Barry Turi A2 Film Studies F634

An exploration into how the portrayal of

protagonists has differentiated in the superhero
sub-genre
In my creative investigation, I will be exploring how the representation of protagonists
in the superhero genre has changed since the 1970s, where the genre first rose to fame
in Hollywood. In this essay, I aim to explore this statement using contemporary US
films and investigate the extent of the statement I have made. Throughout this
investigation, I will be using the macro of representation as a key framework, deeply
exploring the differentiating representations throughout the years. I will be largely
focusing on five key films to relate to my questions; Superman (Richard Donner, 1978),
Batman (Tim Burton, 1989), Spider-Man (Sam Raimi, 2002), Man of Steel (2013,
Zack Snyder) and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016, Zack Snyder). In this
essay, I am hoping to uncover stereotypical traits of superheroes such as patriotism,
heroism and how they are seen as inspirational figures for society to look up to.
More specific research questions I aim to address in this essay are:

Did Spider-Man set the tone for how main protagonists in superhero films should
be represented?

How do more recent superhero films handle their protagonists?

Discussion of findings
Did Spider-Man set the tone for how main protagonists in superhero films should
be represented?
Spider-Man (2002) was directed by Sam Raimi, and completely opposed the generic
convention, which was then established. Firstly I want to begin to tackle this question,
and begin where heroes typically served as a symbolism of patriotism, much like how
Superman is represented in Superman (1978). One key factor, which associates
Superman with America, is his symbolic costume, which Christopher Reeve wore in the
movie. His costume is largely blue and red the same colours used on the American flag.
Superman relates to a positive representation of American values, as he serves as a
powerful, hopeful hero a message which explicitly highlights this. The film also
contains scenes where Superman, or Clark Kent for this matter, works for a newspaper
publisher called The Daily Planet, while juggling his life as being Superman. This
symbolizes a living dualism, and the urge for people to be better than themselves. In the
film, he represents American ideals to be strong, independent, popular and admired
for the person he is, all of which are ideologies in America. Superman was a perfect
example of how binary opposites were applied to represent these ideologies. The

Barry Turi A2 Film Studies F634

character of Superman is essentially Clark Kent balancing life with his alter ego. The
binary opposite is prevalent it is man vs. superhuman.
Consistent use of this portrayal of heroes, added to the true meaning of Superman, and
how audiences related to him and other superheroes as a major sign of patriotism
amongst the pop culture in the 1970s ad 1980s. After 1987, where Superman IV The
Quest for Peace was released, superhero began to take a different approach. Rather
than presenting patriotism, directors like Tim Burton chose their own incarnations of
the hero Batman.
An example of this is in Burtons Batman (1989), where Batman first emerges to
confront criminals on the rooftop. His costume blends in with the dark low-key lighting,
implying the unpredictability of the character and presenting him as one of the
darkness, connoting that his methods of justice were darker than those of Superman.
Low angle shots as well as high-angle shots are also used as a direct reference to how
the audience looks up to Batman as a superior character, and that the audience also
looks down on the inferior criminals. Burton took a grittier, darker tone with Batman
representing him as a full human challenging the depths of crime, giving people the
hope of standing up to darker reflections of society. Rather than having someone to
look up to, someone who was clearly superior in terms of power, like how Superman
was perceived by audiences, Batman gave the audience inspiration to deal with
situations themselves.
Further analyzing the rooftop scene, and how Batman is introduced differently to
Superman, he is represented as feared and mythological. One criminal uses diegetic
dialogue and says, That aint what I heard at all I heard the Bat got him in a
whimpering tone. This conforms to the audience that Batman has a right to be feared
the criminal says, Got him, implying that something dark and ruthless could have
happened to his victim. This scene represents Batman as someone who is a countertype
never has a superhero come across as ruthless as Batman, compared to the lighttoned adaptations of Clark Kent in the Superman saga.
However, it wasnt till the 9/11 attacks on September 11th 2001, which foreshadowed
the future of how protagonists were represented in superhero movies, would we see a
change in how we see the superheroes on the big screen. The first major studio release
under the superhero genre was Spider-Man (2002), which truly explored the character
of Peter Parker/Spider-Man, and set a template which future releases such as Batman
Begins (2005) would follow to convey similar messages.
Spider-Man follows the origin story, involving Peter Parker getting bitten by
radioactive spider, which results in him gaining superhuman powers. He then uses
these powers under the moral message with great power, comes great responsibility
to fight crime as Spider-Man. Gauntlett's theory can apply here, which states that
"identity is complicated, as everybody has one". This is completely the case for SpiderMan, as the character of Spider-Man shows a much different interpretation of a
protagonist. The character of Peter Parker is used by director Sam Raimi, not only to
emphasise the sympathy of 9/11, but to also show struggles of a teenager, especially

Barry Turi A2 Film Studies F634

with what happens in the films narrative. This had never been used to deliver such
messages and values about American society and patriotism, so Raimi's interpretation
is original in its own sense.
The film changed its direction with representing Spider-Man in response to the attacks.
The film, in collaboration with the source material (comic books) gave to audiences the
impression that Peter Parker was amongst the New York citizenship, representing him
as more troubled than other superheroes in different movies. This felt more convenient
due to the lives lost and the long-lasting effects the attacks had on the American society,
especially New York, which is where the film is also set, adding to its relevance. While
at the same time, the film focuses to steadily develop the character of Peter Parker into
the patriotic superhero he becomes.
As opposed to other superhero movies, Peter Parker is represented as a troubled young
man. A scene that nicely compliments this is Uncle Bens death scene. Close-ups are
used here to show Peters emotional facial expressions, used to show tears dripping
down his face. The use of cinematography helps the audience to sympathise with Peter,
as we can clearly see he is in distress and emotional turmoil after what he has
witnessed. A non-diegetic soundtrack is used as well, and it has a very slow pace and
sombre tone to help emphasise Peters pain in response to Uncle Bens passing, and
create the effect of sadness amongst the audience. Relating this representation of a
hero to other superhero movies, never has a scene been so engulfed in sympathy and
sadness, and begins the characters development into a hero very differently. In this
same scene, Peter masks up and hunts down the man who allegedly killed his uncle.
Soon after the car chase scene, Peter confronts the antagonist, utilizing his new powers.
In this scene, Peter is represented as a stealthy protagonist, waiting to strike literal
fear into the criminal. The lack of sound, also known as ambient sound, used in this
scene creates suspense for the audience, as they steadily wait to expect Peter emerge
from the shadows. This can somewhat be referred back to Batman, how a lack of sound
is used up until his presence is known to create enigma and tension amongst the
viewers, as Barthes discussed in his theory concerning enigma. Sound gradually builds
however, when we see Peters shadow in the light on the roof it is almost like a sound
which comes across as enigmatic and bold, acknowledging the audience that he is
present in the scene. The sound, which appears mysterious, is a reflection of the
criminals reaction he is very confused and agitated towards the situation at hand.
The special factor about Spider-Man is that it shows a significant development, which
symbolizes how America recovered from the 9/11 attacks. Pre 9/11, superhero films
with the exception of the Batman series were very campy, simple plotlines, which saw
the hero tackle the villain's evil motives. The development in character is an explicit
symbolism of America's development and a sign that things would restore themselves.
The final swing at the end of the film presents his heroism as a sign of progress in
reaction to the attacks. The continuous shot, created by CGI ends with Spider-Man
landing on a flagpole that holds the America flag on top of The Empire State Building.
This is very patriotic and delivers the message that a guardian-watcher is looking over

Barry Turi A2 Film Studies F634

the city, and that everything will be fine, as audiences have learnt from watching the
film in its entirety.
Raimi's adaptation of Spider-Man, alongside with the original comic-book source
material completely changed the representation of superheroes and rejuvenated the
franchise as a whole, considering the entire $800,000,000 that Spider-Man brought
from the worldwide box office. This drastic change compliments Steve Neale's theory,
that "pleasure would be deprived with repetition". The superhero genre was seeing a
repetition in mainly plot and characters; Superman Superman IV The Quest for
Peace was a perfect example of recycling the then-conventional plot of 'hero tackles the
villain', without any real differences in plot. Raimis direction foreshadowed future
movies, especially Batman Begins (2005) and Man of Steel (2013), to tackle the origin
story to create a sympathetic representation of the protagonist, and make the audience
feel for and relate to them. This approach is all thanks to Sam Raimis film, and almost
every superhero movie has taken the same, if not, a similar approach to help the
audience relate and feel for the character.

How do more recent superhero films handle their protagonists?

As previously discussed in my creative investigation, 9/11 had an impact of society, on
almost every conceivable form of entertainment. Sam Raimis Spider-Man first shifted
the generic representation of superheroes to create a character who reflected the
emotions of a New York citizen of 9/11, while relating to the origin story of the
superhero. It started a renaissance in the superhero genre. After Spider-Man, many
superhero films followed the same formula to follow the origin story (in some
instances) and most importantly to create a relatable character who the audience
themselves can relate to.

Man of Steel (2013, Zack Snyder) represented the character of Superman almost as a
humanised incarnation of the character, which was a very different take on the
character. Instead of focusing on presenting a man as a symbolism of American
ideologies as much, it was intent on creating a character that audiences would
sympathise with. The title of the film Man of Steel is a direct reference to Superman
essentially being a Man.
One key scene in the film has an overt visual reference to the events of 9/11. Very
critically approached, CGI is used to show the audience the pure destruction of
Metropolis, with buildings collapsing in the background and forefront of the battle
between Superman and General Zod. Different perspectives which focus on the
situations that Perry White and Jenny Olsen are in; Zack Snyder attempts to recreate
the destruction from a civilians point of view, with extreme amounts of smoke and
rubble taking over the streets of Metropolis. Zack Snyder used this in the third act of
the film to capture the perspectives, directly from a civilians perspective,
implementing a sense of sympathy and the stakes that come from such power.

Barry Turi A2 Film Studies F634

The character of Superman in this movie is much humanised within the first two acts,
with the morals of two different fathers (Jonathon Kent and Jor-El) being understood
by audiences. Jor-El unveiling Clarks super suit, referencing to the iconic logo being a
symbol of hope encourages our protagonist to do right by his Kryptonian father,
further attempting to create a representation that the original Superman films had
successfully pulled off, about American ideologies, and being someone who people can
admire and look up to. Jor-El delivers an impacting message to his son Kal-El; When the
suit is first introduced, it is shown through the use of a wide-shot, positioned in between
Jor-El and Clark. This signifies that the symbol of hope is quite literally central to their
relationship; Jor-El wants his son to be someone people can look up to. I come to the
conclusion that Jor-El here represents people in need of the American society, and
some may say worldwide. He confesses the ideologies and hopes that people only dream
of, and Jor-El wants his son to accomplish that.
The other half of the argument is represented in the sense that Jonathon Kent is the
challenge to Jor-Els morals and hopes. He thinks that despite his powers which can
help people, they will also make him hated by society. A key scene to highlight
Supermans inferiority and to highlight Jonathon Kents morals is his death scene. A
low-angle shot is used when he is engulfed in the tornado to signify the character is
admirable and caring, someone who the audience appreciate and understand. He stays
close to his morals, making him morally dominant and faithful. The next shot shows a
close-up of Superman, rather than both him and Martha Kent to signify that the events
are hurting him emotionally more, also placing the relevance and impact of Johns
morals on him even further. While at the same time, the use of the close-up captures
the emotions of Clark Kent, devastated by following his rules and watching his father
swept away from him.
Following the rest of the story, in general, Superman here is represented as more
humanised than idolised. Although it doesnt directly capture the emotions towards
9/11 from Supermans perspective, it definitely presents the citizens, such as Perry
White and Jenny Olsen, as vulnerable in events which are easily comparable with 9/11,
and characters like Lois Lane can be argued to be presented as the most vulnerable;
however, she doesnt relate to the attacks or deliver any valid messages which hint
towards them, only serving as a love interest and a damsel-in-distress that Superman
must save. She is very much conventional to the superhero genre. Relating to my case
studies, damsel-in-distresses are very common Batman has Vicki Vale, Superman also
has Lois Lane, and Spider-Man has Mary-Jane Watson. Some may agree with
Baudrillards theory, that frequent representations, which are repeated, have lost
meaning as a result, especially in this genre of film.
Personally, the last act of the movie takes away from Supermans character, which
would have made this movie one of the best portrayals, which followed the sympathetic
approach of Spider-Man. The last act of the movie involves Superman fighting General
Zod in the middle of Metropolis, collapsing buildings as a result of their incompetence
and powers. This doesnt exactly capture the emotions of the character, but rather the
events which, in the film, are almost constructed scenes directly resembling 9/11. This
makes the character of Superman not one who is sympathetic but destructive, taking

Barry Turi A2 Film Studies F634

away from his overall portrayal. However, as pointed before, Snyder makes up for this
personally by showing more relatable perspectives from civilians in the film.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016, Zack Snyder) is a film that was very
controversial amongst fans and critics when talking about the representation of
superheroes, especially the character of Batman. In my personal opinion, Director Zack
Snyder chose to portray Batman as a ruthless vigilante, who has no remorse to killing
criminals instead of letting them live. The warehouse fight scene demonstrates this
statement perfectly. Batman uses props such as guns and knives to kill his criminals.
The main reason as to why people were angry relates to the historical element of the
characters comic book incarnations Batman has always been a character who has
come close to being a criminal, however his villains such as The Joker force him to lean
back into the good side therefore influencing his morals not to kill in the comics. This is
also explored in The Dark Knight (2008, Christopher Nolan) in a scene between
Batman and The Joker. This is countertypical for a superhero to do, as Batman
demonstrated immorality in his methods of justice in Batman v Superman: Dawn of
Justice. It is also countertypical for the character of Batman too, as comic book fans are
fond of Batmans moral rule of No Killing.
However, looking into further research can lead into a counter argument to this
critique. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is heavily inspired by two graphic
novels, one of which being The Dark Knight Returns (1986, Frank Miller), which
explores an older, more intolerant Batman whose moral code has decayed further,
making him a psychopath. Psychopaths can understand the difference between right
and wrong, but choose to take wrongful actions anyway.
Even Easter Eggs in the film hint towards the fact that the process of serving as the
Caped Crusader for has jaded him, experiencing heart-wrenching events. Fans of
Batman would identify Robins suit in the Batcave, which is a nod to the dead Robin
Jason Todd, who was taken away by The Joker, also hinted at with the graffiti on the
suit reading JOKES ON YOU BATMAN! Producer Charles Roven agrees with this he
further highlights dialogue from the movie, where Bruce Wayne says to his butler
Alfred 20 years in Gotham, how many good guys are left? How many stayed that way.
Batman has been damaged by the past, only making it an incentive to exempt
punishment the same way his fellow companions have been taken away from him.

Barry Turi A2 Film Studies F634

Superhero films have always focused on protagonists who are bold and bright; for
example Superman in Superman (1978, Richard Donner), and Spider-Man in The
Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014, Marc Webb). However, Batman has always been
represented as a man within the darkness - almost as a myth. Batmans introduction
scene in this movie has the audience on edge, using suspenseful music and low-key
lighting, which creates a representation of eeriness towards Batman. In Batmans
introduction, he is represented as a myth the frightened woman in the cage says to
the police officer We saw him the devil. She refers to him as The Devil an entity
associated with hell and people are petrified of what it will do to them. She also shuts
the cage door because of her concern and fear over Batman. This scene captures the
Batman that I know; one within the darkness, and the reactions from two social classes
(lower and middle) show how society overall perceives him. This scene is comparable to
Tim Burtons introduction to Batman in his 1989 film people are clearly afraid, with
the scene aiding from suspenseful, uplifting music as well as low-key lighting to
symbolise the darkness and fear through visual components like colours. As a viewer,
this scene kept me at the edge of my seat, moulded with tension and invested in the
overall feel that Zack Snyder intentionally created to get the audience invested in his
Batman.
The change in gender representation is apparent in Batman v Superman: Dawn of
Justice however, breeding a fresh new aspect of heroines for the first time for
audiences to digest. Wonder Womans appearance in the film is short but it gives me
enough to comment on her representation in the film. The final fight against a
resurrected General Zod (Doomsday) compliments her representation as the most
dominant figure in the entire scene. She is the most proactive figure in the fight by far,
illustrating her power and her expertise when it comes to combat, more advanced and
complex than both Batman and Superman. This is very unconventional, as female
superheroes have never been able to shine in a massive blockbuster film such as this,
but Wonder Womans presence finally enables audiences to digest themes such as
feminism as well as enjoy themselves. Many people expect women to serve as love
interests and/or damsels in distress; however it is Wonder Woman who actually saves
Batman, who is in a vulnerable state as she appears triumphantly on screen, with a
boisterous, loud and intense-filled score by Hans Zimmer to further emphasise this.
However, many people may consider Diana Prince to serve as a male gaze, stated by
Laura Mulvey, further considering that she is played by Israeli model Gal Gadot.
Frequently throughout the first and second acts, her screen time is dedicated to
taunting Bruce Wayne while maintaining that small extent of sexualisation this is
shown through her revealing clothing and her dresses show her efforts to please any
man in the parties that she appears in. Her revealing costume, accompanied by the
colour scheme of red, orange and yellow in the second party scene to connote love and
flirtatious behaviour, helps audiences to understand that woman are still represented
as stereotypically sexualised, revealing and flirtatious, however director Zack Snyder
juggles her character well. This is an indicator that the superhero genre is advancing in
terms of diversity amongst genders, giving female heroines a heroic representation
rather than conventional supporting roles, which lack character and likeability. For

Barry Turi A2 Film Studies F634

example, Lois Lane in this movie only really serves as a damsel-in-distress and a love
interest to Superman even less so than her stereotypical and oversaturated
representation in Man of Steel.
In conclusion to my investigation, I can specify exactly how protagonist
representations have altered from 1978 to present day. As the superhero genre started
to evolve and become its own, heroes such as Superman and Batman were seen as
figures of inspiration, with morals of independence, perseverance and bravery. In 2002,
the tone and genre changed forever as Sam Raimi took a sympathetic approach to
Spider-Man and saw a hero of the same social class step up for what he thought was
right. The genre has also seen some unconventional changes, such as introducing
Wonder Woman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice as a dominant, independent
woman instead of following the conventional damsel-in-distress route.

Barry Turi A2 Film Studies F634

References
http://www.comicbookmovie.com/superman/critical-assignment-why-has-therebeen-a-shift-in-focus-of-superhero-a119965
- (2014, ComicBookMovie)
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090112102247AAigP22
- (2008, Pariah, Yahoo Answers)
http://www.vulture.com/2013/06/hollywood-blockbusters-cant-stop-evoking911.html#
- (2013, Kyle Buchanan, Vulture.com)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/aamir-hussain/the-man-of-steelrepresen_b_3446785.html
- (2013, Aamir Hussain, Huffington Post)
https://girloncomicbookworld.com/2015/02/17/batman-character-analysis-heaint-crazy-but-he-is-complex/
- (2015, NKAY96, Girl-On-Comic-Book-World)
http://www.cinemablend.com/news/Why-Batman-Kills-People-Batman-vSuperman-Dawn-Justice-120837.html
- (2016, Charles Roven, CinemaBlend)
Media, Gender and Identity David Gauntlett
- (2008, David Gauntlett)
Visuals and Other Pleasures
- (2009, Laura Mulvey)
Simulacra and Simulation
- (2008, Jean Baudlirrard)
Genre and Hollywood (Sightlines)
- (1999, Steve Neale)

S/Z
- (1970, Roland Barthes)