It seems like summer-blockbuster movies have been bringing more and more superheroes to the big screen every year, and this summer is no exception.
People have an inherent desire to see a wrong righted. Superhuman characters fill that need.
After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, America ached for guidance and support. We longed for justice against those who had wronged us.
America's need for a hero would be answered with the May 2002 release of Spider-man.
Set in the heart of New York, an ordinary teenager becomes extraordinary when a radioactive spider bites his hand during a field trip. The spider bite transforms his DNA, allowing him to climb up walls, sense danger and sling webs. With his newfound powers, he takes the responsibility of protecting New York from crime and villainy.
Spider-man went on to gross $403 million domestically during its 2002 run.
This movie was successful because people identified with it. At that time, we needed a hero, and we found it in Spider-man.
Another movie tugged on America's heartstrings.
X2: X-Men United, released in May 2003, reached out to America's softer side.
In this film, super-powered humans called X-Men banded together to stop a madman who threatened all mankind.
Unlike Spider-man, this movie offered a smorgasbord of superheroes, all with unique powers and abilities. In essence, X2 provided a huge array of heroes, so that every audience member could find one and personally relate to their struggle.
These superhero movies hit us deeply because we long to end the violence that has begun to define us. We want to see evil brought to justice.
Superhero movies provide us with a feeling of right triumphing over wrong. They set examples for all of us. Their protagonists are brave, self-sacrificing and able to save the day in two-and-a-half hours.
Spider-man's sequel did amazingly well at the box office as well, becoming the third film ever to hit $40 million in a single day. Leave it to Spidey.
But unfortunately, there have been recent superhero movies which have not fit the bill.
Daredevil, The Incredible Hulk, and Elektra fall into this category.
They all failed at the box office because they focused less on the heart and more on the violence. Just like the saying, "beauty is only skin-deep," these movies were visually stunning but they failed to strike a cord with audiences.
With the release of Batman Begins only weeks away, it will be interesting to see how the public reacts to this superhero film.
Batman, unlike a majority of superheroes, does not possess any real powers. He is driven by guilt, passion, and vengeance. Often referred to as the Dark Knight, Batman uses fear to attack his enemies.
Because Batman is the most human of recent superheroes, I believe the audience will latch onto him as well.
Christopher Nolan, who is also responsible for Memento and Insomnia, directed Batman Begins. He promises to throw out the cheesy villains and widely mocked "nipple suit" of Joel Schumacher's Batman and replace them with a dark tale of Batman's origins.
It seems as though there is no end in sight for these superhero movies.
Even Superman will return to theaters by the summer of 2006.
And with X3 and Spider-man 3 in pre-production, there is no short supply of heroes for America.
I believe Aunt May said it best in Spider-man 2 when she said, "There is a hero in all of us that keeps us honest, gives us strength and makes us noble."
Jimmy Shoffman is a journalism senior. Reach him at james.shoffman@asu.edu.
