The 25 Biggest Changes Hollywood's Made To Superhero Movies

A fanboy's worst nightmare.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Bringing a comic book universe to the big screen is a tricky process. For even the most second-rate superheroes, there exists a wealth of source material to mine. But once producers settle on a storyline, they've trapped themselves into adapting an arc previously told over dozens of issues in only two hours, give or take.

Then factor in the big studio's thirst to recoup that nine figure budget, and suddenly plots that original fans considered sacrosanct are altered in order to appeal to the widest audience possible. And then there's always this cold fact: Just because a character detail or plot was awesome on the page, doesn't guarantee it'll play well on the screen.

So yes, your favorite superhero movie and the five others that came out that year featured at least one major detail that detoured from the way things go down in the comics. Changes are par for the course, but that's not always a bad thing. With the right director at the helm, even the most (reasonably) diehard fanboy can enjoy a storyline that's been adapted and accept it as just that: an adaptation. But yes, over the years, plenty of directors and screenwriters alike have crushed a fragile comic book geek heart by mangling a hallmark storyline beyond recognition.

Complex has compiled the most notable alterations, good and bad, for your reading pleasure. Click through for The 25 Biggest Changes Hollywood's Made to Superhero Movies.

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Written by Frazier Tharpe (@The_SummerMan)

25. Whiplash and Crimson Dynamo Merged for Iron Man 2 (2010)

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24. Tom Sawyer Added to the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)

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23. Batgirl Happens to Be Alfred's niece in Batman & Robin (1997)

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22. Lady Deathstrike, Just a Henchman in X2 (2003)

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21. Two-Face's Origin in The Dark Knight (2008)

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20. No Web Shooters in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man Trilogy

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19. The Freakishness of Catwoman and Penguin in Batman Returns (1992)

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18. The Genetic Twist in Hulk (2003)

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17. Cyclops and Havok Aren't Brothers in X-Men: First Class (2011)

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16. Two-Face Murders Robin's Family in Batman Forever (1995)

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15. The Batmobile Is an Armored Military Vehicle in Batman Begins (2005) and The Dark Knight (2008)

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14. Sandman Is Responsible for Uncle Ben's Death in Spider-Man 3 (2007)

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13. Uncle Ben's Death Altered in The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

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12. Professor X and Juggernaut Aren't Stepbrothers in X-Men: the Last Stand (2006)

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11. No Donald Blake in Thor (2011)

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10. The Mandarin Is Just a Terrorist in Iron Man 3 (2013)

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9. The Archnemesis Creates the Superhero in Batman (1989) and Daredevil (2003)

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8. Professor X and Mystique Are Friends in X-Men: First Class (2011)

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7. Black Actors Playing White Characters in Daredevil (2003) and Men in Black (1997)

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6. A Strange Apocalypse in Watchmen (2009)

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5. Bane's Origin in The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

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4. The Motherhood of Mystique in X-Men (2000) and X2 (2003)

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3. Jean Grey's Phoenix Evolution in X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)

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2. No Kryptonite in Man of Steel (2013)

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1. Wolverine and Sabretooth are Half-Brothers in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

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