# So why has this particular period of superhero movies been so profitable. Is anything different **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 14, 2019, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-has-this-particular-period-of-superhero-movies-been-so-profitable-is-anything-different/838635 "2019-08-14T02:20:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-has-this-particular-period-of-superhero-movies-been-so-profitable-is-anything-different/838635/81 "2019-08-22T12:17:14Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > Just ‘no’? > > Ahhh…“Hell no.” Well. > > You have an earlier example? > > Bucky? Uncle Ben? [Harry Kane?](https://pdsh.fandom.com/wiki/Spider_Queen) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-has-this-particular-period-of-superhero-movies-been-so-profitable-is-anything-different/838635/82 "2019-08-22T15:50:03Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > I think a better question is, why did the execs back in the day figure out that superhero movies could be wildly successful? Superman (1978) was a huge hit, but no one thought to follow it up with a Batman or Wonder Woman movie. Instead they just kept making more Superman movies, each one doing worse than the one before it. Same thing with Batman (1989). Huge hit, but they didn’t bother to make a non-Batman movie until 1997 (Steel). Yes, we forget the father of them all, 1978 Superman, which had a great cast, great writing (juuuust enough humor) and no CGI. And DC is hampered by the fact that they hired a guy who hates superheros to be the showrunner. Note that \*Shazam! \*did very well indeed, and didnt have Zack anywhere near it. It’s clear- the less Zack, the bigger the success. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-has-this-particular-period-of-superhero-movies-been-so-profitable-is-anything-different/838635/83 "2019-08-22T15:54:36Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Note that \*Shazam! \*did very well indeed, and didnt have Zack anywhere near it. It’s clear- the less Zack, the bigger the success. I was reading a discussion recently (not here) in which people were lamenting DC’s inability to make what they considered to be a worthy Superman film in recent years. Someone replied, “Hey, DC has made two really good Superman films in the past few years – it’s just that they were _Wonder Woman_ and _Shazam!_” ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-has-this-particular-period-of-superhero-movies-been-so-profitable-is-anything-different/838635/84 "2019-08-22T15:56:44Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > You have an earlier example? > > Bucky? Uncle Ben? No, and no. And you know exactly why. But by all means, play your little game… ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-has-this-particular-period-of-superhero-movies-been-so-profitable-is-anything-different/838635/85 "2019-08-22T15:58:28Z")
> [@dorvann](#): > > I think DC thought since the grittier “realer” Batman movies with Christian Bale were so successful that they should make their other character’s movies in similar manner. Except Superman really isn’t a “dark” character to begin with so it doesn’t really work that well. > > I think this year’s “Shazam” movie was the first movie DC made in while that captured more of the light hearted nature people think about when they here DC Comics but even it had undercurrent of darkness that was distracting. Wonderwoman and Aquaman were very good also. The less Zack, the better film. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-has-this-particular-period-of-superhero-movies-been-so-profitable-is-anything-different/838635/86 "2019-08-22T18:54:18Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > No, and no. And you know exactly why. But by all means, play your little game… “You know why” Oh, we’re in 2cnd grade now? No i don’t know why Becky. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-has-this-particular-period-of-superhero-movies-been-so-profitable-is-anything-different/838635/87 "2019-08-22T20:55:25Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > “You know why” > > Oh, we’re in 2cnd grade now? No i don’t know why Becky. Sure. That’s why you’ve only suggested men. Completely innocently. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-has-this-particular-period-of-superhero-movies-been-so-profitable-is-anything-different/838635/88 "2019-08-22T21:17:35Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Sure. That’s why you’ve only suggested men. Completely innocently. :rolleyes: If you can think of some female ones you’re welcome to use them to refute what I said “Steve Trevor and Larry Lance were the first fridgings in comics” I didn’t bring gender into this. You did. Far as I know, Gwen Stacy is the first major female fridging. It was around the same time as Larry , but after Steve. Given your reluctance to move past grade school arguments, I suspect you’re simply deficient in comic book history. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-has-this-particular-period-of-superhero-movies-been-so-profitable-is-anything-different/838635/89 "2019-08-22T21:30:39Z")
Course …Gwens own father got fridges before she did. ---
**Author:** ![Trancephalic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trancephalic/32/380_2.png) [@Trancephalic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trancephalic)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-has-this-particular-period-of-superhero-movies-been-so-profitable-is-anything-different/838635/90 "2019-08-22T21:54:52Z")
The best DC movie has always been Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. It’s ostensibly just a feature-length BTAS episode with some terribly dated CGI, but it’s a standalone tale and excellently told. It even had a bonafide theatrical release. Frankly, it was my personal fave until Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse finally knocked it of its lofty perch. Superheroes work so much better as animation. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-has-this-particular-period-of-superhero-movies-been-so-profitable-is-anything-different/838635/91 "2019-08-22T23:05:43Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > I didn’t bring gender into this. You did. You can’t really discuss the concept of “fridging” a character without bringing gender into it. The term is gender-specific. It doesn’t mean, “Killing off a character to provide motivation for another character,” it means “The tendency in superhero comics to kill off female characters to motivate the male hero.” ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-has-this-particular-period-of-superhero-movies-been-so-profitable-is-anything-different/838635/92 "2019-08-22T23:24:54Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > You can’t really discuss the concept of “fridging” a character without bringing gender into it. The term is gender-specific. It doesn’t mean, “Killing off a character to provide motivation for another character,” it means “The tendency in superhero comics to kill off female characters to motivate the male hero.” I disagree. The originator is called “Women in fridges”. Gail felt the need to specify. But I’ll drop it or give it its own thread when I get home ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-has-this-particular-period-of-superhero-movies-been-so-profitable-is-anything-different/838635/93 "2019-08-23T00:14:42Z")
You disagree by posting evidence for what you’re disagreeing with? ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-has-this-particular-period-of-superhero-movies-been-so-profitable-is-anything-different/838635/94 "2019-08-23T00:32:02Z")
The originating article is called “women in fridges” Not “Fridging and here’s what it means” The emphasis is on the hackneyed trope of using a secondary character to drive a (usually male) characters story. But it certainly doesn’t mean “men can’t be fridged” ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-has-this-particular-period-of-superhero-movies-been-so-profitable-is-anything-different/838635/95 "2019-08-23T01:47:44Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > The originating article is called “women in fridges” Not “Fridging and here’s what it means” > > The emphasis is on the hackneyed trope of using a secondary character to drive a (usually male) characters story. But it certainly doesn’t mean “men can’t be fridged” The article was called “women in refrigerators” to highlight a problem with how comic books used female characters. “Fridge” is shorthand to refer to that concept. Men can’t be fridged, because there isn’t a problem with comic books using male character chiefly to motivate female heroes. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-has-this-particular-period-of-superhero-movies-been-so-profitable-is-anything-different/838635/96 "2019-08-23T03:21:59Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > The article was called “women in refrigerators” to highlight a problem with how comic books used female characters. “Fridge” is shorthand to refer to that concept. Men can’t be fridged, because there isn’t a problem with comic books using male character chiefly to motivate female heroes. [Go to 4:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TD1CNqghN7Q) ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-has-this-particular-period-of-superhero-movies-been-so-profitable-is-anything-different/838635/97 "2019-08-23T04:07:21Z")
IMHO it’s all about the characters are treated. They do all seem human and the way they are portrayed makes us care for them. We got to know all the characters over multiple movies and see their development while not dealing with them being randomly killed off just because some director thought it was time to kill a major character just to change things up. Overall the movies seemed to keep the same mood as well, not overly lighthearted or campy, but also not overly dark just for the sake of trying to be “edgy.” When I compare the MCU to the DCEU and the current Star Wars trilogy (which I think is a fair comparison) I think that’s what makes MCU successful and the other two not as much, at least in my book. Civil War, for example, didn’t leave me feeling dark and hopeless the way that Batman vs. Superman did. And the deaths of Ironman and Black Widow (as well as the way Captain America survived) were much more fitting than the way that DCEU (seemingly) killed off Superman or how the current Star Wars trilogy killed off Luke. MCU just does these things better. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-has-this-particular-period-of-superhero-movies-been-so-profitable-is-anything-different/838635/98 "2019-08-23T13:44:48Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > I didn’t bring gender into this. You did. Sure, buddy. No agenda here, got it 😉 > [@](#): > > Given your reluctance to move past grade school arguments, I suspect you’re simply deficient in comic book history. :rolleyes: No, what I am is aware of what [fridging](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_Refrigerators)actually means: the superhero comic-book trope whereby \*\*female \*\*characters are injured, raped, killed, or depowered (an event colloquially known as fridging) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-has-this-particular-period-of-superhero-movies-been-so-profitable-is-anything-different/838635/99 "2019-08-23T14:11:30Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Wonderwoman and Aquaman were very good also. The less Zack, the better film. Why DC let him anywhere near their properties is beyond me. The man is totally incompetent and anybody with eyes can see it. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-has-this-particular-period-of-superhero-movies-been-so-profitable-is-anything-different/838635/100 "2019-08-23T18:19:11Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Sure, buddy. No agenda here, got it 😉 > > :rolleyes: No, what I am is aware of what [fridging](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_Refrigerators)actually means: > > the superhero comic-book trope whereby \*\*female \*\*characters are injured, raped, killed, or depowered (an event colloquially known as fridging) Since we’re using [dubious internet sources](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/StuffedIntoTheFridge) > [@](#): > > It should be noted that while the term most commonly applies to a male character’s female love interest, it can actually be used in numerous different scenarios of both sexes and different relations from romantic, platonic and familial. The core part is that one character is killed (or at least, has something very bad happen to them) for the sake of causing emotional trauma for the target, with said victim often acting as a plot device more than a real character in the worst-case scenarios. As such, the trope is not Always Female as some would think, despite the sexist ramifications, but rather can apply to just about anyone. When you’re ready to discuss this like an adult and ditch the emojis. Let me know. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-has-this-particular-period-of-superhero-movies-been-so-profitable-is-anything-different/838635.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-has-this-particular-period-of-superhero-movies-been-so-profitable-is-anything-different/838635.md?page=6)