The Superhero Costume Identity and Disguise in Fact and Fiction

by Brownie, Barbara; Graydon, Danny; Eicher, Joanne B.

• ISBN13: 9781472595904
• ISBN10: 1472595904
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2015-11-19
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic

Summary

Costume defines the superhero, disguising and distinguishing him or her from the civilian alter ego. The often garish garb expresses a hero's otherness and empowers its wearers to seek a primal form of justice.

This book provides the first interdisciplinary analysis of the superhero costume and investigates wide-ranging issues such as identity, otherness, ritual dress and disguise. Analysis focuses on the implications of wearing superhero costume, exploring interpretations of the costumed hero and the extent to which the costume defines his or her role. Using examples across various media (comic books, film, and television) with case studies including The X-Men, Watchmen, real-life superheroes such as Phoenix Jones and Pussy Riot, and audience activities such as cosplay, The Superhero Costume presents new perspectives on the increasingly popular genre.

A lively and thorough account of superhero fashions throughout history, The Superhero Costume will be essential reading for students of visual culture, popular culture, fashion and cultural studies.

Author Biography

Barbara Brownie is a senior lecturer in Visual Communication at the University of Hertfordshire, UK, where she leads online postgraduate study in graphic design and illustration, and lectures in fashion theory.

Danny Graydon is a critic, author and lecturer at The School of Creative Arts at University of Hertfordshire, UK and Kingston University, UK.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Section 1: Origins and Evolution
1. Superman, The Brand, and the Circus Strongman
2. Wearing the Flag: Patriotism and Globalisation
3. Evolution and Adaptation: Form v. Function

Section 2: Masquerade and Identity
1. Identity, Role and the Mask
2. Channelling the Beast
3. Dressing Up, Dressing Down: A Spectacle of Otherness, and the Ordinariness of the Civilian Alter-ego

Section 3: Harsh Realities
1. Superhero Costumes and The Fashion of Being Unfashionable
2. Cosplay
3. Real-Life Superheroes

Section 4: Case Studies
1. Watchmen
2. Iron Man
3. The X-Men

Notes
Bibliography
Index