Does Every CBM Have To Be Dark and Serious?

Does Every CBM Have To Be Dark and Serious?

this all stemmed from an argument i had with a friend.....

Editorial Opinion
By Weedbeater - Feb 09, 2011 03:02 PM EST
Filed Under: Other

In this day and age, even back into the late 80’s, comic book movies have been getting darker and darker. IT started with Tim Burton’s Batman(excellent film btw) and gradually progressed from there with Batman Returns, Blade, The Spirit, V For Vendetta, Batman Begins, etc. Nowadays, in order to be successful, you have to have a dark tone with your comic book movies. You can’t keep it light and airy, or else it will flop. But I do ask now, does every Comic Book Movies (from here on referred to as CBM) have to be grim and dark?

To the younger audience it certainly seems so. I admit, no one wants to see Batman in tights running around with an unintentionally “queer” sidekick. They want to see a vengeful, hateful, dark Batman with no sidekicks or absurd gadgetry. Hell, they want to see that with every CBM, even though it doesn’t always work. Films soon coming around like The Green Lantern and Thor seem to be trying to balance the light with the dark but it inevitably leans toward darker tones. Even Warner Bros’ is trying to make light and fun characters like The Flash and Superman draw out their inner dark side. So does a CBM have to be dark to be good? I say this isn’t always right. Superman is usually a bright and cheery hero who saves the day, not a dark, brooding misunderstood man like Batman. The Flash and Green Lantern are more “light” as well, in an energetic, comedic sense. So why try to change it up for the movies? Because it sells.


I mean, look at The Green Hornet and Kick-Ass. They were light in tone but dark with the humor, but that lightness brought near awful box office results. Kids these days don’t want to see these “indie” characters be all bright and happy, they want dark and depressing. The thing is, these characters (and movies) were already pretty light to begin with. They followed the comics pretty well, but people don’t like that apparently. I loved both The Green Hornet and Kick-Ass because the characters weren’t so grim; they were having a fun time, which is something everyone can relate to at some point in their lives. Yet the box office results were beneath expectations, because it isn’t “cool” or “hip” to have fun loving characters. This brings down hope for future sequels because they were good movies with bad results and mixed reviews.

Not every CBM has to be dark. We can have light and fun stuff too, you know. It’s just that the demand for darkness in movies has been so high as of late. And as much as I love his two CBM’s, you can blame Tim Burton for kick starting the whole dark CBM trend. So tell me, do you think every comic needs a dark reimagining to be good, or can it be light and fun and not suck? Tell me in the comments please.
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Angelus
Angelus - 2/9/2011, 3:40 PM
No, not at all. Not all superheroes are absolutely serious and certainly not all are dark. We should get serious and realize that CBM are so bizarre and unserious in nature. We don't wanna see necessarily a comedy or a romance CBM but there are surely some spesefic comics that fit under that category.
I am rather on the perspective of the cbm being more serious and less dark. But it's so relative, too diffuse. It really comes down to what the titular character stands for and is really.

I just think the whole Batman's love relationship with darkness is very enticing for the general audience. People think seriousness is synomous with dark tones when it's not. Batman is just a dark character which people likes.

Every superhero got some darkness inside of them. Batman is of course dark, Superman is the complete opposite. But there are several Flash and GL's. Barry Allen is really serious and clever and Hal Jordan is serious but reckless.
It depends so entirely on the character. So many tones and varieties.

In the end it's the personal aspect and philosophy of the protagonist that defines the overall film-tone and story.
Hiraga08
Hiraga08 - 2/9/2011, 3:44 PM
Not dark and serious, but not over-the-top and silly either.
CBM's always have a hard time finding the perfect balance between 'light-hearted' and 'depressing'. The only three that have completely understood that are Iron Man 1&2. They found the perfect balance. Incredible Hulk as well. And from the looks of it, Thor and Captain America are on the right path as well.
The Dark Knight was okay with being dark and serious, because there's never really been a recent Batman comic that hasn't been dark and serious.

But with most other superhero movies, they always get it wrong.
Weedbeater
Weedbeater - 2/9/2011, 3:48 PM
moved it to editorials. comment above now irrelevant
marvel72
marvel72 - 2/9/2011, 4:16 PM
different characters should have different styles batman,blade,daredevil,ghost rider,the punisher,kick ass,wolverine,green hornet & sin city should all be dark & gritty just like the books.

superman,the avengers,iron man,spider-man,captain america,green lantern,thor & so on,should be more lighter but with dark moments.

if the comic book adaption is one that is suppose to be funny like scott pilgrim well you capture the humor of the book.

naterator
naterator - 2/9/2011, 4:18 PM
I hope that Snyder and Nolan will be able to Create a Superman Franchise that is able to illustrate Superman being the light in a very dark world. I want to see a film that has dark tones ....but is lit up by the Hero. I dont want to see campy...we have seen those movies and no doubt they were fun to watch but o think we are all looking for a film that can relate to us in our day.

I thought that Singers film did show that in part....what it lacked was action....every thing else i felt was spot on.
Exiles
Exiles - 2/9/2011, 4:26 PM
no not all super heroes have to be "dark" and "gritty", people mistake those two terms for "serious" a movie can be "serious" with out being dark and gritty. dark and gritty may suit batman but a hero like superman doesn't need that. Until people realise the difference between "serious" and "dark".

Kick ass was meant to be over the top with dark humour thats how it was made. its not the general audience that have some weird fascination dark and gritty takes a LOT of fanboys here have that aswell. In Iron Man when tony stark was abducted by the terrorists a lot of people will describe that "dark" no its a "serious" moment theres a big difference believe it or not
Checkmate
Checkmate - 2/9/2011, 4:54 PM
I'm with @marvel72, it's that simple.
golden123
golden123 - 2/9/2011, 5:14 PM
Don't know what Batman films you have been watching, but the good Batman films I have watched didn't tank at the box office although Batman certainly had just as absurd gadgets as he has in the comics.
PaulRom
PaulRom - 2/9/2011, 7:30 PM
I'm with marvel72. some characters are meant to be gritty/dark, while others are much more light in nature.
And I normally prefer CBMs to be serious.
FutureCBMHero
FutureCBMHero - 2/10/2011, 3:55 PM
Kick Ass was unknown to the vast majority of people, and that's why it didn't fare well in the box office. KA2 will fare much better.

Green Hornet was a terrible movie, that's why it hasn't fared as well post opening weekend in the BO. People don't watch that kind of stupidity with in a CBM.
Orehrepus
Orehrepus - 2/11/2011, 2:13 AM
No.

No, it doesn't.
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