From the debut of Superman in 1938 through recent tales of narrative crisis and politically divided superheroes, superhero comic books have made an indelible mark on American culture. The current popularity of stories and characters originating in comic books has expanded interest in the medium and in the superhero genre which itself incorporates a mixture of other genres. Recent scholarship has striven to define the superhero's unique relationship to American culture. Submissions that address the ways the comic book superhero represents, constructs, and distorts American culture are welcomed. Submissions on comic culture, characters, and comics-inspired media are welcomed at the FCH annual meeting. The Media Arts and Culture SIS welcomes graduate students, undergraduates, and independent scholars who wish to participate. All conference invitees are eligible for review for inclusion in the FCH refereed published proceedings. 1. Paper title and abstract/proposal (300-500 words)
2. Brief vita or biography (one page max)
3. Complete personal information: name, department, academic affiliation, mailing address, and e-mail address.
Worthwhile topics include (but are not limited to):
Race and the Superhero
Gender and the Superhero
Superheroes and Nationalism
Religion and the Superhero
The Superhero in the Media
Superhero and Identity
Class and the Superhero
Abstracts and panel proposal should be sent to William Svitavsky: bsvitavsky@rollins.edu
Deadline for submission is December 18th