Between Netflix’s property-redeeming Daredevil series, the new Batman v. Superman trailer, and the plethora of fan theories surrounding Spiderman joining the Avengers – well, it’s easy to see that comic book characters have become a cultural force.
That said, the medium has a history of a high learning curve, complicated relationships, and plot twists that can sneak up on you if you aren’t paying attention (wait, Doc Ock is Spiderman now?).
What better way to make sense of masked heroes (and anti-heroes) than an infographic. Below are a few of our favourites that do just that.
Upcoming Comic Book Movies
Despite a few modern misfires (I’m looking at you, Hal Jordan), it doesn’t look like the comic book movie trend is dying down anytime soon. Here’s the next five years of films in one easy to understand timeline.
The Evolution of Daredevil
Since 2003’s movie misfire starring Ben Affleck, it’s been an uphill battle for Matt Murdock and his punchy persona. The 2015 Netflix series was a surprise hit (as much as a Netflix series being a hit can be surprising at this point), and while it’s not perfect, it does a lot right.
Netflix isn’t the only winner here – I’m willing to bet shirts.com sold a few t-shirts thanks to the traffic this costume timeline brought in.
The Myriad Monikers of Gotham’s Villains
Nothing communicates how complicated comic books can be quite like this taxonomy of Batman’s rogue gallery. With TV’s Gotham digging deep to find relevance in a city without the bat, this chart will give them a deep well to draw from.
The Fantastic Four Family Tree
Whereas Batman has been the poster boy for comic book heroes succeeding in different mediums – from the goofy Adam West TV series to the noir-inspired animated series of the 90s – The Fantastic Four have been the black sheep.
But! Thanks to a promising trailer for a promising reboot, the team is back in the public eye, and it looks like a lot has changed.
Despite minimalist design and a simple legend, anyone who isn’t a fan won’t understand what’s going on here. This infographic makes no apologies for the confusion – sure, names and plot context would help, but it would take away from the art of it. And that’s the last thing comic books are about.
How Similar Are Comic Book Shows?
Clear design, good use of colour, and an unfortunate moral (they’re all the same).
BONUS: The Evolution of Spawn
I had to include this one despite its similarities to our Daredevil entry.
Never has there been a hero for the 90s quite like Spawn. Overly designed, superfluously violent, and the guinea pig for both an R-rated cartoon and a John Leguizamo blockbuster (the 90s were a different time), Spawn did something I haven’t seen a comic book movie do since: have a black lead.
Seriously, there are three different white guys named Chris headlining Marvel movies.
Why am I making an exception with this infographic? It’s made by none other than Spawn’s creator, Todd McFarlane. You can download a poster-sized version here.
Looking to make your own infographic highlighting your favorite comic books?
Get started with these infographic templates.