Tired of Superhero Movies? Check Out These Comic Documentaries

Posted on July 24, 2025

by Eric S

These days, it’s easy to have comic book movie fatigue—specifically in regard to superhero movies. There’s so much content, and much of it raises the question of whether Hollywood is starting to run out of ideas (or at least good ideas). While I’m still hopeful (naive?) enough to believe that there’s still interesting, thought-provoking, and emotionally engaging movies to be made that are based on comic books, one less predictable way to engage with the world of comics through film is the realm of documentaries that go into the lives, artistic processes, and philosophies of those who create our favorite characters. From the Freudian weirdness of Crumb to the life-affirming, behind the scenes insights of Chris Claremont’s X-Men, the movies below delve into various aspects of the comic world, touching on not only the industry as a whole, but the idiosyncrasies of specific creators. Each is essential viewing, especially for those who’d like to know a little more about what happens before these iconic characters make it to the big screen, the small screen, the video game screen, or the action figure aisle.

For more great movies and comics, make sure to check out the offerings of your local branch as well as the Kanopy and Hoopla apps