TOM movies, like literature, are art and social commentary but they are also escapism. There are periods of time when that last reason for movie goers is the most important. Marvel studios has consistently done a great job of making good quality escapism that appeals both to the common person and a broad swath of the population that has always felt marginalized.
It's actually helped geek/nerdiness to be less stigmatized. Maybe not high art but not in someways no less important.