WEEK 13: Reinvention of the Superhero | Black Panther and SpiderVerse

Where to begin......The superhero world is as strong and alive as ever and has made a resurgence in this era for every age group and gender. We are in a time in the entertainment world where the industry is retelling iconic stories of 50 years ago, with the modern technology we have. Most often it is hard to retell stories in a new creative way because stories such as superheroes have been told again and again. One aspect I feel has helped the reinvention of the superhero is diversity. While there are many changes still to come, the entertainment industry has greatly improved when it comes to the incorporation of many races and dissolving gender conforming standards from the past. We see an example of this in the new amazing film and comics of Black Panther. This film has set the bar for diversity and authenticity. 

Most recently the new SpiderVerse film I feel has been the most diverse one yet. The idea that anyone can wear the mask and be Spider Man is one concept that Stan Lee was a big believer in. Now that he has passed, it is great to see this idea implemented in the superhero world.

When we look at what makes a superhero film successful, most often they are designed for humor and have an ironic nature. I have noticed that the comics are more likely to have adult humor and content but because of the younger fanbase, that has been diluted for films. Especially in stories such as Black Panther, there is a cultural emphasis incorporated within the story. 

-Abigail