Ask the question, “are comic books works of art?,” and you’ll probably get very strong opinions. Fanboys and fangirls will point to the complex storylines, vivid artwork, and imaginative characters to answer in the affirmative. Others might see comic books as infantile, wondering how Time magazine could devote a section of its 100 All Time Novels to comics. Whatever your opinion, Super Heroes Who Are Super, currently running at the Capital Fringe Festival, will only serve to strengthen your resolve.

Mounted by Save The Day Productions, Super Heroes offers staged readings, complete with simple costumes and even simpler special effects, of classic comic books. This weekend’s performances featured readings of Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man and the first issue of Wonder Woman, while upcoming shows dive into the worlds of Batman and the X-Men. The scripts are faithful to the texts of the original comic books, “POW!”s, “BAM!”s and “RATATAT”s included. Clearly, we’re not delving into Shakespeare, but the cast and directors understand this, and rightfully give the audience appropriate winks and nods.

The campier moments of the show are the most successful, so unfortunately the actors playing the super heroes had their work cut out for them, because those characters are not in on the joke. The supporting cast members were the most enjoyable to watch, with Victoria Frings and Rob Cutler taking particular delight in their readings. In the end, the success of the performance lies in the eye of the beholder. If you are even a casual fan of comic books, this show is a perfectly enjoyable way to spend an hour. Those who don’t know the difference between Marvel and DC should probably spend their $15 elsewhere.

Super Heroes Who Are Super has three remaining performances at the Fringe Apothecary, located at 1013 7th St, NW, on July 14, 16, and 18. Showtimes and ticket information are available here.