With the plethora of superhero movies and TV shows produced
in the last ten years or so the general public has become enamored with the genre.
The majority of movie and TV viewers picture superheroes
in film and TV as something new and the current 'in thing.)
But, did you know that superheroes have been in film
since the introduction of Superman and when TV came along it wasn't long before
they had their own TV shows?
If you take into account the old Pulp magazines beginning
in the 1920s the predecessors of superheroes such as Doc Savage, The Shadow,
The Spider, Tarzan, John Carter, Conan, etc. actually appeared in film almost from
the onset of the industry, beginning with silent films.
So superheroes in film and on TV are nothing new-it's
just that they have become very poplar primarily since technology has caught up
with the visuals seen in superhero comic books for decades.
Of course it doesn't hurt that superheroes are among
the top money-making properties for movie studios and superhero TV shows garner
audiences from all age brackets.
McFarland
& Company, Inc. Publishers and author and archivist John Kenneth Muir
successfully compiled a complete list
of superhero movies and TV series up until 2008 with their Second Edition of
The Encyclopedia Of Superheroes On Film And Television that lists, in
astonishing detail, every fact, story synopsis and concept behind each project.
For the ultimate lowdown on
the film and video appearances of familiar superheroes, and some original creations,
be sure to pick up a copy.