Assignment 2

Introduction
A multi-billionaire family has a secret. Their only son has just returned home from being
stranded on an island for five years after surviving the sinking of his familys yacht. On the
island Oliver had to convert himself into a cold-blooded killer who had to do things that would
have made the most seasoned warrior cringe. When he comes home Oliver Queen had changed
but hides his new self behind what he remembers of his old one. No longer is Oliver a rich brat
so concerned with his own problems. What happened on the island changed him into a
vigilante fighting and giving everything he has for the people of his beloved city of Starling.
Oliver Queen is the Arrow from DC comics. The past of Oliver is just as vital to his story as
what he is doing now. The depth of this character is far to complicated for a feature length film
to serve him justice, and just like most DC comic characters, he needs a TV show.
As more and more comic book characters get screen time in theaters it becomes painfully
obvious that not all of them are meant for the big screen. Generally, Marvel characters are better
fitted for movies because they are what they are and dont need explanations. Most DC
characters demonstrate the need for more background by making how they became heroes much
more complicated. This paper explores the implications of converting DC and Marvel comics
into film, describes the complications of doing this, and how it has affected the industry and
viewers.
I find myself fascinated with this subject. Like almost any American born males, I was
fascinated with superheroes from the time I could understand TV shows and magazines. Usually
this love affair ends in middle school or high school but this was not the case for me. I continue

to love these comic book heroes and I am extremely interested on how my favorite characters
translate or change so that they can be in film being that this is usually the way I see them. I will
specifically take a stand on how I believe Marvel and DC characters should be used in film. In
no way can I say that I am an expert on the subject but my voice is similar to those of many
viewers who constantly watch superhero films.
Literature Review
The earliest form of comic books materialized as comic strips in newspapers around the
1890s (Wright, 1). These strips usually would satire every day events like domestic life,
relationships, jobs, and politics. Once these became popular the strips started separating into
genres including fiction, more specifically superheroes (Wright, 1). These immediately appealed
to the youth of America and because of their popularity, soon became their own genre of
fictional reading. Though this new genre started off strongly some people didnt think they could
last because of a completely fictional they were (Frank, Oct. 7). However in the year 2013, 13
comic based movies were slated for release and in the year earlier accounted for 14% of boxoffice revenue (Frank, Oct 7). These movies all have characters so my essay describes the
character development of the DC character Arrow and the introduction of other DC characters
made to look like human beings without super powers, self-made (Polsgrove, Oct. 8). This helps
viewers identify with them more. It also has observations to back up the statement made about
have DC develops their characters in TV shows better than they can in movies.
The comic book industry suffered after peaking in the 50s (Beaty, Oct. 7). The industry
has always been a niche market and was rarely affected by the markets and economies of other
industries around them. This all changed in the early 2000s when comics became a global
industry involved in almost every aspect of the economy (Beaty, Oct. 7). Although this

breakthrough has helped the industry survive it has eliminated the autonomous outsider status
that it had always enjoyed.
Marvel has swept DC comics with their production of feature length movies. However,
DC has plans for many movies and is starting to put them into action so that they dont lose their
fan base (Sujihara, Oct. 7). It is hard to tell which side is more loyal until you look at the comic
book sales themselves. DC comics sell twice as many books and magazines than Marvel does
even though many more Marvel movies have been made (Sujihara, Oct. 7). Comic book heroes
were once a niche market but now, thanks to movies, they are displaced into a world of mass
culture. The movies are highly dependent on CGI and even though they look good they somehow
lack to get the same awe across as is imagined when reading a comic book (Sujihara, Oct. 7). In
addition almost all superhero movies are very similar and have dumbed down superheroes to
appeal to the masses instead of what they truly are in the comics.
Comic book store owner states that Marvel Characters are geared for real life and bring
humor while DC takes on a much more serious tone in its Batman movies (Accamando, Oct. 7).
Marvel characters understand that you cant be a super hero and only make things better; instead
it makes your life more complicated and difficult. DC fans think that Marvel characters just put
on the tights and due something great every once in a while when their DC characters live it out
everyday. Both sides agree that DC and Marvel should promote their comic books in the movies
to get a stronger and more knowledgeable fan base. The comics are being adapted to fit better
into Hollywood, making them less like the comic but more appealing to more people
(McAllister, Oct. 8). How to display these characters with film makes things very complicated.
Making scenes that realistically display superhero abilities costs a lot of money, making it hard
for the early comic book movies to come out on top (McAllister, Oct. 7).

Entering the Conversation

Todays world is filled with products and advertisements that attempt to convince us that
new is always better. In reality they have succeeded mostly in part to the fact that new usually is
better, faster, and more efficient. But when the stats of the product are taken away, then how do
we determine which product satisfies our needs more? Quite simply there is no right answer, and
it is entirely up to the consumer to decide what he or she needs. Determining what we need as
individuals to satisfy us emotionally is influenced by the type of person you are.
Film of any type can help fulfill emotional needs of viewers. Each type of film targets a
specific audience that displays similar needs and wants when it comes to their viewing tastes.
Feature length films provide a small amount of background and concentrate on who the
characters are now, not how they got there. Movies can be made into a series, which is beneficial
in developing their characters, but more often than not sequels are made to finish telling a story
that started in the first movie, with flashbacks being minimal at best. Although everyone watches
feature length films, those that deeply enjoy them dont need to be attached to the characters, just
the main idea or point of the movie.
TV shows can either follow a storyline in chronological order or simply be a small story
within the life of the characters. In both cases character development plays a huge role in
drawing viewers in. In TV shows it is mainly the characters that we become attached to. We feel
connected to them in some way, more specifically the shows we enjoy have characters in them
that we identify with, are drawn to by curiosity, or want to be like. Highly followed TV shows
have both dynamic characters that are developed as the show goes on and also have fantastic
story lines that bring in the movie lovers.

Marvel and DC comics have entered the film industry in a big way in the past few years.
They both have movies and TV shows but it becomes obvious that all characters are not created
equal. Marvels main characters do not need a lengthy background or slow build up of character
because they are who they are. For instance Thor is Thor, and the Hulk is the Hulk or for noncomic book readers, the President is the President. What I mean by this is that characters like
these need little background to connect with viewers because who they are is interesting enough.
Movies like the Avengers awe viewers with super powers and incredible action scenes
throughout the movie. I believe if these characters were shown in episode upon episode of TV
shows their super powers would not be enough to keep people watching. It is when Marvel
introduces smaller role characters that cannot dominate the screen with their huge egos or
superpowers that TV shows are needed. The new series Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D. perfectly
demonstrates how smaller roles can be just as interesting as big ones with proper character
development.
DC has come out with big time movies for their main characters like Batman, though
they have made so many that it could have easily become a TV show. Even Batman needs some
background to describe how he got to where he is today. DC comic book characters best translate
to film through a TV series. DC makes their characters life as a whole more interesting than
when they are just super heroes. In the TV show Arrow, more drama and excitement comes
out of Olivers life than actions scenes with him could ever produce. His character development
brings more impact to an action scene because we can really connect with him and fight his
fights with him. It would be hard to feel the same way about him if we only saw a few movies
that were centered around what he did not who he is. This scenario is true for many DC
characters.

Conclusion
Comic book heroes translate into film many different ways depending on what company
created them and what kind of character they are. This paper explored how these characters from
both the Marvel and DC universes are used in film, what kind of film best suites which types of
characters, how these films have created a new industry, and how this has effected comic books
in general. Marvel has sustained its film industry on feature length films while DC has recently
begun a new approach of TV shows that more accurately display their super heroes. In addition
to what was said by others in the literature review, I added that Marvel characters are much more
suited for the big screen than DC, whom should stick with TV series. Also, viewers who connect
with characters more than action are much more invested into DCs TV shows while those who
love action, incredible effects, and huge egos will love Marvels feature length films. This is
extremely important for Marvel and DC to understand as it directly describes their target
audience. Knowing whom to target with advertising is imperative for their companys sales not
only in the box office but in their other markets as well.
So why does this matter to the people who dont care for comics and superheroes. How
does this affect them? Without a doubt comics are a very specific category in film; but the
implications of knowing who your audience is and how to exploit them for the gain of your
company cannot be lost on anyone with common sense. The information stated in this paper is
used for and against us every time we look at a screen that has TV, movies, or commercials on.
Marvel and DC arent the only ones who want to reach out and pull us into their industry. In
learning more about how TV shows and movies are structured and more importantly what our on
individual needs are when sitting on our couches; we can more accurately pick shows that we
know we would love and not waste out time with things that will seem unfulfilling once finished.

No more watching a movie that disappoints you or getting halfway through a TV show then
realizing its not for you. The research doesnt stop with what is in this paper. Why did comic
books turn into film in the first place? Is the comic book industry so global now that they could
change a characters entire story just so that it would fit a feature length better than a TV show?
How does pleasing the audience effect the script writers for film and if it does, will we ever
know what the characters are really meant to be like? These questions can be applied to every
genre of film from romance to sci-fi and should be explored by us, the average viewers.
Bibliography
Accomando, Beth. "Pow, Crash, Boom! Marvel Thrashes DC On Screen." NPR. September 26,
2012. Accessed October 8, 2014.

Beaty, Bart. "The recession and the American comic book industry: from inelastic cultural good
to economic integration." Popular Communication 8, no. 3 (2010): 203-207.

Bukatman, Scott. "Why I Hate Superhero Movies." Cinema Journal 50, no. 3 (2011): 118-122.

Frank, Adam. "Rise Of The Superheroes: Winners And Losers." NPR. May 7, 2013. Accessed
October 7, 2014.

McAllister, Matthew, Ian Gordon, and Mark Jancovich. "Block buster art house: Meets
superhero comic, or meets graphic novel?: The contradictory relationship between film
and comic art." Journal of popular film and television 34, no. 3 (2006): 108-115.

Polsgrove, Tyler. "Assignment 1." Assignment 1 1, no. 1 (2014): 1-14.

Sujihara, Kevin. "Marvel Faces Rivalry from Catwoman & Co." Variety. July 13, 2003.
Accessed October 7, 2014.

Wright, Bradford W. Comic Book Nation: The Transformation of Youth Culture in America.
Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001.