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Superheroes. They are very much equivalent to the mythology of the Egyptians or the Greeks. They have been portrayed from kid-friendly costumed characters, to psychologically scarred vigilantes. But what is the fascination with them? How is it that they are able to capture so much attention from readers? And how has the recent wave of comic characters making the transition from paper to film affected pop culture as a whole? The superhero genre has morphed from a relatively obscure pastime to a cultural phenomenon.

It was in the 1940s when comic superheroes entered the scene. The first was a man called Superman. Superman was a hero with alien ancestry and powers, yet his human morality and virtue stole the minds of comic readers. Superman is relatively a god. He has the ability to lift entire mountains, fly or run faster than the fastest fighter jet, and is impervious to bullets. He truly is the man of steel. He was the first superhero in existence, but would not be the last.

Since the 1940s, waves of superheroes have emerged from the imaginations of talented writers and artists. They are all diverse in their origins, yet characters like Spider-Man and Green Lantern, two completely different characters, have the motivation of virtue. Early stories of Superman and Batman were inspired by the Great Depression, with the rise of organized crime and economic turmoil. In the 60s, the X-Men made their debut as a group of five mutant super beings fighting against prejudice. The X-Men were a reflection of the civil rights movement and the worst time in America for minorities who were victim to hatred. These stories were a hyper reality in which extraordinary, god-like characters try to deal with real life situations.

Public opinion of superheroes had been positive up to this point. In the 1950s, parents and politicians had a campaign to either ban comics or seriously overhaul their stories and the industry in general. The idea was that comic books were harmful to young readers and would create a negative influence. The Comics Code was established, causing an overhaul of all superhero characters. In the 60s, the dark persona of Batman changed to a child-friendly superhero playing a friendly game of baseball with his new 12-year-old sidekick, Robin, and Superman. Batman gained a TV series with the same tone starring Adam West as the Caped Crusader. This altered world, known to comic aficionados as “The Silver Age,” would not last.

In the 1970s, Batman went back to his dark detective roots. The X-Men went from a group of five teenagers to an adult super group of international superheroes coming from countries such as Africa, Germany and Canada. In the 1980s, two stories came onto the scene that sealed the fate of comic books as a very serious medium. These stories were “The Dark Knight Returns” by Frank Miller and “The Watchmen” by Alan Moore. Frank Miller’s story portrayed Batman as a 50-year-old returning to hero work to battle a near-totalitarian U.S. government, local street gangs, the Joker, and a government operative known as Agent Kent, aka Superman. The Watchmen was a story taking place in an alternate reality where superheroes are part of the social norm and deal with a conspiracy entailing a nuclear arms race and the murder of a fellow superhero.

The stories the comic industry released from the 40s to the present day have created a rich mythology for readers. In the 70s, Superman would get his first film. Batman would follow suit in 1989, but it was not until the 2000s that superhero films would gain their place among film genres. Marvel Comics would be at the forefront with 1997s vampire action film, “Blade.” In 2000, the long-running X-Men comic series would get its first critically-acclaimed movie. Since then, several superheroes would gain films, including the financially successful Spider-Man series. Failures would come to pass with the release of “Daredevil,” “The Hulk,” “The Punisher” and “Elektra,” causing a inkling of doubt in the superhero genre. In 2005, DC Comics would bring out its own properties with the film “Batman Begins,” which became the best Batman film ever made. With successful films like that being released, Hollywood knew that the comic genre was a gold mine capable of amassing a large fan base. Films like “Iron Man” and seven-time Academy Award nominated Batman film, “The Dark Knight” would bridge the line between the realistic consequences of taking the law into one’s own hands and the spectacle of highly-skilled costumed heroes.

In the next few years, more properties will be released to theaters, including “Iron Man 2,” and lesser known comic properties like “Kick-Ass” and “The Losers.” The superhero genre is one that has had its trials and tribulations, yet it has gotten better with every film and comic made. Comic superheroes are a rich and complex cultural mythology of our time that will be around for decades to come.