>On the other hand, though, I have to wonder if stuff like Man
>of Steel and the X-men movies would not seem so bad if Marvel
>weren't out here shaming the shit outta everybody.

This right here. If it weren't for the best work of Marvel then many of the plot issues of other films would get brushed off "hey, it's a comic book movie."

It happened to Marvel themselves with Age of Ultron to be honest - that was a good movie that gets nitpicked because it doesn't stand up to Winter Soldier and the first Avengers.

Same effect is there with Pixar as well.