Comic book heroes have been around in the mainstream since the 1930s, depicting the adventures of superheroes as they battle to save the world.
Two of the most famous characters are perhaps Batman and Superman, the subject of a smash sixties TV series and late seventies film. Once they climbed out of the comic books and onto the screens, both big and small, they began to find a foothold in pop culture that remains to this day.
In recent years, superheroes from DC and Marvel comics have dominated the cinematic universe, with DC perhaps taking the lead with Batman and Superman. Still, Marvel quickly catching up with their cinematic universe. Now, the two tie for ratings and viewers, looking to find a place in video games too.
The video game industry is worth $135bn globally and is a platform where superhero characters have always had a foothold of some description. By definition, superheroes tend to have superpowers, which translate perfectly to the imaginative world of gaming. Whether that’s Spiderman’s webs, Superman’s laser eyes, or Batman’s gadgets, their powers and attributes lend themselves perfectly to the worlds being created on video games.
It has not always been straightforward for superhero games, though – Superman 64 and Batman Beyond: Return of The Joker were two examples of official licenses producing utterly horrible video games. In recent years though, that has changed, and comic book characters have conquered not only the big screens but also those in people’s homes.
There have been several landmark titles, but one series which has done more for comic book heroes than most is the Lego series. Starting with Star Wars, but moving into Batman and Marvel, the Lego series presents the popular characters as toys, using their powers to escape a range of differing levels built from Lego. It does not sound like a winning formula, but the Lego series games are undeniably brilliant, and they took the pressure away from publishers looking to faithfully recreate the powers of comic book heroes on home consoles.
As technology has advanced, so has the quality of video games arriving in people’s homes, and few series quite boosted the comic book genre like the Batman Arkham series. Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, and Arkham Knight were a commercial success, but more importantly, they were critically acclaimed too. It could be argued they were the first superhero games that cracked the mainstream market, bridging the gap between comic book fans and series video gamers. In 2009, Batman: Arkham Asylum won the British Academy Games Award for Best Game, the first time a superhero title had even been nominated. That was no mean feat, given that it was the same year the stunning Uncharted 2: Among Thieves won the US equivalent, the D.I.C.E Awards. Two years later, Batman: Arkham City took the D.I.C.E for Adventure Game of the Year. Comic book heroes had gone mainstream.
Since then, both universes’ popularity has fueled a desire for better games, and 2018’s Spider-Man is a perfect example of how a superhero game should continue to be done by major publishers. Spider-Man: Miles Morales dropped as a PlayStation 5 launch title, proving Sony’s belief in the genre as a major video game force.
If there is one bastion of video games that the superhero genre needs to develop, it is the depiction of females as a lead. After the disastrous Catwoman game of 2004, a huge flop both commercially and critically, developers have been reticent to give a strong female lead her own video game. That may change with Wonder Woman, portrayed by Gal Gadot, who seems primed for her own big console release.
There have already been moves to represent her, and others, in mobile games and the like. Leading digital platform Foxy Games is well known in the gaming world for its pop cultured themed slots and has a title dedicated to Wonder Woman, using her distinct branding on an online slot. There are also several iOS and Android puzzlers featuring characters from the universe. Many console titles feature playable female comic book characters, Injustice: Gods Among Us is a prime example, but as yet, none of those have stepped up to lead a title in the way Batman and Spider-Man has. Given the popularity of Lara Croft, female heroes can be a commercial success, if only a developer would make it happen.
Comic book heroes have certainly conquered the gaming world. Still, now they are on top, it is time to diversify and use their position in the market to effect positive change within the video game industry.
