Despite the recent success of Marvel Studios and the rising academic interest in superheroes, there has not previously been a comprehensive examination of the Marvel Cinematic Universe: the films and other media connected to the studio's films. This is a new mode of film making, one in which the franchise, the existing model of multi-installment narrative, has become subsumed into a larger conglomerate storytelling entity, the shared universe. Looking beyond box office achievements, Marvel's establishment of its own movie studio has increased its cultural impact in the United States and around the world.

This collection of essays, approaching their subjects from a variety of perspectives and disciplines, examines the ways the Marvel Cinematic Universe represents, constructs, and distorts American culture. For decades, Marvel Comics' emphasis on socially relevant characters and plots has generated fan engagement and popular appeal. In the new millennium, the success of Marvel Studios' films represents a new and unique engagement with social, political, and economic concerns that challenge established values and call into question cherished beliefs.

About the Author
Julian C. Chambliss is a professor of United States history at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. His research examines race, identity, and community in real and imagined spaces.

William L. Svitavsky is an associate professor and Emerging Services Librarian at the Olin Library of Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. His research includes American comic book history, the work of M.P. Shiel, and geek culture.

Daniel Fandino is a history Ph.D student from Michigan State University. His academic interests include American and Asian popular culture, video games, nationalism, and technology. He lives in Tokyo, Japan.


Book Information
ISBN 9781476664187
Author Julian C. Chambliss
Format Paperback
Page Count 262
Imprint McFarland & Co Inc
Publisher McFarland & Co Inc
Weight(grams) 335g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 152mm * 11mm