Evolution Of Superhero: Analysis Of Superman, Iron Man, And Captain America
A superhero is formally defined as “a fictional hero having extraordinary or superhuman powers / an exceptionally skilful or successful person / a very heroic person” (Webster, 2006). The Avengers (including Captain America), Superman and Iron Man all fit into these definitions in different ways. The ideas behind what makes a superhero have evolved with the industry of superhero comics and films. The general idea of the role of a superhero is someone who protects the innocent and has a good moral compass in terms of decision making under pressure. Although it is more commonly a case of that even at their most noble, superheroes are theoretically vigilantes who are attempting to bring about peace or prevent criminal activities. Superheroes have also played a part as moral guides for people; their good deeds and their just nature, act as a good template for those who watch superhero films. A strong billion dollar industry with the Marvel Cinematic Universe sitting on over $11 billion in box-office receipts alone; the statics speak into the fact that this is a successful enterprise.
The superhero is often a representative of the era in which he or she was filmed and served to full a cultural need. Civil War has been described as an exciting, giddy pop pleasure. Superman was shot during a time of progression in space programmes, and being extraterrestrial himself, he perfectly fits into the concept of life beyond earth. He was also a much needed pillar of hope, like that of the famous symbol on his costume, as the threat of nuclear war was looming and people felt they were in need of a saviour. Superman fulfilled that relevant need by saving California’s West Coast from the nuclear missiles fired by the villain Lex Luthor.
Iron Man fits into the category of being a superhero without superpowers; he instead uses his enhanced intelligence to design technology that was far beyond any other persons’ capabilities. Iron Man was released during the peak in the ‘War on Terror’ and it was also a time where there was a massive burst in technology. He is an ordinary human - Tony Stark - without any powers, yet he promotes heroism through education, a changed mindset and the advancement of future technology. The fact that he is not an extraterrestrial like Superman or a genetically engineered super soldier such as Captain America is refreshing; he is only human and decides to get rid of any hints of having the classic dual identity. He embraces being human and although some of his actions and parts of his personal life are morally questionable, Iron Man represents what is needed to achieve peace; especially during a time of terrorist attacks with security being at an all-time high, a man in a robotic suit who breaks the rules a little bit to prevent destruction is a welcome character. The physical appearance and costume differ between heroes and have even adapted to align with the outcry against unrealistic body standards in all media. Superman was toned and ‘chiseled by the gods’ and so, even though he made many women swoon, he was an impossible figure for most men to meet.
Captain America gets closer to the goal of what males can aim for; a healthy and muscular physique that is not completely out of reach. Tony Stark uses his Iron Man persona to make up for his lack in physical attributes; and along with his intellect and humour he is quite able to attract many admirers. The arc reactor that plays as Tony’s heart is an element that binds him to the character, as well as making up the base of who the Iron Man is. His suit has progressed alongside his technological advancements; from a rusting armour of faded silver to the red, gold and silver metallics of his upgraded ensemble that Marvel fans salivate over. With faster, flashier and fully equipped suits, Iron Man has been one of the rapidly adapting heroes of the modern age. Captain America has moved on from the days of baggy combat clothing; furnished with the classic patriotic colours, white star, and shield to match to the tailored gear that we are more familiar with. Captain America’s look continues to burgeon with time, changing between each movie that he features in; from Captain America: Civil War to Avengers: Infinity War there are massive moderations to his appearance. Superman has undergone one of the greatest ‘make overs’ out of all three of these characters. He has kept the iconic “S” which symbolises what he truly stands for: hope. However, he has greatly altered his attire by maturing out of his regular red, blue and yellow into steel greys and blood reds. His suit remains figure hugging and his cape has trailed behind him throughout the past 70 years, he stills maintains his archetypal image.
Most superhero films do have reoccurring aspects and undertones such as one or more heroes that fight against a villain who wants to unleash a doomsday upon the world but that is typical of any genre. However, superhero movies are not only all about the action; they involve the witty comedy that is subtly slid into conversation between characters, there is romance in the mix such as Lois and Clark or the ‘complicated’ relationship of Tony and Pepper and there is an emphasis on smart, spare narratives that boast a mystery-thriller element as seen in Captain America: Civil War. Each movie was shot in very different ways and the special effects have developed greatly over time, especially with the breakthrough of CGI. For example there is the filming of flying sequences; Superman when he is able to move while ‘in the air’. Using a blue screen the crew was able to add in images of a rushing background as he flies, but this still was not the same calibre as when Iron Man seamlessly soars through the air as one would expect to see if a man really was able to fly due to the art of green screens and CGI. Special effects have evolved with the technology used to create them, from explosions to the luminescence of a prop. While Superman has many slight low angles when filming him directly to flash his powerful and heroic nature to the audience; the film also had a general structure os medium and close ups to show the action unravelling, the actors actions and their expressions. Iron Man has the whole range of shots as equipment that is used to position the cameras and sets have developed greatly.
Critics and even producers sometimes have described the Marvel movies as ‘clockwork’ but the success of the superhero genre comes from the ability they possess to shift genre and tone within the cliche structure of good versus evil that it makes their work feel both diverse and of a whole. With each director and crew comes a different creative ideology, each film was filmed differently from the other as no two people have the same opinion of how things are to be put together and what the final product should entail. A few of the themes explored are based in the moral decisions that one must face to ensure a better world, such as in the signing of the accords in Civil War. Stark embodies Iron Man in his quest to set right his mistakes and take what he has learned through his hardships as seen in Iron Man (when he was taken hostage) Captain America sides with Bucky and remains loyal to his friend throughout the battle between heroes. And Superman becomes determined to save everyone; including the villains; after the tragic death of his father, saying “All those things I could do, all those powers — and I couldn’t even save him”.
All these heroes are promoted into their line of work by past events and experiences, making them more human than one may believe. They didn’t just stumble across the idea of saving the world but had ulterior motives that sparked this desire for justice, even if it was justice for what their personal beliefs may be. Family is torn apart by conflicting viewpoints, death breaks the heroes down, confusion as to what the right decision for everyone may be riddles them, friendships and relationships run deep between characters in these films. These movies contain characters that are thought of in-depth and are not cliches or one dimensional as some critics may view them and so everyone finds something that they are able to relate to and will enjoy in these diverse motion pictures. The industry of superheroes will continue to evolve as cinematographic techniques and technology improves. The role of a superhero will be ever-changing according to the current societal atmosphere. There will always be new roles for these heroes to fill. Justice changes with the times and so will the actions and characters of the genre in order to stay in the category of modern relevance.
