This summer, those watching television, going to the movies, or having any contact with the outside world in general probably noticed a glaringly obvious pattern: summer 2011 was the season for superheroes and sequels. In the period from May to July, four superhero-themed films were released.

“Thor” started the trend in early May, followed closely by “X-Men: First Class” and “Green Lantern” in June. “Captain America: the First Avenger” is the most recent superhero film, released at the end of July. Each of these films has something in common, beside the superhero factor: they each made more than $150 million at the box office.

Obviously, superheroes are bankable. “Thor” alone brought in worldwide revenue of $448 million. It’s safe to say that as long as people are going to buy tickets to watch superhero movies, studios are going to keep making them. For those who look forward to superhero movies, “the Avengers,” “the Amazing Spider-Man,” and “the Dark Knight Rises,” all slated for release in 2012.

This summer was also a good experience for those who like seeing their favorite characters return to the big screen; by the end of August, over half a dozen sequels will have been released. By this time next year, many more sequels will have been released, including “Underworld: Awakening,” “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance,” “Scary Movie 5,” “Men In Black III,” “Madagascar III,” and “G.I. Joe: Retaliation.”

Not into superheroes and prefer to preserve the opinions of the first in a series instead of viewing sequels? Don’t fret; there will be plenty of choices at the cinema in 2012, including original scripts and movies based upon books