The Most Important Comic Book Films?

[Bruce Malone]

What films do you think have impacted and meant the most to the genre?

I think my list would look like this:

(in order of appearance)

Superman:TMP, Batman '89, Spider-man 1, Iron Man, TDK.

Some may think Iron Man may be out of place but it is responsible for the success of the MCU. If it was a failure there would not have been an avengers. The rest are relatively self-evident.

 

[El Payaso]

For me, from the standpoint of the contribution to teh genre, it's STM, B89 and TDK.

Now, Spider-man was financially remarkable and opened the doors for many other mvoies. I think it was X-Men who actually brought the right tone for the Marvel movies.

 

[El Hombre Gato]

Superman (1978) - Gave the genre credibility.
Batman (1989) - Made the genre serious and less kid-friendly.
Blade (1998) - Opened the door for Marvel
X-Men (2000) - The gateway for the genre's dominance.
Spider-Man (2002) - Kick started the genre's dominance.
Iron Man (2008) - Launched Marvel Studios
Dark Knight (2008) - Critical Favorite

 

[Da Games Elite]

Basically, everything you guys said, plus the 60's Batman film (first real mainstream superhero success), and The Avengers, which I feel will change the genre forever.

 

[optimus2861]

I think El Hombre up there nails it. It's too early to judge the importance of The Avengers, and while I haven't seen TDKR yet I doubt it can surpass the impact of TDK.

 

[El Payaso]

Basically, everything you guys said, plus the 60's Batman film (first real mainstream superhero success), and The Avengers, which I feel will change the genre forever.

I still fail to see what did The Avengers actually change about the genre. I mean, what's the actual difference with what has been shown before. Other than a huge success and bringing different characters together (which has been done in movies like Freddy vs Jason or Alien vs Predator).

Or it is that and it's just me not seeing the actual contribution.

 

[co2]

Superman (1978) - Gave the genre credibility.
Batman (1989) - Made the genre serious and less kid-friendly.
Blade (1998) - Opened the door for Marvel
X-Men (2000) - The gateway for the genre's dominance.
Spider-Man (2002) - Kick started the genre's dominance.
Iron Man (2008) - Launched Marvel Studios
Dark Knight (2008) - Critical Favorite

Yeah, I would have to agree with this. Those are the most infuential.

I would also have to give a special nod to...

Spider-man 2 (2004) - Showed that a film of this genre could have great critical appeal.
Batman Begins (2005) - Launched the idea a grounded reboot of a dead franchise (soon followed by the likes of Bond and others)

 

[metaphysician]

I still fail to see what did The Avengers actually change about the genre. I mean, what's the actual difference with what has been shown before. Other than a huge success and bringing different characters together (which has been done in movies like Freddy vs Jason or Alien vs Predator).

Or it is that and it's just me not seeing the actual contribution.

Avengers is a movie that should have been impossible to do. That's what makes it game changing. It proves that, yes, you can make a classic super team movie by using other films as setup.

( the horror mashup movies are really lousy comparisons, seeing as they have all been PWP )

 

[NewYorkSpider]

I still fail to see what did The Avengers actually change about the genre. I mean, what's the actual difference with what has been shown before. Other than a huge success and bringing different characters together (which has been done in movies like Freddy vs Jason or Alien vs Predator).

Or it is that and it's just me not seeing the actual contribution.

I think it opened the door for people who aren't fans of a certain superhero that was in it. Some people I know went and seen The Avengers without seeing TIH, Thor and Captain America. I think when those sequels roll around, you'll see a bigger audience for them.

 

[Donnie Darko]

Avengers is a movie that should have been impossible to do. That's what makes it game changing. It proves that, yes, you can make a classic super team movie by using other films as setup.

( the horror mashup movies are really lousy comparisons, seeing as they have all been PWP )

Also, I think it showed that seeing a group of brightly-colored heroes on screen actually does work. That was a big issue when the first X-Men came out. I loved those movies, and still do, but people were scared of what a group of adults running around in "yellow spandex" would look like.

 

[metaphysician]

Being fair, I think avoiding literal bright colored spandex *is* a good idea. Bright colors *can* work, but spandex or spandex-like stuff? Not so much. Even the Cap costume isn't close to that.

 

[Donnie Darko]

Well, you know what I mean. I don't think anyone would have expected literal spandex. But even after Spider-Man came out, I saw people say "well, one person in a costume like that is ok, but a whole group of them wouldn't look good." Even Fantastic Four, which leaned more toward the "colorful costumes" side, had them wearing what were basically team uniforms, which works for Fantastic Four because that's what they wear. Avengers had four brightly colored heroes with distinct looks, only wussing out a little when it comes to Hawkeye, who instead wore a more "Ultimate" costume, which is ok.

 

[Donnie Darko]

To be fair, I do understand there is a huge difference between X-Men and Avengers. X-Men had to be presented as a team first, not a collection of individuals uniting against a Big Bad. No X-Man, besides Wolverine, would even have a chance at carrying a solo film before appearing in X-Men. Even after appearing in the team movies, I don;t know if any other characters would hold their own in a solo film.

 

[Tony Stark]

Not to be a total homer, but I also agree with Iron Man being on that list, not only because of Marvel Studios success and the MCU, but because Spider-man, Superman and Batman were all known characters and cultural icons.

It was the first time someone successfully started a character that wasn't an A list character or well known, and turned him into a character that now everyone mentions in the company of those other characters.

 

[Donnie Darko]

Not to be a total homer, but I also agree with Iron Man being on that list, not only because of Marvel Studios success and the MCU, but because Spider-man, Superman and Batman were all known characters and cultural icons.

It was the first time someone successfully started a character that wasn't an A list character or well known, and turned him into a character that now everyone mentions in the company of those other characters.

Agree 100%

 

[metaphysician]

To be fair, I do understand there is a huge difference between X-Men and Avengers. X-Men had to be presented as a team first, not a collection of individuals uniting against a Big Bad. No X-Man, besides Wolverine, would even have a chance at carrying a solo film before appearing in X-Men. Even after appearing in the team movies, I don;t know if any other characters would hold their own in a solo film.

Also, the X-Men ( and the Fantastic Four ) are both teams that have a singular joint concept and origin. The X-Men have the whole mutant schtick, which everyone has in common ( and was, in fact, originally conceived as a way to avoid having to invent countless origin stories ), and the Fantastic Four all got their powers in a single accident. This means less backstory, and a lot less phlebotinum needed.

 

[DACrowe]

Superman: The Movie (1978)
Batman (1989)
X-Men (2000)
Spider-Man (2002)
The Road to Perdition (2003)
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Sin City (2005)
Batman Begins (2005)
Iron Man (2008)
The Dark Knight (2008)
The Avengers (2012)
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

The most influential films on the genre, in my opinion.

 

[That Guy]

For me

Superman: The Movie (1978) showed that a super-hero could be successful on the big screen.

Batman (1989) showed that a super-hero could be done in a less kid-friendly, more serious way.

Batman and Robin (1997) while terrible, this film was very important in the sense that it taught studios that you have to respect your material if you want the film to be a success.

X-Men (2000) and Spider-Man (2002) both of these films set off the super-hero craze of the 21st century.

Iron Man (2008) obviously this started the mcu, but it also proved that if handled correctly a non a-list chacter could work. I also believe that it helped to reinvigorate interest in the genre.

The Dark Knight (2008) for obvious reasons.

 

[misjuevos]

i know it has been mentioned but you really can't say it enough, blade 1 snuck in as a vampire movie for most of if not all of the GA. but it was the 1st of the new generation of comic book movies. especially the 1st of the unknown marvel characters to be made into a movie.

 

[psylockolussus]

-Superman
-Batman
-X-Men
-Spider-Man
-Batman Begins
-Iron Man

The first movie is usually not my favorite but for me its the most important because they started the movie franchise or series.

 

[ThDWgeek]

Superman (1978) - Gave the genre credibility.
Batman (1989) - Made the genre serious and less kid-friendly.
Blade (1998) - Opened the door for Marvel
X-Men (2000) - The gateway for the genre's dominance.
Spider-Man (2002) - Kick started the genre's dominance.
Iron Man (2008) - Launched Marvel Studios
Dark Knight (2008) - Critical Favorite

I'd say this list, plus The Avengers for showing that a superhero team up film can work.

 

[CConn]

I will always say, the only people who legitimately thought a light superhero team up film couldn't work were people who lacked the creative intelligence to realize just how simple and easy it really is to make such a film.

 

[Bruce Malone]

You could argue that the first x-men proved that point. I'd actually add that film to my list in terms of impact as it is arguably the 1st of the current gen superhero blockbusters.

 

[CConn]

Personally, I always felt X-Men failed quite wholly as a team movie. The classic comic X-Men have already had pretty equal "page time", but in the movie, it quickly devolved into a Wolverine/Rogue/Magneto lovefest with all of the other characters receiving minimal characterization and dialgoue.

First Class actually did a much better job of balancing the characters, IMO.

 

[Donnie Darko]

I might actually include Batman and Robin as one of the most important. Think about it. That movie really caused movie studios, especially WB, to rethink what they were doing.