The second decade of the 21st Century has seen an unexpected and unprecedented return of the superhero to the center of popular culture. Although the superhero never disappeared from the scene altogether, comic book sales were in decline and, culturally, superheroes were considered as obsolete, childish spandex-wearing freaks that only nerds had any misguided and escapist interest in. However, when the first Marvel Studios superhero movie, Iron Man, hit theatres in 2008, it inaugurated the Marvel Cinematic Universe that still reigns supreme in the greater superhero discourse and global cinema. Superheroes have currently become one of the central (media) discourses thorough which anglophone culture negotiates and represents its dynamic concerns and conflicts within – and for – a global audience.
In this seminar, we will discuss the question of why the superhero has become such a pervasive cultural force in early 21st century. We will do so by looking at varying definitions of the superhero and analyzing the distinctive features of superhero-ism. In a second step, we will look at examples from cinematic and televisual manifestations of the superhero and the super-heroic (Marvel Cinematic Universe, The DC Extended Universe, Marvel TV, The Arrowverse etc.) to try and deduce the function of these superhero manifestations within broader negotiations of contemporary (anglophone) culture.
A certain familiarity with the Marvel and DC (Cinematic) Universes is highly recommended. If the term “Excelsior!” means nothing to you or the imperative “Avengers Assemble!” does not produce the tiniest bits of goose bumps, this might not be for you!
Texts will be provided for you via a moodle room. Access to that room will be given to all registered members of the seminar via e-mail following the end of the registration period. |
