The superhero genre isn't particularly hard to pin down. Superhero movies have distinct qualities that became quite clear over the last decade, when the genre exploded and took over Hollywood and pop culture as a whole. The most straightforward adaptations stick closely to the comics, retelling origin stories or dealing with classic themes concerning their titular hero or heroes. Think of movies like Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy, which not only embraces but actually takes pride in its comic book origin, fully indulging in the genre's more colorful, humorous, and fantastical aspects.