Spider-Man 2002- what makes it a superhero film?

The 2002 Spider-Man film has many different components so the viewer knows it is a superhero film even though it may seem obvious. The first factor  is that the film is based in New York, this is common with most Marvel films and even though DC's settings are usually fantasy, they are often based around New York, this is because a crowded city is where lots of people can be saved or in danger and as a well known, key place in the world it would be a lot more serious to attack rather than a forest or small village. Also there are lots of buildings to get destroyed which would mean better and more exciting effects. Secondly, there is a back story to how Peter Parker gets his powers to become Spider-Man, this is also an occurring thing in many superhero stories, to see how his superhero life effects his ordinary life. The most obvious thing that is in the Spider-Man film that tells us it is a superhero film, is the fact he has super powers, all though not all superheroes have super powers ( some may just have good abilities eg.fighting ) many do. Spider-Man's powers are being strong, climbing and shooting webs etc, this tell us Spider-Man is extra ordinary and clearly a superhero. In addition, Spider-Man wears a costume, this is always occiated with superheroes, and often they wear them to hide their real identity, which the case with Spider-Man. Another point is that through out the film Spider-Man is defeating evil, this means he is a superhero because superheroes always fight evil or crime that is of equal ability and this is proven in the film as Spider-Man's enemy is the Green Goblin, who is evil and has abilities as well.

DC and Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics

Martin Goodman founded the company later known as Marvel Comics under the name Timely Publications in 1939. The first publication Marvel comics #1 was a great success, with it and a second printing the following month, it sold nearly 900,000 copies. The he companies first true editer Joe Simon teamed up with Jack Kirby to create the first patriotically themed superheroes Captin America. This proved to be a hit, with sales of nearly 1 million copies. Goodman hired his wife's cousin Stanly Lieber as a general office assistant in 1939 when Simon left the company Goodman made Lieber-now writing pseudonymously as Stan Lee-interim editer. Lee is a key figure in the company writing many famous comics such as, Daredevil, Fantastic Four, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Thor and X-Men. Marvel over the years has created over 200 superheroes and has 42 films based on Marvel    Comics.

DC 

DC was founded in 1934/35. The founder was Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson. His National Allied Publications debuted with The Big Comic magazine #1 in February 1935. The companies second title New Comics #1 evolved into the title Adventure Comics, which continued through issue #503 in 1983 becoming one of the longest running comic book series. The third title Detective Comics was a sensation with the introduction of Batman in issue #27, but by then Wheeler Nicholson was dead. In 1938 Detective Comics launched a fourth title  Action Comics, the premier of which introduced Superman. There have been 115 DC superheroes and from 1951-2013 29 DC based films.

Differences between DC and Marvel

The main difference between DC and marvel comics is that Marvel characters are likely to come from relatively ordinary backgrounds than DC characters. Also DC is more fantasy based that Marvel as places such as Gotham are not real whereas in Marvel's comics lots of things are based in New York. Another difference is that Marvel on average makes more money for films than DC. Marvel has generated 47% more in the domestic box office than DC. Lastly Marvel comics have more mainstream superheroes who have been given their own film, however DC often depend on Superman and Batman.