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The second decade of the 21st Century has seen an unexpected and unprecedented return of the superhero. Although the superhero never disappeared from the scene altogether, comic book sales were in decline in the 1990 and, culturally, superheroes were considered as obsolete, childish spandex-wearing freaks that only nerds had any misguided and escapist interest in. Thanks in no small measure to the success of The Big Bang Theory, being a nerd has currently become rather fashionable and 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 franchise and global cinema. Tickets sales show that the superhero is no longer a fringe phenomenon but has currently become one of the central (media) discourses thorough which anglophone culture negotiates and represents its dynamic concerns and conflicts. The appearance of self-reflexive texts (Watchmen, The Boys, Kick-Ass) shows the centrality of the genre.
In this seminar, we will discuss the overarching question of why the superhero has become such a pervasive cultural force in and for early 21st century. We will do so by looking at varying definitions of the superhero and by analysing 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!
A reader for the seminar will be available at the beginning of the semester at “Unser Kopierladen,” Reckhammerweg. Please get a copy before the first session! |
