Mystery Men came out before the great super-hero movie glut of the last ten to fifteen years.
So it doesn’t send up the genre so much as anticipate it.
It was an odd choice to make side characters from an independent alternate comic book into a mainstream movie; we’re still waiting for Flaming Carrot the Movie.
Anyway, here’s how three of the characters characterise the outcome of their struggle with evil to the waiting press:
The Shoveller:
I think we would all like this victory to go out to all the other guys, and I’m talking about the people in this city who are super good at their jobs but never get any credit. Like the lady in the DMV – that’s a rough job.
Invisible Boy:
To the people that remember jingles from tons of old commercials.
The Bowler:
And uh, uh, people that support local music and seek out independent film.
The Shoveller:
And the guy that drives the snow-plow.