eBook - ePub
Enter the Superheroes
American Values, Culture, and the Canon of Superhero Literature
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
Enter the Superheroes
American Values, Culture, and the Canon of Superhero Literature
About this book
Ever since the first appearances of Superman and Batman in comic books of the late 1930s, superheroes have been a staple of the popular culture landscape. Though initially created for younger audiences, superhero characters have evolved over the years, becoming complex figures that appeal to more sophisticated readers. While superhero stories have grown ever more popular within broader society, however, comics and graphic novels have been largely ignored by the world of academia.
In Enter the Superheroes:American Values, Culture, and the Canon of Superhero Literature, Alex S. Romagnoli and Gian S. Pagnucci arguethat superheroes merit serious study, both within the academy and beyond. By examining the kinds of graphic novels that are embraced by the academy, this book explains how superhero stories are just as significant. Structured around key themes within superhero literature, the book delves into the features that make superhero stories a unique genre. The book also draws upon examples in comics and other media to illustrate the sociohistorical importance of superheroes—from the interplay of fans and creators to unique narrative elements that are brought to their richest fulfillment within the world of superheroes. A list of noteworthy superhero texts that readers can look to for future study is also provided.
In addition to exploring the important roles that superheroes play in children's learning, the book also offers an excellent starting point for discussions of how literature is evolving and why it is necessary to expand the traditional realms of literary study. Enter the Superheroes will be of particular interest to English and composition teachers but also to scholars of popular culture and fans of superhero and comic book literature.
In Enter the Superheroes:American Values, Culture, and the Canon of Superhero Literature, Alex S. Romagnoli and Gian S. Pagnucci arguethat superheroes merit serious study, both within the academy and beyond. By examining the kinds of graphic novels that are embraced by the academy, this book explains how superhero stories are just as significant. Structured around key themes within superhero literature, the book delves into the features that make superhero stories a unique genre. The book also draws upon examples in comics and other media to illustrate the sociohistorical importance of superheroes—from the interplay of fans and creators to unique narrative elements that are brought to their richest fulfillment within the world of superheroes. A list of noteworthy superhero texts that readers can look to for future study is also provided.
In addition to exploring the important roles that superheroes play in children's learning, the book also offers an excellent starting point for discussions of how literature is evolving and why it is necessary to expand the traditional realms of literary study. Enter the Superheroes will be of particular interest to English and composition teachers but also to scholars of popular culture and fans of superhero and comic book literature.
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Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Yes, you can access Enter the Superheroes by Alex S. Romagnoli,Gian S. Pagnucci in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Literature & Comics & Graphic Novels Literary Criticism. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.
Information
Table of contents
- Title Page
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- The Significance of the Superhero Examined
- The Academicization of Comics
- The Battle Between Fans and Creators
- The Comic Relaunch
- The Iconography of Superheroes
- Superhero Storytelling
- The Role Superheroes Play in Children’s Learning
- Diversity in Superheroes
- Why Superheroes Never Die
- Technology and the Superhero
- Reflections on Creating a Canon
- The Canon of Superhero Literature
- Bibliography
- Index
- About the Authors