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Superheroines and the Epic Journey
Mythic Themes in Comics, Film and Television
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The heroine’s journey echoes throughout ancient legend. Each young woman combats her dark side and emerges stronger. This quest is also a staple of American comic books. Wonder Woman with semi-divine powers gives us a new female-centered creation story. Batgirl, Batwoman and Black Widow discover their enemy is the dark mother or shadow twin, with the savagery they’ve rejected in themselves. Supergirl similarly struggles but keeps harmony with her sister.
From Jessica Jones and Catwoman to the new superwomen of cutting-edge webcomics, each heroine must go into the dark, to become not a warrior but a savior. Women like Captain Marvel and Storm sacrifice all to join the ranks of superheroes, while their feminine powers and dazzling costumes reflect the most ancient tales.
About the Author:
Valerie Estelle Frankel teaches English at Mission College and San Jose City College. The author of 90 popular culture books and more than 100 stories and essays, she lives in Sunnyvale, California.
Press Reviews:
"A wealth of information about a variety of super-heroines and their comic book stories"—SFCrowsnest
"Frankel discusses the journey of the superheroine in contemporary comics, movies, and television"—ProtoView
"Frankel uses myth the way it was meant to be used, to help people understand how their lives fit into a larger world. She offers great depth of analysis in understanding how the mythic characters of comics utilize the standard mythic tropes. This is a must-have."—Matthew Wilhelm Kapell, Exploring the Next Frontier: Vietnam, NASA, Star Trek and Utopia in 1960s and 1970s American Myth and History.
See the publisher website: McFarland & Co
> From the same author:
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by Valerie Estelle Frankel and Dean Leetal
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The Villain's Journey (2021)
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Star Wars and the Hero's Journey (2021)
Mythic Character Arcs Through the 12-Film Epic
Wonder Women and Bad Girls (2020)
Superheroine and Supervillainess Archetypes in Popular Media
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Fourth Wave Feminism in Science Fiction and Fantasy (2019)
Volume 1. Essays on Film Representations, 2012–2019
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> On a related topic:
There She Goes Again (2023)
Gender, Power, and Knowledge in Contemporary Film and Television Franchises
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Buffy to Batgirl (2019)
Essays on Female Power, Evolving Femininity and Gender Roles in Science Fiction and Fantasy
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Searching for Feminist Superheroes (2024)
Gender, Sexuality, and Race in Marvel Comics
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The Routledge Handbook of Motherhood on Screen (2025)
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Sustainable Resilience in Women's Film and Video Organizations (2024)
A Counter-Lineage in Moving Image History
Subject: Sociology
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