Superheroes and Contemporary Cultures

The interdisciplinary collection links in-depth close readings of central texts of the superhero discourse from a variety of media with larger societal and cultural discourses such as cross-medial, meta-textual and more general intersections and negotiations between the figure of the superhero and culture. 8 b&w illus. A global, interdisciplinary dive into superheroes and their cultural power across media. Offering a global and interdisciplinary perspective on the superhero genre across comics, television, and film, this book presents a diverse range of contemporary superhero scholarship. It combines close readings of iconic characters like Batman, Iron Man, and Watchmen with critical analysis of broader cultural and societal discourses. The volume explores how superheroes reflect and problematize ideology, the military-industrial complex, and notions of public and private responsibility. Key themes include identity construction through secret identities and masking, as well as cultural and personal grief and trauma in relation to race and politics. Designed for students, scholars, and fans alike, this work reveals the enduring mainstream appeal of superheroes and their complex intersections with global popular culture. Torsten Caeners is a senior lecturer at the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany. Danny Graydon is an independent scholar, author and journalist based in the UK. Presents a diverse range of perspectives on contemporary superhero scholarship. It links in-depth close readings of central texts of the superhero discourse from a variety of media (comics, TV, film) with larger societal and cultural discourses such as cross-medial, meta-textual and more general intersections and negotiations between the figure of the superhero and culture. The book explores various functionalizations of superheroes such as Batman, Iron Man or Watchmen within society, analysing how superheroes reflect and problematise ideology, the military industrial complex, public and private responsibility. Processes of identity construction are analysed by looking at the superheroes’ secret identity and the notion of masking. Furthermore, cultural and personal grief and trauma in relation to such discourses as race and politics are investigated.

Pages: 223, Hardcover, Intellect (UK)