Abstract
Superheroes are often disabled, either literally or metaphorically. Their exceptional powers and abilities may be balanced by weakness in order to engender audience sympathy or identification, or to provide a source of narrative obstacles. Although superhero stories are not necessarily about disability, they have become one of the most accessible and popular formats in which disability is a consistently salient trope and integral part of the narrative machinery. The article argues that the use of disability in current superhero narratives, exemplified by the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), is best understood through the theoretical lens of narrative prosthesis and ablenationalism. In the MCU, a core function of disability is to provide heroes with a yearning for normality and a desire to be productive members of a community. The interlinked narratives of the MCU effectively depict many of its protagonists as supercrips, framing disability as intrinsically linked to a heroic struggle to fit in with non-disabled society.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Journal of Literary & Cultural Disability Studies
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
