The superhero symbol : media, culture, and politics / edited by Liam Burke, Ian Gordon, and Angela Ndalianis.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction: "Everlasting" Symbols: Unmasking superheroes and their shifting symbolic function, Liam Burke -- Part 1: Superheroes, Politics, and Civic Engagement -- "What Else Can You Do With Them?": Superheroes and the Civic Imagination / Henry Jenkins -- "America Is A Piece of Trash": Captain America, Patriotism, Nationalism, and Fascism / Neal Curtis -- "This Land is Mine!" Understanding the Function of Supervillains / Jason Bainbridge -- Interview 1: Comics artist, writer, and "herstorian" / Trina Robbins -- Part 2: The Superhero as a Brand -- The Secret Commercial Identity of Superheroes: Protecting the Superhero Symbol / Mitchell Adams -- Siegel and Shuster as Brand Name / Ian Gordon -- Practicing Superhuman Law: Creative License, Industrial Identity, and Spider-Man's Homecoming / Tara Lomax -- The sound of the cinematic superhero / Dan Golding -- Interview 2: Former President of DC Entertainment / Diane Nelson -- Part 3: Becoming the Superhero -- Arkham Knave: The Joker in Game Design / Steven Conway -- Being Super, Becoming Heroes: Dialogic Superhero Narratives in Cosplay Collectives / Claire Langsford -- "From Pages to Pavements": A Criminological Comparison Between Depictions of Crime Control in Superhero Narratives and "Real-Life Superhero" Activity / Vladislav Iouchkov and John McGuire. -- Interview 3: Dark Night: A True Batman Story writer Paul Dini -- Part 4: Superheroes and National Identity -- Captain America, National Narratives, and the Queer Subversion of the Retcon / Naja Later -- Apes, Angels, and Super Patriots: The Irish in Superhero Comics / Liam Burke -- Missing in Action: The Late Development of the German-Speaking Superhero / Paul M. Malone -- Chinese Milk for Iron Men: Superhero Coproductions and Technological Anxiety / Shan Mu Zhao -- Age of the Atoman: Australian Superhero Comics and Cold War Modernity / Kevin Patrick -- Interview 4: Cleverman creator Ryan Griffen and star Hunter Page-Lochard

"As a man, I'm flesh and blood, I can be ignored, I can be destroyed; but as a symbol ... as a symbol I can be incorruptible, I can be everlasting". In the 2005 reboot of the then dormant Batman film franchise, Batman Begins, Bruce Wayne articulates how the figure of the superhero can serve as a transcendent icon. It is hard to imagine a time when superheroes have been more pervasive in our culture. Today, superheroes are intellectual property jealously guarded by media conglomerates, icons co-opted by grassroots groups as a four-color rebuttal to social inequities, masks people wear to more confidently walk convention floors and city streets, and bulletproof banners that embody regional and national identities. From activism to cosplay, understanding how these different groups and interests have made use of this powerful icon is essential to unmasking the appeal of superheroes and their wider impact. To address this interest, The Superhero Symbol brings together scholars from a range of disciplines, alongside key industry figures. Collectively, these contributions provide fresh perspectives on how these costume-clad heroes have engaged with media, culture, and politics, thereby becoming the "everlasting" symbols to which a wayward Bruce Wayne once aspired"-- Provided by publisher

Online resource; title from digital title page (viewed on November 18, 2019).

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