SUPERHEROES!

They have become our modern day mythology. Characters with unique gifts who
embark on extraordinary adventures. They have become the stories of legend and
admiration. Devotion to them can border on obsession. Some fans know every
facet of information and piece of trivia about them, adorning themselves with tattoos,
t-shirts with logos and costumes of their favorites. The ancient Greeks might have
been in awe of the worship we bestow on our Superhero Gods.

Fans follow the evolution of superheroes through comics, cartoons and now films.
Once motion pictures starring superheroes were the stuff of B-Movies - silly pieces
of tripe entertainment for children. Now these films have become their own genre.
Superhero Films are now tent pole events for studios and are anxiously awaited by
fans. They are no longer cheap productions with cardboard sets, but now are big
budget extravaganzas starring respected actors and featuring talented directors at
the helm.

Fans voice an opinion on everything from casting to costume designs to the story. Everything is scrutinized with high expectations.
Comic Con, which was once a handful of fans getting together to share their affection for comic books and the characters, is now a
Hollywood-wide industry event. Comic fans are now seen as important audience members whose opinions matter and whose
approval is sought after, and is expected to generate positive buzz for the movies.

Since their inception in the late 30’s, early 40’s superheroes have dazzled fans. Wowing them with super cool ideas, like how can
someone possibly be able to pick up car, bend steel or fly! Since then, with each passing generation, they have recruited new followers
and don't seem to be going anywhere.

We’re now in the age of the Superhero Film. It took them awhile to catch up, but Hollywood finally got it through their heads that
audiences will go to the theater and marvel at their stories. If filmmakers do it right, their reward is truckloads of cash and endless
accolades for the filmmakers. Done wrong…..well let’s just say Joel Schumacher might not be the honored guest at any comic
convention anytime soon.

So, here is an examination of the Superhero Film Genre, starting from its early beginnings. Consider
this an ongoing review series with thoughts and observations from a fellow Superhero Fan that will
examine ‘The Great’, ‘The Good’, ‘The Forgetable’and ‘The Downright Embarassing’. And maybe
even highlight some obscure film that most haven't even heard of.

Also examined will be superhero ventures into the world of television. Live action superhero
adventures were not only contained on the big screen, but for periods of time could be seen on a
weekly basis on the tube. While they may not technically qualify as 'films' I still think they're worth
talking about and in some cases have become known as the quintessential presentation of some
characters.

The criteria of films/television covered is strictly at my discretion. Films that get bypassed could
easily be regarded as automatic inclusions in the list and vice versa, but everyone has an opinion
and fortunately for this series I get to make up the rules as to what gets covered and what doesn't.
Some might just get covered simply because it's close enough to be qualified as a Superhero Film
in my mind and it would just be fun to take a look at them, even if it might really be stretching things.
While others just didn't make the cut for various reasons.

However, if you have any suggestions as to a film that might be worth taking a look at feel free to drop me a line.

Also, this project series is going in chronological order. I'm trying my best to keep things somewhat consistent as to the release dates
of thefeatured projects, along with any information or trivia that is mentioned. I would like to be as accurate as possible, but if there's a
mistake anywhere along the lines, let me know. Plus, I'm not going to lie, there is no timeframe as to when the next entry will be
completed. These do take a bit of time to put together and although I would like to finish them on a more consistent basis it's just not
possible. It would be much easier if I had a Superhero Research Team to call upon. So basically whenever I have some free time and
get motivated is when the latest entry will be done.

UP NEXT!

SUPERGIRL
(1984)

Look up in the sky!
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's....a hot chick in a cape!

After getting the rights to Superman and creating the succesful series films, the producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind also snatched up the rights to Supes' cousin
Supergirl and thought it was a perfect time to create a spin-off to the Superman films and give Kara her own film.

We learn that all of Krypton was not destroyed. A community of Kryptonians have been living in the isolated Argo City. Unfortunately, the Omegahedron - the mystical device that powers the city - suddenly rockets out of the city and lands in the lap of want-to-be-witch Selena on Earth. Now the clock is ticking for the people of Argo City who desperately needs the Omegahedron for their survival, but the power hungry Selena is now using it for her own evil purposes. It's up to Kara, to don her own red cape, defeat Selena and save her city!

Directed by Jeannot Szwarc, Supergirl once promised to be the first of Supergirl's big-screen adventures. Well, we're still waiting for the second. A critical and commercial failure when first released, the passage of time still hasn't gained it much love. Could it be that superhero fans are not seeing the entertainment in a film that is widely considered "one of the worst superhero films ever"??

Starring Helen Slater, Faye Dunaway, Peter O'Toole, Hart Bochner, Mia Farrow, Peter Cook, Maureen Teefy and Marc McClure as Jimmy Olsen. I take a look at 1984's Supergirl and see if it was a worthy addition to the Superman film franchise and maybe perhaps warranted its own film series.