The DC Comics Universe

As properties of DC comics continue to sprout over the years, narratives that were once kept sacrosanct now spill over into one another, synergizing into one bona fide creative Universe. Intended for both professional pop culture researchers and general interest readers, this collection of essays covers DC Universe multimedia, including graphic novels, video games, movies and TV shows. Each essay is written by a recognized pop culture expert offering a distinct perspective on a wide variety of topics. Even though many of the entries address important social themes like gender and racism, the book is not limited to these topics. Also included are more lighthearted essays for full verisimilitude, including analyses of long forgotten or seemingly marginal aspects of the DC Extended Universe, as well as in-depth and original interpretations of the most beloved characters and their relationships to one another. Highly accessible and approachable, this work provides previously unavailable in-roads that create a richer comprehension of the ever-expanding DC Universe.

Douglas Brode is a novelist, screenwriter, playwright, film historian, and award winning journalist. He teaches courses on various popular culture subjects at the Newhouse School of Public Communications, Department of Radio, TV and Film, at Syracuse University. The author of more than 35 books on the visual and performing arts, he regularly appears on national radio and TV shows as a special guest.

Edited by Douglas Brode
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 260
Bibliographic Info: bibliographies, index
Copyright Date: 2022
pISBN: 978-1-4766-8737-7
eISBN: 978-1-4766-4726-5
Imprint: McFarland

Introduction: Superman, DC Comics, and the Lure of the Fantastic
Douglas Brode 1
Super Immigrants in the DC Universe: Superman and Wonder Woman in the United States
Emily Lauer 15
Deconstructing Batman, Encumbered and Unencumbered
Cyrus R.K. Patell 25
Queer(ing) Robin: Performances of Sexuality in Dick Grayson and His Aliases
Micah McCrary 42
Constructed Super Families: Superheroes, ­­Super-Kids, and ­­Super-Pets
Ora C. McWilliams 54
From Sherlock Holmes to Contemporary Superheroes: The Art of Detection and Investigation in the DC Universe
Michelle D. Miranda 65
Of Selina Kyle and Harley Quinn: Branding and Controlling Women in Batman Video Games
Carl Wilson 77
Shipping Supergirl: Discovering and Defending Lesbian Identity Through a DC Fandom
Katherine Pradt 89
Batgirl of Burnside: The Normalization of Diversity in the DC Universe
Hafsa Alkhudairi 100
From Boy to Man: The Power of Shazam and Idealized Self-Image
William Battle 110
The Cultural Context of Green Lantern: Superhero Commodity Rebirth, Renewal, and Rhetorical Extensions
Garret L. Castleberry 122
Teleporting Off the Page: The Wacky Life and Truncated Career of Ambush Bug
Joseph S. Walker 136
Ratoon, Remontant, Revenant, or Recorporation: Death, Melancholy, and Mourning in DC’s The Saga
of the Swamp Thing
Jeffrey Mccambridge 146
Aquaman Rex: The Arthurian Associations of a DC Superhero
Carl B. Sell 158
Bound to the Shackles of History: Reading Archival Practices in DC Comics’ Flashpoint
Priel Cohanim 170
DC’s King of the Wild Frontier: Tomahawk and the Tradition of the Eastern–Western
Douglas Brode 180
DC Comics’ Renaissance: An Examination of the Audience for The New Teen Titans
Joshua Ryan Roeder 191
“A vision of the world where all wisdom is annihilated”; Time, Narrative, and the Optics of Power in Watchmen
Jeffrey Mccambridge 201
Wonder Woman Revisited: Increasing the Drama with Classical Reception in New 52’s Justice League
Scott Manning 214
Evil Ink: Tattoos as a Sign of Villainy in Comics
Michelle D. Miranda 225
Caped Crusaders and Cartoon Crossovers: A Nostalgic Look “Beyond” DC Superheroes
Christina M. Knopf 236
About the Contributors 247
Index 251