Seven Superhero Comedies to Include in Your Watchlist

      Casey Chong shares a curated list of superhero comedies to consider for your watchlist...

      What do Guardians of the Galaxy, Shazam!, and Kick-Ass share? They are some of the more well-known superhero comedies that have made a significant impact on the big screen, yet there are many more that are worth your time. Some may not have received much attention due to minimal marketing, while others—despite being high-profile mainstream productions—did not achieve box office success upon their release. Keeping this in mind, here are seven superhero comedies that are definitely worth watching (or rewatching)...

      **Super (2010)**

      Four years before James Gunn hit the jackpot directing Guardians of the Galaxy, he established his prowess in the superhero genre with Super. Diverging from his later mainstream works, Gunn’s Super features a unique kind of superhero—not the classic archetype, but rather a reckless and inexperienced DIY-costumed vigilante who tackles (mostly minor) crime after being inspired by a comic book store employee (Elliot Page’s Libby) and believing he’s chosen by God for this mission. The central character is Frank Darbo (Rainn Wilson), a short-order cook whose life spirals after his recovering drug-addict wife (Liv Tyler) vanishes. Adopting the name The Crimson Bolt, he has no superpowers apart from wielding a wrench as a weapon.

      Gunn fully embraces a knowingly B-movie essence in Super, blending mean-spirited and quirky humor with unexpectedly graphic violence. It’s hard not to empathize with Frank Darbo's situation, despite the moral ambiguity of his vigilante actions. Alongside him, Elliot Page's character, a helpful comic store employee who becomes obsessed with joining him as his sidekick, nicknamed Boltie, adds depth. The film also features Kevin Bacon in a typically oily role as the drug dealer Jacques, culminating in a subversive and unexpected ending.

      **Hero at Large (1980)**

      The 1980s marked a period when superhero films weren't regarded as lucrative ventures. The largely overlooked Hero at Large is one of the earlier superhero films attempting to ride the wave of the Superman phenomenon, featuring the then-popular TV actor John Ritter of Three's Company fame. Ritter’s character isn't a superhero in the conventional sense associated with Marvel or DC. Although he goes by Captain Avenger, he’s actually a struggling actor portraying a fictional character. Beneath the comical bright costume, he remains an unknown, having a stalled acting career and even struggling to pay his overdue rent. Ritter’s everyman charm makes him perfect for the role.

      His situation is relatable, and even when he unexpectedly foils an armed convenience store robbery, Hero at Large subverts expectations by preventing Ritter’s Steve Nichols from fully embracing his superhero persona. While he does intervene in crime from time to time, director Martin Davidson refrains from providing a classic superhero origin story. Instead, the film presents a feel-good yet grounded comedy-drama about an actor torn between the public's desire to see him in heroic attire performing selfless acts and his quest for that elusive big break to revive his career.

      **Orgazmo (1997)**

      1997 was significant for Matt Stone and Trey Parker, as they introduced the world to their quintessential animated series South Park, but it was also the year they launched their superhero sex comedy, Orgazmo. While South Park evolved into a cultural juggernaut, Orgazmo faded into obscurity with a meager box office gross of just over $602,000, largely due to its NC-17 rating, which is often labeled as box-office poison.

      Parker stars as Joe Young, a naive Mormon missionary in Los Angeles who unwittingly becomes the titular superhero after encountering adult film director Maxxx Orbison (a perfectly sleazy Michael Dean Jacobs), who is impressed by Joe’s martial arts capabilities and offers him a lucrative deal.

      Parker’s straight-faced delivery yields hilarious moments once he dons the superhero guise, complete with an Orgazmorator ray-gun that induces pleasure upon being fired at. As director of Orgazmo, Parker maintains humor that joyfully embraces crude and juvenile themes, complemented by a delightfully goofy buddy dynamic with Dian Bachar, who plays Joe’s sidekick, dubbed Choda Boy. Additionally, it features Parker's irreverent humor regarding various pop culture references, from animal-inspired martial arts to Adam West's campy Batman series.

      **Mystery Men (1999)**

      Kinka Usher only directed this feature after transitioning from creating commercials for major brands like Nissan and Mountain Dew. Mystery Men spoofs and satirizes the superhero genre, centering on a team of lesser-known superheroes in Champion City, often overshadowed by the more famous Captain Amazing (Greg Kinnear). This eclectic group is as quirky as they come: Ben Stiller heads the team as Mr. Furious, whose so-called