Download or read book Gender and the Superhero Narrative written by Michael Goodrum and published by Univ. Press of Mississippi. This book was released on 2018-10-01 with total page 323 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Contributions by Dorian L. Alexander, Janine Coleman, Gabriel Gianola, Mel Gibson, Michael Goodrum, Tim Hanley, Vanessa Hemovich, Christina Knopf, Christopher McGunnigle, Samira Nadkarni, Ryan North, Lisa Perdigao, Tara Prescott-Johnson, Philip Smith, and Maite Ucaregui The explosive popularity of San Diego’s Comic-Con, Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Rogue One, and Netflix’s Jessica Jones and Luke Cage all signal the tidal change in superhero narratives and mainstreaming of what were once considered niche interests. Yet just as these areas have become more openly inclusive to an audience beyond heterosexual white men, there has also been an intense backlash, most famously in 2015’s Gamergate controversy, when the tension between feminist bloggers, misogynistic gamers, and internet journalists came to a head. The place for gender in superhero narratives now represents a sort of battleground, with important changes in the industry at stake. These seismic shifts—both in the creation of superhero media and in their critical and reader reception—need reassessment not only of the role of women in comics, but also of how American society conceives of masculinity. Gender and the Superhero Narrative launches ten essays that explore the point where social justice meets the Justice League. Ranging from comics such as Ms. Marvel, Batwoman: Elegy, and Bitch Planet to video games, Netflix, and cosplay, this volume builds a platform for important voices in comics research, engaging with controversy and community to provide deeper insight and thus inspire change.
Download or read book X Men and the Mutant Metaphor written by Joseph J. Darowski and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2014-04-10 with total page 243 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First appearing in 1963, The Uncanny X-Men had a rough start, lasting until 1970 when the comic book was canceled due to low sales. Following a relaunch in 1975, however, it found new popularity thanks to intricate scripting by Chris Claremont and the artwork of John Byrne. Within a few years, The Uncanny X-Men was one of Marvel Comics’ best-selling series and over the decades it became one of the most successful and popular franchises in comic book history. Spin-off titles, mini-series, multimedia adaptations, and a massively expanded cast of characters followed. One of the reasons for the success of X-Men is its powerful “mutant metaphor,” which enhances the stories with cultural significance and the exploration of themes such as societal prejudice and discrimination. In X-Men and the Mutant Metaphor: Race and Gender in the Comic Books, Joseph J. Darowski thoroughly analyzes The Uncanny X-Men, providing its historical background and dividing the long-running series into distinct eras. Each chapter examines the creators and general plot lines, followed by a closer analysis of the principal characters and key stories. The final chapter explores the literal use of race and gender rather than the metaphorical or thematic ways such issues have been addressed. This analysis includes insights gained from interviews with several comic book creators, and dozens of illustrations from the comic book series. Of particular significance are statistics that track the race and gender of every X-Men hero, villain, and supporting character. By delving into the historical background of the series and closely examining characters and stories, X-Men and the Mutant Metaphor illuminates an important popular culture phenomenon.
Download or read book Girls and Their Comics written by Jacqueline Danziger-Russell and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2013 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In America, comics and comic books have often been associated with adolescent male fantasy--muscle-bound superheroes and scantily clad women. Nonetheless, comics have also been read and enjoyed by girls. While there have been many strong representations of women throughout their history, the comics of today have evolved and matured, becoming a potent medium in which to explore the female experience, particularly that of girlhood and adolescence. In Girls and Their Comics: Finding a Female Voice in Comic Book Narrative, Jacqueline Danziger-Russell contends that comics have a unique place in the representation of female characters. She discusses the overall history of the comic book, paying special attention to girls' comics, showing how such works relate to a female point of view. While examining the concept of visual literacy, Danziger-Russell asserts that comics are an excellent space in which the marginalized voices of girls may be expressed. This volume also includes a chapter on manga (Japanese comics), which explains the genesis of girls' comics in Japan and their popularity with girls in the United States. Including interviews with librarians, comic creators, and girls who read comics and manga, Girls and Their Comics is an important examination of the growing interest in comic books among young females and will appeal to a wide audience, including literary theorists, teachers, librarians, popular culture and women's studies scholars, and comic book historians.
Download or read book The Superhero Reader written by Charles Hatfield and published by Univ. Press of Mississippi. This book was released on 2013-06-14 with total page 342 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With contributions from Will Brooker, Jeffrey A. Brown, Scott Bukatman, John G. Cawelti, Peter Coogan, Jules Feiffer, Charles Hatfield, Henry Jenkins, Robert Jewett and John Shelton Lawrence, Gerard Jones, Geoff Klock, Karin Kukkonen, Andy Medhurst, Adilifu Nama, Walter Ong, Lorrie Palmer, Richard Reynolds, Trina Robbins, Lillian Robinson, Roger B. Rollin, Gloria Steinem, Jennifer Stuller, Fredric Wertham, and Philip Wylie Despite their commercial appeal and cross-media reach, superheroes are only recently starting to attract sustained scholarly attention. This groundbreaking collection brings together essays and book excerpts by major writers on comics and popular culture. While superhero comics are a distinct and sometimes disdained branch of comics creation, they are integral to the development of the North American comic book and the history of the medium. For the past half-century, they have also been the one overwhelmingly dominant market genre. The sheer volume of superhero comics that have been published over the years is staggering. Major superhero universes constitute one of the most expansive storytelling canvases ever fashioned. Moreover, characters inhabiting these fictional universes are immensely influential, having achieved iconic recognition around the globe. Their images and adventures have shaped many other media, such as film, videogames, and even prose fiction. The primary aim of this reader is twofold: first, to collect in a single volume a sampling of the most sophisticated commentary on superheroes, and second, to bring into sharper focus the ways in which superheroes connect with larger social, cultural, literary, aesthetic, and historical themes that are of interest to a great many readers both in the academy and beyond.
Download or read book Superheroes and Masculinity written by Sean Parson and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2019-10-24 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Superheroes and Masculinity: Unmasking the Gender Performance of Heroism explores how heteropatriarchal representations of gender are portrayed within superhero comics, film, and television. The contributors examine how hegemonic masculinity has been continually perpetuated and reinforced within the superhero genre and unpack concise critiques of specific superhero representations, the industry, and the fan base at large. However, Superheroes and Masculinity also argues that possibilities of resistance and change are embedded within these problematic portrayals. To this end, several chapters explore alternative portrayals of queerness within superhero representations and read the hegemonic masculinity of various characters against the grain to produce queer possibilities. Ultimately, this collection argues that the quest to unmask how gender operates within superheroes is a crucial one.
Download or read book Supersex written by Anna Peppard and published by University of Texas Press. This book was released on 2020-12-08 with total page 385 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 2021 Comic Studies Society Prize for Edited Collection From Superman and Batman to the X-Men and Young Avengers, Supersex interrogates the relationship between heroism and sexuality, shedding new light on our fantasies of both. From Superman, created in 1938, to the transmedia DC and Marvel universes of today, superheroes have always been sexy. And their sexiness has always been controversial, inspiring censorship and moral panic. Yet though it has inspired jokes and innuendos, accusations of moral depravity, and sporadic academic discourse, the topic of superhero sexuality is like superhero sexuality itself—seemingly obvious yet conspicuously absent. Supersex: Sexuality, Fantasy, and the Superhero is the first scholarly book specifically devoted to unpacking the superhero genre’s complicated relationship with sexuality. Exploring sexual themes and imagery within mainstream comic books, television shows, and films as well as independent and explicitly pornographic productions catering to various orientations and kinks, Supersex offers a fresh—and lascivious—perspective on the superhero genre’s historical and contemporary popularity. Across fourteen essays touching on Superman, Batman, the X-Men, and many others, Anna F. Peppard and her contributors present superhero sexuality as both dangerously exciting and excitingly dangerous, encapsulating the superhero genre’s worst impulses and its most productively rebellious ones. Supersex argues that sex is at the heart of our fascination with superheroes, even—and sometimes especially—when the capes and tights stay on.
Download or read book Dabung Girl and the Space Journey written by Saurabh Agarwal and published by Deeper Learning Innovations Pvt. Ltd.. This book was released on 2020-05-14 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This comic book is a must-read for every child. A new Indian superhero is here, and this time, it is a female superhero, Dabung Girl. She is a fearless hero, who has an elastic body as her superpower. The imagination, creativity, and fun continues throughout the comic. This comic book inspires children to find their inner superheroes. In this visually engaging story book, Dabung Girl uses her elastic body superpower to protect children while imparting a lesson on gender equality and emphasizing the importance of saving the environment! She is faced with the challenge of some boys wondering if girls are good enough to become astronauts? What should she do? Will she be able to change their mindset? Why do millions of children love reading Dabung Girl comics / graphic novels? ★ She inspires them to learn, take action, and break stereotypes. ★ Presents India's very own girl superhero with relatable stories on overcoming gender biases. ★ Meticulously researched and expertly written, this book is packed with vivid, carefully created artwork, illuminating infographics, and insightfully curated dialogues that make the readers think. ★ Validated by educators as a valuable resource to encourage constructive dialogues. ♥ "I wanted my daughter to read things that inspire her to strive for success, that fuel her imagination and nurture her creative spirit! I am thankful to Dabung Girl for giving her a superhero she deserves!" – A caring mother. ♥ Apart from winning hearts, Dabung Girl is also winning several awards. Dabung Girl is also the winner of the best emerging comic book series for children at the prestigious CBAM Awards 2021. Dabung Girl has been created by an internationally recognized life skills educator, Saurabh Agarwal. He brings in his knowledge from Harvard University and has worked in the education sector for many years.
Download or read book Do The Gods Wear Capes written by Ben Saunders and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2011-06-02 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Brash, bold, and sometimes brutal, superheroes might seem to epitomize modern pop-culture at its most melodramatic and mindless. But according to Ben Saunders, the appeal of the superhero is fundamentally metaphysical - even spiritual - in nature. In chapter-length analyses of the early comic book adventures of Superman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man, and Iron-Man, Saunders explores a number of complex philosophical and theological issues, including: the problem of evil; the will-to-power; the tension between intimacy and vulnerability; and the challenge of love, in the face of mortality. He concludes that comic book fantasies of the superhuman ironically reveal more than we might care to admit about our human limitations, even as they expose the falsehood of the characteristically modern opposition between religion and science. Clearly and passionately written, this insightful and at times exhilarating book should delight all readers who believe in the redemptive capacity of the imagination, regardless of whether they consider themselves comic book fans.
Download or read book Spaces Between written by Nina Eckhoff-Heindl and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-07-16 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The contributions gathered in this volume exhibit a great variety of interdisciplinary perspectives on and theoretical approaches to the notion of ‘spaces between’. They draw our attention to the nexus between the medium of comics and the categories of difference as well as identity such as gender, dis/ability, age, and ethnicity, in order to open and intensify an interdisciplinary conversation between comics studies and intersectional identity studies.
Download or read book Death Disability and the Superhero written by José Alaniz and published by Univ. Press of Mississippi. This book was released on 2014-10-15 with total page 553 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Thing. Daredevil. Captain Marvel. The Human Fly. Drawing on DC and Marvel comics from the 1950s to the 1990s and marshaling insights from three burgeoning fields of inquiry in the humanities—disability studies, death and dying studies, and comics studies—José Alaniz seeks to redefine the contemporary understanding of the superhero. Beginning in the Silver Age, the genre increasingly challenged and complicated its hypermasculine, quasi-eugenicist biases through such disabled figures as Ben Grimm/The Thing, Matt Murdock/Daredevil, and the Doom Patrol. Alaniz traces how the superhero became increasingly vulnerable, ill, and mortal in this era. He then proceeds to a reinterpretation of characters and series—some familiar (Superman), some obscure (She-Thing). These genre changes reflected a wider awareness of related body issues in the postwar U.S. as represented by hospice, death with dignity, and disability rights movements. The persistent highlighting of the body's “imperfection” comes to forge a predominant aspect of the superheroic self. Such moves, originally part of the Silver Age strategy to stimulate sympathy, enhance psychological depth, and raise the dramatic stakes, developed further in such later series as The Human Fly, Strikeforce: Morituri, and the landmark graphic novel The Death of Captain Marvel, all examined in this volume. Death and disability, presumed routinely absent or denied in the superhero genre, emerge to form a core theme and defining function of the Silver Age and beyond.
Download or read book The Contemporary Superhero Film written by Terence McSweeney and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 2020-11-10 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Audiences around the globe continue to flock to see the latest releases from Marvel and DC studios, making it clear that superhero films resonate with the largest global audience that Hollywood has ever reached. Yet despite dominating theater screens like never before, the superhero genre remains critically marginalized—ignored at best and more often actively maligned. Terence McSweeney examines this global phenomenon, providing a concise and up-to-date overview of the superhero genre. He lays out its narrative codes and conventions, exploring why it appeals to diverse audiences and what it has to say about the world in the first two decades of the twenty-first century. Unpacking the social, ideological, and cultural content of superhero films, he argues that the genre should be considered a barometer of contemporary social anxieties and a reflection of cultural values. McSweeney scrutinizes representations of gender, race, and sexuality as well as how the genre’s conventions relate to and comment on contemporary political debates. Beyond American contributions to the genre, the book also features extensive analysis of superhero films from all over the world, contrasting them with the dominant U.S. model. The book’s presentation of a range of case studies and critical debates is accessible and engaging for students, scholars, and enthusiasts at all levels.
Download or read book The Superhero Multiverse written by Lorna Piatti-Farnell and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2021-11-01 with total page 323 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Superhero Multiverse focuses on the evolving meanings of the superhero icon in 21st-century film and popular media, with an emphasis on re-adapting, re-imagining, and re-making. With its focus on multimedia and transmedia transformations, The Superhero Multiverse pivots on two important points: firstly, it reflects on the core concerns of the superhero narrative—including the relationship between ‘superhero comics’ and ‘superhero films’, the comics roots of superhero media, matters of canon and hybridity, and issues of recycling and stereotyping in superhero films and media texts. Secondly, it considers how these intersecting textual and cultural preoccupations are intrinsic to the process of remaking and re-adapting superheroes, and brings attention to multiple ways of materializing these iconic figures in our contemporary context.
Download or read book Superwomen written by Carolyn Cocca and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2016-09-08 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explores the production, representation, and reception of prominent female superheroes in mainstream superhero comics, television shows, and films.
Download or read book Unstable Masks written by Sean Guynes and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Contextualizes the history of race within comic books and the fundamental whiteness observed in American superhero narratives from the late 1930s to the present"--
Download or read book Dreadnought written by April Daniels and published by Diversion Books. This book was released on 2016-01-24 with total page 390 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A trans teen is transformed into a superhero in this action-packed series-starter perfect for fans of The Heroine Complex and Not Your Sidekick. Danny Tozer has a problem: she just inherited the powers of Dreadnought, the world’s greatest superhero. Until Dreadnought fell out of the sky and died right in front of her, Danny was trying to keep people from finding out she’s transgender. But before he expired, Dreadnought passed his mantle to her, and those secondhand superpowers transformed Danny’s body into what she’s always thought it should be. Now there’s no hiding that she’s a girl. It should be the happiest time of her life, but Danny’s first weeks finally living in a body that fits her are more difficult and complicated than she could have imagined. Between her father’s dangerous obsession with “curing” her girlhood, her best friend suddenly acting like he’s entitled to date her, and her fellow superheroes arguing over her place in their ranks, Danny feels like she’s in over her head. She doesn’t have time to adjust. Dreadnought’s murderer—a cyborg named Utopia—still haunts the streets of New Port City, threatening destruction. If Danny can’t sort through the confusion of coming out, master her powers, and stop Utopia in time, humanity faces extinction. “I didn’t know how much I needed this brave, thrilling book until it rocked my world. Dreadnought is the superhero adventure we all need right now.”—Charlie Jane Anders, author of All the Birds in the Sky “A thoroughly enjoyable, emotionally rich, action-packed story with the most exciting new superheroes in decades. Unmissable.”—Kirkus Reviews
Download or read book Dabung Girl and Children s Revolution written by Saurabh Agarwal and published by Deeper Learning Innovations Pvt. Ltd.. This book was released on 2020-06-08 with total page 27 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This comic book is a must-read for every child. A new Indian superhero is here, and this time, it is a female superhero, Dabung Girl. She is a fearless hero, who has an elastic body as her superpower. However, unlike some other superheroes, who come and save the day, she helps children find solutions on their own. The imagination, creativity, and fun continues throughout the comic. This comic book inspires children to find their inner superheroes. In this visually engaging story book, Dabung Girl’s friends are facing a massive challenge of keeping the town clean from industrial pollution. They try to do it but end up in danger. Will Dabung Girl be able to save them? How will the children of Tadkapur save the environment? Read the story to find out more. Why do millions of children love reading Dabung Girl comics / graphic novels? ★ She inspires them to learn, take action, and break stereotypes. ★ Presents India's very own girl superhero with relatable stories on overcoming gender biases. ★ Meticulously researched and expertly written, this book is packed with vivid, carefully created artwork, illuminating infographics, and insightfully curated dialogues that make the readers think. ★ Validated by educators as a valuable resource to encourage constructive dialogues. ★ Dabung Girl always comes forward to help her friends. Her superpower is nano-elasticity, and she can extend her body to reach far and wide in a jiffy. Her super neurons enable her to use her mind and heart at 100% capacity. Why do parents love Dabung Girl books? ★ Each story of Dabung Girl focuses on a specific social issue, such as environment, child protection, sports, etc. Some of these topics are barely touched upon in daily life, while others may be too sensitive for adults to figure out how to convey the message appropriately. This is where Dabung Girl will save the day and the future! It provides a platform for parents to have a more engaging discussion with their kids. ★ "I wanted my daughter to read things that inspire her to strive for success, that fuel her imagination and nurture her creative spirit! I am thankful to Dabung Girl for giving her a superhero she deserves!" – A caring mother. Does it really work? ✓ Research shows that superhero stories give wings to the imagination and confidence of children. Children feel more empowered when they hear stories of superheroes. Often, the problems that seem very difficult can be solved if we believe in ourselves. ✓ The impact of Dabung Girl stories is two-fold: empowered girls with confidence and knowledge, and at the same time, build gender sensitivity among boys, which is needed to build a better society Do I need to know anything more? ♥ Apart from winning hearts, Dabung Girl is also winning several awards. Dabung Girl is also the winner of the best emerging comic book series for children at the prestigious CBAM Awards 2021. ♥ Dabung Girl Comics present some of the most trailblazing and inspiring comic book stories ever created. These comics are changing the face of life skills education for children. Who is the creator of Dabung Girl? Dabung Girl has been created by an internationally recognized life skills educator, Saurabh Agarwal. He brings in his knowledge from Harvard University and has worked in the education sector for many years. One last bit of information... DO YOU KNOW? When we listen to character-driven stories, our brains release a chemical called oxytocin, which is connected to feelings of love and empathy. Character-driven stories of Dabung Girl also help develop several life skills in children, especially compassion and care. KAVOOOM! So what are you waiting for? Don't forget to check out and read more Dabung Girl and SuperAvni books! ♥♥♥
Download or read book What is a Superhero written by Robin S. Rosenberg PhD and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2013-07-01 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It's easy to name a superhero--Superman, Batman, Thor, Spiderman, the Green Lantern, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Rorschach, Wolverine--but it's not so easy to define what a superhero is. Buffy has superpowers, but she doesn't have a costume. Batman has a costume, but doesn't have superpowers. What is the role of power and superpower? And what are supervillains and why do we need them? In What is a Superhero?, psychologist Robin Rosenberg and comics scholar Peter Coogan explore this question from a variety of viewpoints, bringing together contributions from nineteen comic book experts--including both scholars in such fields as cultural studies, art, and psychology as well as leading comic book writers and editors. What emerges is a kaleidoscopic portrait of this most popular of pop-culture figures. Writer Jeph Loeb, for instance, sees the desire to make the world a better place as the driving force of the superhero. Jennifer K. Stuller argues that the female superhero inspires women to stand up, be strong, support others, and most important, to believe in themselves. More darkly, A. David Lewis sees the indestructible superhero as the ultimate embodiment of the American "denial of death," while writer Danny Fingeroth sees superheroes as embodying the best aspects of humankind, acting with a nobility of purpose that inspires us. Interestingly, Fingeroth also expands the definition of superhero so that it would include characters like John McClane of the Die Hard movies: "Once they dodge ridiculous quantities of machine gun bullets they're superheroes, cape or no cape." From summer blockbusters to best-selling graphic novels, the superhero is an integral part of our culture. What is a Superhero? not only illuminates this pop-culture figure, but also sheds much light on the fantasies and beliefs of the American people.
