About

A Superhero is a character in fiction possessing supernatural or extraordinary powers who serves the public and protects the peace. The most common powers a superhero can possess are flying, super strength, power of the elements, or enhanced senses. Most superheroes have bases and battle supervillains in the name of justice.

Origins

The first superhero as we know them is Superman. Superman helped catapult DC Comics and superheroes into the mainstream and was later joined by other heroes Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash and others. Another company named Marvel, back then called Timely, grew in popularity with characters such as Spiderman and Captain America.

Spread

Comics became more mainstream during World War II, likely because people wanted escapism into simple Good vs Evil stories, in which the heroes faced certain victory over the Axis. Comics and their heroes left the mainstream past WWII, and comics slipped into nerd culture for a very long time. During the late 70s, the Superman film painted superheroes in a more serious light and catapulted these characters to the big screen. These days, superhero films often have some of the highest yields.^[1]

External References

^[1] Box Office Mojo – 2012 WORLDWIDE GROSSES