We Need Heroes…and Comics

In light of recent developments of ‘Avenger’ like proportions 😉 , i think it’s time we realized (again) and truly accepted the fact that we really need heroes.  We do.  In real-life and in the realm of entertainment; from books to comics, TV series to Movies.  Life cannot be spectacular without them.  The current historical blockbuster ‘The Avengers’ reported of having a production budget of $220 Million has of May 7, 2012, performed as such:

North America (Opened May 4th): $226,337,707

Rest of the World (Opened 27th April mostly): $475,800,000

TOTAL World wide Gross in JUST roughly 2 weeks: $702, 137, 707!!

….$ 702, 137, 707!!

If you think that isn’t impressive, let me ask; if offered that money would you take it? Lastly, have you ever earned that much in TWO WEEKS ever? Thought so 😉

The only other previous films to make that much of a cash-mayhem (but have been out-done , hammered and smashed by Avengers) at the Box Office are ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ and ‘The Dark Knight’. Just Google it 🙂  Those figures prove one thing: people are going in large numbers, and spending alot of money watching such movies once and most likely even twice.  No, it isn’t just ‘geeks’ people, recent research shows that 40% of the audience that watched The Avengers were women.

Of late, it’s a well known fact that Hollywood is running out of ideas.  The common trend now is remaking, revamping, re-sequeling (is there such a term? Well NOW there is) adapting every sort of concept available to them, the powers that be, spending good enough money on production, and an even more substantial amount on marketing and hoping that come the D-Day, success comes in droves to the theaters to welcome the finished product.  Hollywood needs the financial success to entertain us because there’s also the issue of piracy…

Super-hero movies have proven to be a cash-cow for Hollywood. Why? because everyone likes the imagination and entertainment they offer!  The symbolism, themes, colors, diversity, struggles, triumph, victory and coolness plus humor such a genre brings to the table.  The super-hero genre makes up what is known as popular culture: comics, books, cartoons, television shows, e zines, status-updates, profile pictures, blogs, T-shirts, mugs, towels, blankets, bed-sheets, birthday part-themes, wallpapers, phrases, ring-tones, cosplay culture… Remove all of that and the world would be pretty dull.

Here’s the truth, I am a huge comic book fan, major huge.  Ever since my Dad bought me my very first issues of The Incredible Hulk and Superman, i have been hooked.  I also came to understand that the super-hero realm (whether it’s heroes with powers, money or very efficient and well organized organizations saving the world) enables us to dream; to stretch our wings and fly.  It allows us to escape the boundaries of reality, test the limits or better yet, throw them out the window into some inter-dimensional portal…  Everyone likes and wants to dream; be shown an alternate reality with amazing possibilities, victory, people overcoming daring challenges and burdens.  The super-hero world allows us to step outside the so called box, overcome whatever dark past or moment that haunts us, shoulder it and strive on.  It allows us to re-paint life, at times even momentarily, suspend reality, take a break and fly.  Literally.  Incase you didn’t know, The Avengers is actually an adapted comic book series with several ongoing story-lines.

Series showcasing characters with powers from the previously ongoing Heroes, Smallville to the current Alphas never lack an impressive audience.  We won’t see the last of such genres.   We can’t talk about super-heroes or heroes without talking about their source; comics.  Comic books are a rich source of Television and Cinematic content, case in point, the zombie series The Walking Dead.  Did you know it’s based of a comic book series?

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Smallville, X-Files, X-Men and so many millions more all have a comic-book-attached history to them.  Just do your research.  The major comic book houses that slug it out in mainstream media are Marvel Comics (Avengers, Iron Man, Spiderman, Thor…) and DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Smallville…).  The total number of products, between them that populate everyday life are too many to be counted.  They have become an unavoidable, indispensable part of life.  Could i be wrong?

Fine, there is a certain crowd of people who fancy themselves more ‘grounded’ in reality.  They prefer a more realistic take on life; no capes, spandex, powers, gadgets, aliens etc.  Just everyday life as we know it with the usual sprinkle of love-hate drama, sickness, political strategies etc It’s ok, to each his own.  I am not trying to make them believers, just trying to make them understand that the super-hero universe is desperately needed in Hollywood and life.  Hollywood, cannot do without that genre mostly cause of financial reasons.  Anyone remember the financial monster-hit that was Avatar?  Not exactly a spandex and Bat-cave film true, but it did step out of the normal boundaries of every-day life, didn’t it?  My point exactly.

The super-hero genre, when adapted well, does wonders for the pockets of Hollywood, which in turn means more entertainment for us Movie and series lovers.  Do not take the super-hero genre and its source material, comics, for granted.  It’s no longer child’s play.  Not in this economic times.  You don’t have to go out and buy comics now (it would help if you want to familiarize yourself with the onslaught of such characters soon to come), but you do have to accept their worth and the fact that currently, well they are the big money earners.  The super-hero genre is here for quite a long time.  I believe it has earned it’s respect, like it or not, it has earned it’s respect.