Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


                    Movies About Superheroes Score Big in US

   by Mike O'Sullivan

   LOS ANGELES -- Superheroes, including Batman, Spider-Man, and the
   Marvel Comics' Avengers, are dominating summer movies in the United
   States, despite a grisly shooting in a Colorado movie theater when The
   Dark Knight Rises opened in July.
   Captain America and the superheroes known as The Avengers have a plan -
   to dominate movie theaters, as they compete with rival superheroes -
   Batman in The Dark Knight Rises, and The Amazing Spider-Man.
   The Avengers has amassed more than $1.4 billion in worldwide revenue,
   and superhero films account for one-third of US box office take this
   summer.
   Ryan Thompson, a film school graduate, has loved these characters since
   childhood.
   "I think it really is that emotional connection, in one way," said
   Thompson. "That's how I connected with it.  I think it's
   wish-fulfillment, I think it's fantasy."
   Publisher Gotham Chopra is an Indian-American. He incorporates Asian
   heroes in his comic books and digital cartoons.  He has explored the
   theme of gods, prophets and superheroes in books with his father, the
   writer Deepak Chopra.
   "They represent primordial forces, so whether they are qualities of
   power, of balance, of seeking justice, this connect with some sort of
   transcendent experience, that's what great superheroes do, whether
   ancient or modern," said Chopra.
   Chopra is working with film director John Woo on characters inspired by
   Chinese folklore, and has announced a collaboration with industry
   legend Stan Lee - who co-created Spider-Man and other Marvel Comics
   heroes - to develop a superhero for the Indian market.
   Modern superheroes are attracting new fans.  Many gather each year at
   Comic-Con, a convention in San Diego.
   In Los Angeles, a shop called Nostalgic Books and Comics, sells the
   latest superhero books and merchandise.   Manager Peter Mellini says
   reissues from the past are also selling well, especially those that
   feature popular characters like Batman.
   "We started all their books back to issue one," said Mellini. "So it
   made it that anyone could jump in and get in on that.  And that
   actually brought a lot of teenaged readers."
   It's all great fun, but another side of some superheroes has emerged,
   says Ryan Thompson.  He says Batman films have had darker themes since
   the 1980s.
   "There was more of a grim and gritty persona to them, a grim and gritty
   style, more realistic, hyper-realistic, more psychological," he said.
   The July shooting in Colorado at a screening of The Dark Knight Rises
   has led to questions about whether the violence in some films is too
   realistic.  But the tragedy has not slowed the momentum of the summer
   movies.
   Hollywood has plans for more superhero adventures in 2013, featuring
   Superman, Iron Man and other characters from the comic books.
     __________________________________________________________________

   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/movies-about-superheros-score-big-in-
   us/1476718.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/movies-about-superheros-score-big-in-us/1476718.html