Superheroes, Communication, and Culture

Adam W. Tyma is Professor of Critical Media Studies in the College of Communication, Fine Arts, and Media at the University of Nebraska Omaha, USA.Matthew R. Meier is Associate Professor of Communication and Theatre at DePauw University, USA.Dana Schowalter is Professor and Department Chair of Communication Studies at Western Oregon University, USA.

By centering its analysis on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the book taps into a cultural phenomenon that is both widely consumed and rich with ideological, political, and symbolic meaning. The editors and contributors use this familiarity to engage readers in critical discourse, making the book not only academically useful but also highly engaging. Its thematic organization – covering politics, gender, race, and symbolism – ensures a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to media analysis.

• AcknowledgementsIntroductionAdam W. Tyma (University of Nebraska Omaha, USA), Matthew R. Meier (West Chester University, USA), and Dana Schowalter (Western Oregon University, USA)Part I: Political Economy and Politics1. #WheresBlackWidow: Hashtag Activism, Paratexts, and Reluctant Investments in Profitable Women Superheroes Dana Schowalter2. Logan, Situated Ideological Allegory, and the American Dream/NightmareTalya Slaw (University of Mississippi, USA) and Jacob Justice (University of Mississippi, USA) Part II: Gender Studies and Feminisms3. “Unusual Voting Activity” or the Hermeneutics and Aesthetics of Misogyny in the Review-Bombing of She-Hulk Daniel Horvath (California State University, Stanislaus, USA)4. Clearing Her Ledger: Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow and Transcending the Male Gaze Katelyn Lambert (University of Central Florida, USA)5. “I have nothing to prove to you”: Audience Interpretations of Feminism and Nostalgia in Captain Marvel Michaela D.E. Meyer (Christopher Newport University, USA)Part III: Race, Ethnicity, and Identity6. From Aztlan to Talokan: Namor as Living Memory Gabriel Cruz (North Carolina Central University Durham, USA)7. “Just ‘cause you carry that shield, it doesn't mean you’re Captain America” - Carrying on Steve’s Legacy Elizabeth Shiller (Georgia Southwestern State University, USA)8. Strong Asian Women: Resisting Stereotypes and Redefining Femininity in Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Stephanie Young (University of Southern Indiana, USA)Part IV: Symbols and Signs9. Marvel’s Monstrosity: Deadpool and the Delight of White Violence Matthew R. Meier10. The Grief that Bewitches Us: Understanding Wanda Maximoff as a Metaphor for Collective Trauma and Its Implications on Cinematic Representations Erika Thomas11. “What does that shield mean?” Understanding Captain America’s Shield as a Complex Symbolic and Discursive Construct Throughout the MCU, Specifically Falcon and The Winter Soldier Adam W. TymaAbout the ContributorsIndex