from taking a comic book and adapting it into a movie. Even if no super hero is present, it's still a comic book movie.

If it isn't from a comic book but has a super hero in it, that's not a comic book movie. If it has a character (say something like Scott Pilgrim or Bone) who are not super heroes, it's still a comic book movie.

There's a difference but it is often lost in translation.

dude love · 07-31-2013, 07:59 PM

Superhero movies are absolutely their own genre. I can't agree with CBM's however, because you'd have to lump A History of Violence with Scott Pilgrim, which have absolutely zero commonality besides being comic book adaptations.

AVEITWITHJAMON · 07-31-2013, 10:13 PM

I often debate this myself, and I personally think that the more CBM's that get made, the more it does become a genre. I mean we get between 3-6 a year now and the GA who I have talked to refer to them as CBM's or Super-hero movies.

07-01-2013, 04:39 PM	#1
Rocketman Side-Kick Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 3,570	Is "Comic Book Movie" a Genre? This is something that I try to wrap my head around, and it usually ends with me getting frustrated. In film, we have a dozen or more genres, including: Action Comedy Drama Horror Western Sci-Fi Romance Romantic Comedy Animated / Children Mystery / Suspense / Thriller / Psychological Thriller ... Should "Comic Book" be its own category? And beyond that, should "Superhero" be its own? I don't know. On one hand, we can't deny that The Avengers is Sci-Fi / Action, but then The Dark Knight isn't really Sci-Fi. You have Road to Perdition and A History of Violence. Both are not superhero films. Same with V For Vendetta, or From Hell. If we're sticking to superheroes, should The Punisher be in the same category as Pixar's The Incredibles? Are they really under the same umbrella? Should Kick-Ass be in the same category as Jonah Hex? It just seems very odd to me that this type of movie is the biggest and most popular in Hollywood now, completely owning the box office every year, and yet there really isn't a defining, all-encompassing name for it. Any thoughts? __________________ KEEP CALM AND CALL BATMAN

07-01-2013, 04:43 PM	#2
Teelie Mostly Harmless Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 9,766	Re: Is "Comic Book Movie" a Genre? Comic book movies straddle a lot of genres. Just about any existing genre can include a comic book movie in it.

07-01-2013, 05:10 PM	#3
cherokeesam SHIELD Director Coulson Join Date: May 2011 Location: Cherokee, NC Posts: 11,463	Re: Is "Comic Book Movie" a Genre? I'd call Superhero a subgenre of action, and/or "speculative fiction," the catch-all for fantasy, sci-fi and horror. "CBM" is a fairly useless term. Technically, Richie Rich is a CBM, as is The Road to Perdition, as is Man of Steel, as is Tintin, as is The Avengers. Other than the medium from which they derived, there is nothing at all that makes them belong to a shared genre. __________________ THE COTTON AVENGERS ...They move like slick cotton on oil. ---Echostation, 3/18/2014

07-01-2013, 05:59 PM	#4
Senator Pleasury Banned User Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 2,846	Re: Is "Comic Book Movie" a Genre? It should be. Well, I talk about it as a genre anyways.

07-01-2013, 06:09 PM	#6
Senator Pleasury Banned User Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 2,846	Re: Is "Comic Book Movie" a Genre? edit Last edited by Senator Pleasury; 07-01-2013 at 06:17 PM.

07-01-2013, 06:13 PM	#7
Blackman King Kong Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 13,727	Re: Is "Comic Book Movie" a Genre? no. I dont think Comic Book Movies is a genre. But "Superhero movie" is one

07-01-2013, 07:12 PM	#11
jmc callin' it like I see it Join Date: May 2007 Location: I come from the land Down Under Posts: 20,783	Re: Is "Comic Book Movie" a Genre? Comic Book is a medium not a genre. Superhero films are a genre. __________________ Celebrating 75 years of Batman saving Gotham City. Fanboys make excuses, real fans acknowledge screw-ups. Do me a favour - don't break up my posts into multiple quotes when replying, I won't answer back.

07-28-2013, 05:14 PM	#12
747 Fanboy rivalry? Yawn. Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Sweden Posts: 3,972	Re: Is "Comic Book Movie" a Genre? Comic book movie is not a genre. Superhero movie is a genre, but a broad one. __________________ Top ten favorite theatrical superhero movies: 1. The Dark Knight \| 2. Superman: The Movie \| 3. Batman Begins \| 4. The Avengers \| 5. Batman Returns 6. Captain America: The Winter Soldier \| 7. X2 \| 8. X-Men: Days of Future Past \| 9. Spider-Man 2 \| 10. The Dark Knight Rises

07-28-2013, 05:41 PM	#13
Heretic Side-Kick Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Detroit needs heroes Posts: 10,043	Re: Is "Comic Book Movie" a Genre? Comic book movies are not a genre any more than movies based on novels or tv shows are a genre. Until we start lumping in Twilight and Das Boot as the same genre, and X-Files: Fight The Future and Dukes of Hazard as the same genre, then we shouldn't be lumping in all comic book based movies as one genre. Superheroes may be a blanket genre...but typically they cross over into a wide range of other genres . Also, not all superheroes are based on comic characters.

07-28-2013, 05:49 PM	#14
Teelie Mostly Harmless Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 9,766	Re: Is "Comic Book Movie" a Genre? And not all of them are actually heroes either. Some are anti-heroes or just vigilantes who do the job like a superhero without the actual intention of being a "good guy."

07-28-2013, 05:52 PM	#15
pr0xyt0xin Shaper Savant Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: United States Posts: 4,828	Re: Is "Comic Book Movie" a Genre? It probably is in these forums. Its odd because I rank CBMs and other movies separately. For instance, The Avengers is a 10/10 as a comic book movie. But probably only like an 8/10 or 7/10 as a movie overall. __________________ 2014 Cinematic Adventures: Noah \| Captain America: The Winter Soldier \| The Amazing Spider-Man 2 \| Godzilla \| X-Men: Days of Future Past \| Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

07-29-2013, 12:33 AM	#16
psylockolussus The X-Men 5 Advocator! Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: The future, where else would I be? Posts: 18,057	Re: Is "Comic Book Movie" a Genre? Obviously not. Its a category. Categories are different from genres. __________________ X-MEN RI5E' MUTANT OF THE MONTH \| WOLVERINE \| PORTRAYED BY HUGH JACKMAN "You called that a landing?" - X1 "I thought I was just an animal, with claws" - X2 "Once you cage the beast, the beast gets angry" - X3 "Patience isn't my strongest suit" - X4 JOIN MY ADVOCACY ON www.twitter.com/xmen5movie2018/

07-31-2013, 05:09 AM	#17
Lantern Venom No, I will NOT "Imagine" Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: With YOUR MOM Posts: 6,248	Re: Is "Comic Book Movie" a Genre? ""Spider-Man 2" is the best superhero movie since the modern genre was launched with "Superman" (1978)". --Roger Ebert. If Ebert said "genre", then it's a genre. __________________ I know that I've been lacking in my Topher bashing lately. For that, I sincerely apologize. Remember, I'm always here for your Topher bashing needs, day or night.

07-31-2013, 05:23 AM	#19
spider-neil spins a web any size! Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 13,165	Re: Is "Comic Book Movie" a Genre? Superhero movies are definately a genre. The second a superhero turns up it's a superhero movie. If there was nothing but detective work in a Batman movie it would be a superhero movie rather than a crime thriller. If Spider-Man cracked jokes the entire movie it would be a superhero movie rather than a comedy.

07-31-2013, 10:18 AM	#23
Teelie Mostly Harmless Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 9,766	Re: Is "Comic Book Movie" a Genre? Super heroes and comic book movies are not the same thing. A super hero can exist as any medium from a (comic) book to a cartoon to a movie or a video game. Just about anything. Even an oral story. Beowulf or Odysseus could be considered a super hero in the abstract of terms and they far predate the comic book format. A comic book movie can only exist from taking a comic book and adapting it into a movie. Even if no super hero is present, it's still a comic book movie. If it isn't from a comic book but has a super hero in it, that's not a comic book movie. If it has a character (say something like Scott Pilgrim or Bone) who are not super heroes, it's still a comic book movie. There's a difference but it is often lost in translation. Last edited by Teelie; 07-31-2013 at 10:22 AM.

07-31-2013, 07:59 PM	#24
dude love Pissin fire is awesome! Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Val Verde Posts: 8,850	Re: Is "Comic Book Movie" a Genre? Superhero movies are absolutely their own genre. I can't agree with CBM's however, because you'd have to lump A History of Violence with Scott Pilgrim, which have absolutely zero commonality besides being comic book adaptations. __________________ Bring on Batfleck, Wonder Gal and EisenLuthor!

07-31-2013, 10:13 PM	#25
AVEITWITHJAMON Terminator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Liverpool, UK. Posts: 24,216	Re: Is "Comic Book Movie" a Genre? I often debate this myself, and I personally think that the more CBM's that get made, the more it does become a genre. I mean we get between 3-6 a year now and the GA who I have talked to refer to them as CBM's or Super-hero movies. __________________ 2014 movie ratings out of 10: 1)X-Men: Days Of Future Past-10(2)Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes-9.5(3)Captain America: The Winter Soldier-9(4)Edge Of Tomorrow-9(5)How To Train Your Dragon 2-9(6)The Wolf Of Wall Street-8.5(7)Godzilla-8(8)Neighbours-8(9)The Amazing Spider-Man 2-7.5(10)The Lego Movie-7.5(11)Transformers: Age Of Extinction-7.5(12)Robocop-7.5(13)300:Rise Of An Empire-7(14)A Million Ways To Die In The West-7(15)47 Ronin-6(16)The Monuments Men-5(17)Ride Along-5(18)I, Frankenstein-3

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