Kick-Ass wasn't a box-office sensation, but it may have helped superhero films break out of their same old boring mold, the Guardian suggests. Here are eight other superhero films that Hollywood can study, which helped avoid the same old cliches.

The superheroes in Kick-Ass don't have super-powers or fantastical technology, but they're not regular people. They're psychopaths, severely damaged and mentally shredded. The same, Kick-Ass suggests, goes for the whole superhero genre and those who love it. Minor spoilers below.

This week, we're gearing up for 9, Shane Acker's film about nine animated rag dolls, each known only by their number. With that in mind, we list 16 other characters who have numerical monikers.

Click to viewWe didn't mean to give the wrong impression with last week's examination of superheroes who can't get any — there are plenty of superheroes whose utility belts are covered with notches. From "hairy-chested love god Batman" to the swinging Spider-man to the sensuous She Hulk, the superhero genre offers plenty …