This series examines the place occupied by superheroes in global media and cultures. Superheroes have proliferated and multiplied in the twenty-first century. Evolving from their roots in comics, superheroes have now transformed into powerful transmedia icons, able to exceed boundaries of format and audience, and move easily between different incarnations and adaptations: from graphic novels to film and television series, all the way through to fandom, participatory cultures (including cosplay), and endless lines of toys and merchandise. In answer to the evolutionary portrayals of superheroes in our cultures, histories, and narratives, Superheroes Studies addresses the development, transformation, and meaning of these iconic figures, by taking a transnational, multimedia, and interdisciplinary approach to assessing their importance in our evolving contexts and identities. As a series, Superhero Studies will offer new perspectives, and will therefore widen the scope of critical work that is essential to the ongoing development of ‘superhero studies’ as a field. By constructing engaging cross-disciplinary conversations, the series will capture the full spectrum of superhero representation and reach, and function as the central site for the scholarly research of these evolving iconic figures.





Editor(s): Lorna Piatti-Farnell (lorna.piatti-farnell@aut.ac.nz)
Staff editorial contact: Judith Lakamper (jlakamper@rowman.com)