Superhero movies are apparently here to stay if the Hollywood studios' production and release schedules are any indication, and why not? Superheroes are the ultimate wish-fulfilment and it should be no surprise moviegoers flock to the cinemas to see their favourites do battle with the forces of evil. Besides the usual benefits of being a superhero such as getting the girl (or guy) and getting to wear a cool outfit, there's also the unmatched desire to have their powers; flying, wall-crawling, incredible fighting prowess, the list is endless. But with these powers come a catch. No, not "great responsibility," it's continuity. Establishing the boundaries of a character's super powers is something every filmmaker must contend with. Even audience members already familiar with a character from print need to be shown how those powers act in the "reality" of the movie. Captain America's power is - simply put - being the peak of human perfection. But what does that mean? How much weight can he lift? How high can he jump? Can he bend metal? Is his eyesight sharper than normal? The writers and director of a movie have to tackle these questions before a single frame of film rolls through a camera even if many of these questions are not directly asked on screen - this way the filmmakers can keep their hero grounded in the parameters of the powers they have established. Sometimes, however, even the best writers and directors goof up and have the hero's powers suddenly increase, decrease or change completely for the sake of telling s certain story. Maybe the director of a sequel thought it would be more interesting if Superman could say, throw a plastic S-shield from his costume? Or maybe the studio doesn't want Lois to know who Clark is for part three? Super-amnesia-kiss! But some of the worst examples are when the rules of a super power are established in a previous scene or film and are suddenly brushed away within the same movie - the following examples are exactly that.
Daniel is a writer/artist/filmmaker currently overseeing post-production on his film Avenging Disco Vampires. He is also the co-creator of the all-ages comic book series The Adventures of Nightclaw & Prowler published by Old World Comics.
