superhero genre
Costumed vigilante fiction
The superhero genre encompasses stories featuring characters with extraordinary abilities who protect others from threats.
Originating in comic books with figures like Superman and Batman, it now dominates film, television, and video games.
The genre typically involves costumed heroes with secret identities, moral struggles between good and evil, and spectacular action: The superhero genre has produced the highest-grossing films of the 21st century.
- secret identityUndisclosed true self
- comic booksIllustrated periodical narratives
- animated seriesDrawn episodic television program
- moral dilemmaChoice testing one's values
- tragic backstoryCharacter's motivating past trauma
origin story · antihero · sidekick · metropolis · webcomics · graphic novels · shared universe · vigilante · DC Comics · mutant · redemption arc · cinematic universe · comic book movie · post-credits scene · radio dramas · dual identity · supervillain · team up
- comicscomic books, comic book, comic strip, comic art, comic panel
superhero genreslice-of-life
Realistic portrayal of ordinary events
domestic drama · character study · bottle episode · intimate drama · social realism
superhero genresocial realism
Unidealized portrayal of workers' lives
neorealism · victim narrative · ensemble drama · documentary
superhero genreliterary fiction
Prose emphasizing craft and depth
naturalism · social realism · kitchen sink realism · neorealism · documentary drama