
Contents
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The Superhero The Superhero
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The Superhero, Ideology, and Myth The Superhero, Ideology, and Myth
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Costume and Identity Costume and Identity
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The Super-Body The Super-Body
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The Silver Age The Silver Age
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Crisis of Infinite Masculinities Crisis of Infinite Masculinities
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Unmasked at Last Unmasked at Last
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Organization of the Book Organization of the Book
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1 Introduction: “Unmasked at Last!”: Death, Disability, and the Super-Body
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Published:November 2014
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Abstract
This chapter provides a brief history of the superhero genre. Since its inauguration in 1938's Action Comics #1, the superhero genre has served as a disability and death-denying representational practice which privileges the healthy, hyper-powered, and immortal body over the diseased, debilitated, and defunct body. Canonical Golden Age heroes—such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Captain America—all advance a corporeal archetype—strength, control, and unboundedness, flourishing fully equipped bodies “ready for anything.” Launched on the eve of World War II, the superhero genre represents a rich “mirror universe” of American society. This book studies the Silver Age of DC and Marvel Comics for its increasingly complex depiction of disability and death.
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