I really don't get why there is a certain snobbism against superhero movies period. They're just modern age heroic myths that started way back with Homer telling the story of Odysseus. The Lord of the Rings got an huge respect and Oscar nominations. I suppose some could criticize it for just being a fanciful story of mythical creatures and kingdoms. But that's what movies sell.... illusions, fantasy and technical wizardry.
We're not watching Dick Cheney being filmed...we're watching Christian Bale made up to look like Dick Cheney. Or Gary Oldman made up to look like Winston Churchill. But with the magic of film, if it is successful, we believe in the artificially created reality of the moment. If a film has done this task successfully, then it deserves recognition.