Anansi's Library

Anansi's Library

Share this post

Anansi's Library
Anansi's Library
The First Superhero Film Started A Culture War

The First Superhero Film Started A Culture War

(Updated final draft)

R. Anansi's avatar
R. Anansi
Feb 10, 2025
∙ Paid
3

Share this post

Anansi's Library
Anansi's Library
The First Superhero Film Started A Culture War
Share

Introduction

If you google “the first superhero movie” the results you’re going to get are either 1920’s The Mask of Zorro, a film about a wealthy and handsome, yet bumbling man who is secretly a vigilante.

Or you may hear 1951’s Superman and The Mole Men. The name explains the concept of that film more than enough.

But regardless of which of these films, among some other early titles you may decide is a true “superhero” film, you’d be absolutely wrong. Because the first superhero film isn’t Superman, or Zorro, or Batman. The first superhero film ever made is David Wark Griffith’s (Is that seriously his name?) The Birth of a Nation. That may sound outlandish, but Birth not only contains multiple of the superhero genre’s defining tropes, it is credited with creating much of the visual language superhero films still rely on today.

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to Anansi's Library to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 R. Anansi
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share