While Wonder Woman has justifiably received praise and critical acclaim for its stellar performance at the Box Office and narrative achievement for a DCEU film, it's not the only superhero movie that's been released this summer. In fact, it's not even the best: that honor goes to the one and only Captain Underpants. 20 years after the publication of the first novel in the Captain Underpants series and nearly six years after DreamWorks announced its intention to adapt the books, the waistband warrior exploded onto the big screen. And it was glorious. Not merely a supremely enjoyable film, but one of the greatest superhero movies of all time.

For those who may not be familiar with the good Captain, he can only be described as a publishing phenomenon. Since the first book was published in 1997, the series has grown to 12 novels and three spinoffs, with combined sales of over 70 million copies worldwide. Written and drawn by Dav Pilkey, the books follow the adventures of two best friends named George Beard and Harold Hutchins. Irrepressible pranksters and founders of their own comic book company, they accidentally transform their evil principal, Mr Krupp, into their greatest creation: the scantily-clad vision of justice known as Captain Underpants.

As the above synopsis suggests, the books are very much tongue-in-cheek, each adventure hurtling along in a tidal wave of zany ideas, improbable plot twists and manic energy. Anything can -- and does -- happen in this series, with Pilkey taking every opportunity to have fun with conventions of the superhero genre. Where DreamWorks went right is that they didn't choose to do a loose adaptation of the books or pick and choose what elements might be more palatable to a wider audience, as so many superhero adaptations do. Instead, the movie is remarkably faithful to the books and all the better for it.

This approach affects the tone of the movie, retaining the spirit and flavor of the books. While many animated films, including those of Pixar, are lauded for their ability to be enjoyed by adults and children on different levels, Captain Underpants has no time for such pretentiousness. It knows that some things -- such as a well-delivered joke about bodily functions -- are universal, and makes no apologies for finding humor in these circumstances. This evolves into a central theme in the film: the importance of allowing ourselves to be childlike and find humor in the most difficult situations.

RELATED: First Look at Captain Underpants Animated Film

As the first film in the series, the movie is tasked with delivering lots of background material and origins for the characters, which it does in a variety of clever ways. Captain Underpants' origin is delivered in the form of comic strip panels, with George and Harold discussing what features should be included (the main bone of contention being Harold's belief that the infant Underpants was raised by kindly farmer dolphins). Similarly, Professor Poopypants flashes back to his darkest day, while the spartan nature of Mr Krupp's house renders any formal flashback unnecessary, trusting the viewer to make their own inference.

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Another of the film's great strengths is the relationship between George and Harold, its two main protagonists. First bonding over the comic potential of the word "Uranus," the two become inseparable friends. While many superhero films shoehorn in a love interest that is only there to act as a plot device, George and Harold's relationship is a true paean to friendship. Despite the high stakes and dramatic action pieces at other parts of the film, it's notable that the greatest danger that concerns our heroes is the prospect that they might be placed in separate classrooms, severing their friendship forever. An overly dramatic reaction for an adult, perhaps, but a life-changing event for fourth-graders.

Despite Captain Underpants being an intentionally ridiculous character, the movie does an excellent job of playing up the traditional conflict between the civilian and superpowered identities of its protagonist. This is complicated by the fact that Mr Krupp has no knowledge of his alter ego, making the difficulties that arise from this situation all the more entertaining. In one guise, he is the authoritarian principal that lives to torment George and Harold. In the other, he's the living embodiment of Captain Underpants -- their greatest creation. How the boys deal with this unexpected power over their tormentor results in one of the funniest sequences in the film.

Pilkey's novels are renowned for the way they skip from idea to idea, playing with familiar concepts and constantly making the reader feel as if they are participants in some secret club. The film continues this theme, utilizing a variety of animation styles and a number of clever narrative tricks. Captain Underpants' origin is presented as hand-drawn pages from George and Harold's comic books, a scene where the boys visualize their friendless future is performed by sock puppets, and the boys perform a musical number about the joy of making comics.

These clever concepts help reinforce the fact that this movie, while aimed at kids and proud of it, is in no way dumbed-down. Fully aware of traditional superhero structure, it plays with the expectations of characters and viewers to great effect. George and Harold are presented as pop-culture savvy comic fans, and one twist near the end has George declaring, "that is an obvious twist I did not see coming, despite my many years of comic book studies!"

RELATED: DreamWorks Animation to Adapt Captain Underpants Book Series

In the end, one of the small triumphs of the movie is its positivity: its belief that friendship, perseverance and laughter can triumph over all obstacles. This is even the case for Mr Krupp -- a rare example of a superhero whose costumed identity actually has a positive effect on his civilian identity. In a genre so often dominated by brooding creatures of the night and woe-is-me heroes, this is one film that shows just how fun being a superhero can be. Captain Underpants may initially have no powers beyond incredible self-belief and a relentlessly positive attitude, but his real power is the effect he has to inspire those around him.

Captain Underpants was not a huge success at the box office, to date grossing around $73 million dollars in the U.S. and nearly $25 million from international markets. Small change compared to his super-powered counterparts, but the Captain is a match for any of them in sheer quality. With luck, the positive reception the film has garnered will ensure that this is only the first of many Captain Underpants films to come.