Thought Balloons by Don MacPherson "Popcorn psychology" A recent edition of Entertainment Weekly posed a bold (typeface) question, just above the cover image of SNL's Tina Fey and Jimmy Fallon: "Can Superheroes Save Hollywood?" Funny... financially speaking, I didn't think Hollywood was in trouble. So the answer to the question is, "No, Hollywood doesn't need saving." Now if we're talking about a creative crisis, that's a different story altogether. For all of the advances that independent and avant-garde filmmaking has made in recent years, Hollywood's proclivity for churning out mediocre (or much worse) films -- from explosive special-effects blockbusters and romantic comedies that are so saccharine sweet that they induce diabetes -- is as prominent as ever. So if we're talking about creativity, the answer to the question -- can superheroes save Hollywood? -- well, the answer is this case is simple: Jesus, no. Hey, I had a good time when I went to see Spider-Man on the big screen. It was a fun special-effects flick, and I have no doubt it'll make its way into my meagre DVD collection sometime in the not-too distant future. But let's be honest. It was a good movie. It was not a great film. I'm a lifelong fan of comics, and super-hero comics in particular. And I've only gone to see it the one time. I get why kids are demanding to go repeatedly -- that's their schtick... whether it's Barney or Britney, they want to hear it again and again and again -- but the ones fueling this ongoing, record-breaking box office tally are the adults. That's why Titanic, not The Little Mermaid, is the No.1 grossing movie of all time. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with super-hero movies. Whether it's Spider-Man or Superman III or Meteor Man... they're entertaining diversions. And in some cases, they can bring childhood imagination to life, and there's something special about that. Comics can make a contribution to the mainstream entertainment industry, though. What we need more of in cinemas are movies that bring something new, that make us think. Movies like Monster's Ball, which brought a raw and ugly energy to the screen. Movies like Changing Lanes, that make us think about ourselves. Movies like Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner), which -- although I thought it had its problems -- brought something new, spoke of a submerged culture. Instead of a Daredevil movie, what we need is an adaptation of something like Arthur Dela Cruz's Kissing Chaos. Instead of Birds of Prey, how about a weekly 100 Bullets series? There's still room for super-heroes, but how about Marvels instead of World's Finest? So a second question has arisen: can comics save Hollywood? Well, no. But they can be a part of a higher standard. Let's turn things around and look at a third question: can Hollywood save comics? No. It can get the ball rolling, but not be sending Spider-Man audiences to small niche-market stores looking for the latest issue of Peter Parker. No, if people are to return to those stores, they need to know what they have to offer. Comics activism shouldn't focus on spreading the word about the great things that Brian Michael Bendis, J. Michael Straczynski, Paul Jenkins and the Tangled Web writers are doing to the wall-crawling, pop-culture icon. People need to know that Men in Black, From Hell and Ghost World started out as comics. People need to know that Road to Perdition, Hellboy and Constantine started out as comics. Sure, Entertainment Weekly mentions the origins of such flicks, but not everyone gets that far into the comics-movies feature. Not everyone reads EW. Just as Hollywood needs to get beyond fight scenes and fated flirtations, so does the world of comics need to let potential readers know there's something more to the medium than utility belts and underground lairs. Don MacPherson is covered in light, buttery topping. Email Don MacPherson comments about this column, or discuss it on the Fourth Rail message board.