Summer 2025 was always going to be a critical season for superhero cinema. Fans and critics alike knew that the fate of Warner Brothers’ DC Studios depended on the success of James Gunn’s “ Superman ” and that “ The Fantastic Four: First Steps ” would launch Phase Six of the Marvel Cinematic Universe after the franchise saw wilting box office returns across Phases Four and Five. Fortunately, both movies garnered fan appreciation and performed respectably at the box office.

The films could owe their successes to solid scripts, iconic characters and ubiquitous marketing. However, they also share a distinct quality that has evaded comic book adaptations over the past couple of decades. Both “Superman” and “Fantastic Four: First Steps” feel like… comic books.

Comic books are, of cour

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