How many is too many superhero movies?

When it comes to the question of comic book flicks, many critics and bloggers are like a needle stuck on an old record album, repeating the same thing over and over and over. Every year they bitch about their being too many comic book films. Frankly I’m sick of hearing it, so I decided to put it to the test.

First off: Lets be truthful, when people use the word ‘comic book movies’ they really mean ‘superhero flicks’. I’ve yet to read a complaint about Eastern Promises or Road to Perdition being released (just 2 of several non supers comic book based film).

Anyway - I used the year 2008, because it had the most superhero releases. I did a count, and give or take a movie I might have missed or miscounted, here’s what I found.

Of the roughly 445 films released to theaters in 08, 10 were Superhero films (including Wanted, which doesn’t have a cape in sight, but I’ll include it. And Jumper, which was a book not a comic, but it did display extraordinary powers).

10 - about the same number of animated children’s features that where released in 2008.

And both those were surpassed by the 25 or so scary movies I saw listed that year.

But no one says, "God why do they keep making of all these cartoons and horror flicks!"

10 super flicks out of 445 releases, that's too much -- That's a glut of one genre? I have to ask, what's the real problem here, folks? Is it the hype? Is it that they make money and get so much attention? Are you simply tired of hearing about a type of movie you personally can’t stand?

Okay, I get that. But lets keep it in perspective. This handful of crime fighting flicks isn't ruining filmdom, any more than the Western or the Sci-fi, or the Arnold/Willis/Stallone action oeuvre did at their peak. The capes aren't the only game in town. In truth they are vastly out numbered by comedies and dramas etc. You have literally hundreds of options, a veritable cornucopia of genres to choose from each year. The are indies and art films and foreign fare... it's all still out there, superhero’s didn’t make them go away.

This film season will offer us 3 - Kick-Ass, Iron Man and the Green Hornet. But somebody, somewhere will inevitably whine about them too.. I gather all I can do is close the haters out and sit back and enjoy the ‘super’ ride while it lasts.