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Why Are All The Superheroes British?

Why Are All The Superheroes British?America is the home of the superhero. Both in comics, TV and film, America is where the superhero has had most commercial success. So why does it seem that Hollywood is now turning to the Brits to play them all?

Because, for a clean cut, musclebound guy with a pearly white smile, Britain doesn't feel like the obvious choice. But with Christian Bale playing Batman, Andrew Garfield playing Spider-Man and now Henry Cavill playing Superman, something's going on. The three most famous American superheroes in the world are being played by Brits.

When you throw in Aaron Johnson's Kick Ass, Patrick Stewart's and James McAvoy's Charles Xavier, Ian McKellen's Magneto, Alan Cumming's Nightcrawler, Jason Flemyng's Azazel, Tom Hiddleston's Loki, Nicolas Hoult's Beast, Idris Elba's Heimdell, Anthony Hopkins' Odin and more, it seems some kind of colonial conspiracy. And with Commonwealth members Ryan Reynolds taking Green Lantern and Deadpool, Chris Hemsworth playing Thor, and Hugh Jackman's Wolverine (originally meant to be played by the Brit Dougray Scott) and the Irish Michael Fassbender playing Magneto one might wonder what the hell is wrong with the Americans.

Of course, this is just how it played in the comics. The likes of Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, Neil Gaiman, Dave McKean, Grant Morrison, Steve Yeowell, Alan Grant, John Wagner, Mark Millar  and many more invaded American comics and for a time seemed to be running their superhero universes.

Now, Grant Morrison aside, the Americans seemed to regain their control. So on't worry folks, in ten years you'll have Justin Bieber playing Superman and everything will be all right with the world.

Oh wait, no, he's Canadian isn't he? There must be someone…


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Rich JohnstonAbout Rich Johnston

Founder of Bleeding Cool. The longest-serving digital news reporter in the world, since 1992. Author of The Flying Friar, Holed Up, The Avengefuls, Doctor Who: Room With A Deja Vu, The Many Murders Of Miss Cranbourne, Chase Variant. Lives in South-West London, works from Blacks on Dean Street, shops at Piranha Comics. Father of two. Political cartoonist.
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