Superheroes and Contemporary Cultures: Cross-Medial Explorations and Societal Perspectives

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Torsten Caeners Danny Graydon (University of Hertfordshire, UK)

Superheroes and Contemporary Cultures

Name: Superheroes and Contemporary Cultures
Price: 190.95 AUD
Availability: PreOrder
ISBN: 9781835952535

Cross-Medial Explorations and Societal Perspectives

Torsten Caeners, Danny Graydon (University of Hertfordshire, UK)

$190.95

Hardback

Forthcoming
Pre-Order now

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English

Intellect Books
20 April 2026

Individual film directors, film-makers; Social & cultural anthropology; Advertising

Presents a diverse range of perspectives on contemporary superhero scholarship. It links in-depth close readings of central texts of the superhero discourse from a variety of media (comics, TV, film) with larger societal and cultural discourses such as cross-medial, meta-textual and more general intersections and negotiations between the figure of the superhero and culture.

The book explores various functionalizations of superheroes such as Batman, Iron Man or Watchmen within society, analysing how superheroes reflect and problematise ideology, the military industrial complex, public and private responsibility. Processes of identity construction are analysed by looking at the superheroes’ secret identity and the notion of masking. Furthermore, cultural and personal grief and trauma in relation to such discourses as race and politics are investigated.

Edited by: Torsten Caeners, Danny Graydon (University of Hertfordshire, UK)
Imprint: Intellect Books
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 244mm, Width: 170mm,
Weight: 454g
ISBN: 9781835952535
ISBN 10: 1835952534
Pages: 234
Publication Date: 20 April 2026
Audience: Professional and scholarly , College/higher education , Undergraduate , Further / Higher Education
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Torsten Caeners works as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Duisburg-Essen and is the Vice-President of the International Society for Superhero Studies. His research focuses on Anglophone Literature and Popular Culture, here especially Superheroes. Danny Graydon works as a Senior Lecturer (Screen), University of Hertfordshire and is the President of the International Society for Superhero Studies. His research focuses on Popular Culture and, especially, Superheroes.