Strong and sovereign: the Dora Milaje and the redefinition of Black femininity in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Over the last few years I have been loosely following the unfolding project known as the 'Marvel Cinematic Universe' (beginning with <em> Iron Man </em> , 2008) with a degree of interest, albeit that of a cinema-going layperson with little knowledge of comics or superheroes.

Moving to the science fiction genre, but remaining within the field of allegory, Chapter Thirteen sees Christine Muller scrutinise one of the most economically successful and culturally impactful genre variations to emerge from the American film industry in the last two decades, the renaissance of the superhero film. While it is an emergence which has been criticised by many (see Alan Moore's criticism of it as a "cultural catastrophe" in Flood, 2014), its impact has been so profound that to dismiss it seems imprudent, and, as Richard Gray and Betty Kaklamanidou observed in their The 21st Century Superhero Essays on Gender, Genre and Globalization in Film (2011), in many ways the 2000s were the 'decade of the superhero' (Gray and Kaklamanidou 1). Indeed, one can deal a great deal about a culture by its heroic mythology. Just as the ancient Greeks had tales of Hercules and Achilles, late nineteenth century America turned to mythologised stories of Wyatt Earp and Davy Crockett, in the twentieth century and into twenty-first, western culture found its heroic ideals embodied in comic-book heroes like Superman, Batman and Spider-Man. In Muller's chapter, "Post-9/11 Power and Responsibility in the Marvel Cinematic Universe", she considers the relationship between the superhero film and the tumultuous post-9/11 era, exploring the ideological function of superhero narratives. Muller looks at how the Marvel Cinematic Universe often returned to trauma in a variety of forms in their films which frequently emerge not as bloated blockbusters empty of resonance, but texts which engage with the decade in deeply revealing ways (see DiPaolo and McSweeney). Far removed from the cartoonish fantasyscapes of Salkind era Superman (1977) or the increasingly extravagant excesses of Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher's Batman years, the real world set Marvel Cinematic Universe films, beginning with Iron Man (2008), are deeply immersed in what we might call the ongoing 'War on Terror' narrative. While some writers have dismissed the genre as perpetuating hegemonic ideological systems (see Hassler-Forrest) Muller argues that they are able to, at times, offer more than the conservative world view they are primarily associated with. The defining events of the 'War on Terror' era thus become replayed in the MCU through the melodramatic spectacle of the superhero genre.

<span lang="EN-US">This study examines a psychological disorder called dissociative identity disorder (DID) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s show <em>Moon Knight, </em>which premiered on March 30, 2022, and ran for six episodes. The aim of this study is to analyze the dissociative identity disorder (DID) that is being experience by Marc Spector, the main character of Marvel Cinematic Universe’s show, <em>Moon Knight</em>. This study has two objectives, (1) To find out what are the causes of dissociative identity disorder on Marc Spector in Marvel Cinematic Universe’s show <em>Moon Knight. </em>(2) To find out clinical features of dissociative identity disorder on Marc Spector in Marvel Cinematic Universe’s show <em>Moon Knight</em>. (3) To find out how dissociative identity disorder affects the way Marc Spector communicates. The method used in this study were qualitative method. The data of this study were obtained from a Marvel Cinematic Universe’s show <em>Moon Knight</em>. The techniques for collecting data were by watching every episode of the show, taking notes, classifying the data, doing interpretation, and drawing conclusion. The result of the analysis reveals Marc Spector is able to talk different accent and different language when he shifted to his alter ego.</span>

This research aims to explore why the context of Norse Mythology attracts and inspires the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the production of the four sequels, Thor. Norse mythology talks about supernatural figures, cosmologists, legends, and fables. This research will analyze mise en scene to become something that can be understood and become the medium of learning about Norse mythology by the audience. With the creation of the Thor movies, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has the concept of representing Norse mythology in a commercial way with a more modern story. Through characterizations, historical explanations, and the symbols used in this film, it is an attraction for the audiences to get to know about Norse mythology, in addition to that, Norse mythology has become an inspiration for film producers in creating fictional works of art with a Nordic cultural background. How Marvel Cinematic Universe use Mise en Scene Technique to represent the Nordic Mythology. This study uses qualitative methods and approaches to determine the basis of the problem. The theory used cultural analysis, adaptation and Mise en Scene technique. Therefore, from this Norse mythology, many film producers create works of art that are based on Nordic culture, such as the Thor sequel produced by the Marvel Cinematic Universe

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is a major franchise in the Hollywood film industry that tells the story of various superheroes in one story continuity. The popularity of the MCU has skyrocketed in society for 14 years ago and has influenced the development of popular culture today. This paper aims to review the potential of the MCU as one of the big trends in the millennial era in the practice of cinema counseling. The review method used is a literature study, the author reviews various related literature to present a comprehensive discussion. The results of the review suggest that the MCU has great potential to be utilized in cinema counseling, especially for millennial children and teenagers. This is because in essence film is a medium that has been tested to be effectively used to shape, reconstruct, and change the mindset of individuals. In addition, the MCU as a group of superhero films also inserts various moral messages and life lessons that can be abstracted, and used as a metaphor by counselors in the practice of cinema counseling. However, more research is still needed regarding the use of MCU in cinema counseling to become a solid foundation for counselors to practice it.

Religion and Myth in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

The purpose of this paper is to understand the representation of Muslim women in social media. The essentialist and stereotypical projection of Muslim women by Western media often influences Western feminist understanding of Muslim women. Similarly, in the Indian context, the representation of Muslim women in visual media is much sensualized and is restricted to certain specific issues like personal laws, triple talaq, and low education level with an overtone of religion. However, this portrayal of Muslim women in media is not static; it is changing with time. Due to globalization and technological advancement, Muslim women are also becoming tech-savvy. This notion of representation changed when Muslim women’s activists started representing themselves on social media platforms as agentive selves. This paper investigates the self-representation of Muslim women’s online activism on social media. Based on the study of online presence on various social media platforms, this paper uses thematic analysis, content analysis and critical discourse analysis to investigate the formation of discourse about Muslim women in social media. To collect data, leading Newspaper Websites, magazines, news channels, YouTube, and X were chosen purposefully to demonstrate the various ways by which self-expressions of Muslim women, solidarity, activism, and womanhood are re-constituted across time and different locations

Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films provide a recognition of the prevailing crises of our time along with a clear sense of good and evil and that good will prevail, the fantasy that someone will come along to bring us back to the imagined certainty of the liberal status quo. The polarization of our time is reflected within Marvel movies as they (conditionally) critique colonialism, imperialism, patriarchy, and greed, only to individualize their (re)solutions. Black Panther (2018) and Captain Marvel (2019) are the focus of this case study due to their appeal beyond even MCU fans and their focus on two forms of oppression that are often represented as dominant structures of our time: white supremacy and patriarchy. The MCU films foreground challenges to dominance in order to neutralize those critiques; the films narrativize liberal triumph by appropriating its opposition. The adaptation of liberalism in the MCU is to make its own critiques visible and then contain them—a double move that accounts for the immense cultural purchase of these films.

This chapter examines a trend in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) where disability is used as a frequent narrative device in origin stories to imbue heroes-to-be with the expected heroic morality needed for them to “truly” become heroes. However, this disability is then often cured, made negligible, or rendered invisible by the conclusion thereby signalling an incompatibility between superheroes and overt disability within the MCU. Framing this approach within traditional Western views of disability and drawing on Simi Linton’s work on the figure of the “supercrip,” the chapter demonstrates how the MCU’s trend of using disability as a narrative device in heroic origin stories is paired with a desire for the completion of a positive moral arc, during which heroes must problematically move through and often past disability in order to achieve proper heroic morality.

From its beginning, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has challenged and mirrored social attitudes regarding gender roles. At first, female characters mostly appeared as second bananas: sidekicks, love interests or plot devices to advance male leads’ story lines. However as the series advanced, it embraced more complex and layered representations of women as key players with agency and power. The study follows a qualitative thematic analysis of the female portrayals within the MCU and explores progress from an era of tokenism and marginalization to a more equitable spectrum of representation. Through close readings of salient characters, films, and cultural moments, this research unlocks the franchise’s potential to propel feminist conversations within possession cinema, in the broader historical context of popular media. The analysis takes into account thematic trends, character evolution and wider forces of the industry, including the effect of feminist movements as #MeToo and Time’s Up. Our findings illustrate that where the MCU has made concerted efforts to improve the representation of female characters—through such powerful protagonists as Captain Marvel, Black Widow and Shuri—there are still major obstacles to reaching gender parity. While on-screen diversity has improved, other issues including stalled solo films for female heroes and predominately male-led narratives remain challenges that the industry needs to confront. Ultimately, this study highlights the significance of inclusive storytelling in shaping cultural values and discusses the MCU’s role in challenging gender norms in contemporary cinema.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is the highest-grossing film franchise of all time and since the premiere of Iron Man in 2008, it has risen to fame as a source of science-fiction entertainment. Sexism in the film industry often goes brushed aside but the widespread success of Marvel Studios calls attention to their treatment of gender roles. This paper explores the progression of six female superheroes in the MCU and what effect feminist movements have had on their roles as well as upcoming productions in the franchise. This paper used an interdisciplinary, mixed-methods design that studied movie scripts and screen time graphs. 14 MCU movies were analyzed through a feminist film theory lens and whenever a female character of interest was chosen, notes were taken on aspects including, but not limited to, dialogue, costume design, and character relationships. My findings showed that females in the MCU are heavily sexualized by directors, costume designers, and even their male co-stars. As powerful as some of these women were found to be, it was concluded that Marvel lacks in female inclusivity. Marvel’s upcoming productions, many of which are female-focused, still marginalize the roles of their superheroines which is a concern for the future of the film industry. Marvel is just one franchise but this study shows how their treatment of female characters uphold patriarchal structures and perpetuate harmful stereotypes that need to be corrected in the film industry as a whole.

<p>This thesis examines the relationship between nostalgia and seriality by studying nostalgia in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. My primary research question asks whether the nostalgia depicted in <em>Avengers: Endgame</em>, for earlier MCU films, imagines a narrative future by critiquing and examining the franchise’s past. This thesis undertakes a critical textual and narrative analysis of the serialized films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe by borrowing frameworks from television studies, film studies, cultural theory and Svetlana Boym’s concepts of restorative and reflective nostalgia. This thesis finds that by applying Boym’s concept of reflective nostalgia to the kind of nostalgia that <em>Avengers: Endgame</em> depicts for former versions of Marvel Studios’ Universe we can see how it allows for nostalgia to be a more critical and productive relationship with the past that makes room to imagine the cinematic universe’s future.</p>

<p>This thesis examines the relationship between nostalgia and seriality by studying nostalgia in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. My primary research question asks whether the nostalgia depicted in <em>Avengers: Endgame</em>, for earlier MCU films, imagines a narrative future by critiquing and examining the franchise’s past. This thesis undertakes a critical textual and narrative analysis of the serialized films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe by borrowing frameworks from television studies, film studies, cultural theory and Svetlana Boym’s concepts of restorative and reflective nostalgia. This thesis finds that by applying Boym’s concept of reflective nostalgia to the kind of nostalgia that <em>Avengers: Endgame</em> depicts for former versions of Marvel Studios’ Universe we can see how it allows for nostalgia to be a more critical and productive relationship with the past that makes room to imagine the cinematic universe’s future.</p>

시리즈 영화 속에 나타난 쿠키영상 연구 : 마블 영화를 중심으로

Characters and stories in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) regularly cross over from one medium and/or genre to another; narrative arcs occur sequentially, out of sequence, or concurrently and conventional binaries (e.g., protagonist/antagonist, good/evil, us/them) are deconstructed and subverted. This is not merely designed to cinematically adapt the complexity of the comic book universe but also simultaneously structure what trauma theorist Dominick LaCapra has termed a “working through”—in this instance, of the events of 9/11 (as first depicted as “The Battle of New York” in The Avengers) and the subsequent “war on terror.” This chapter explores how the trope of the superhero is re-imagined to address the complexities of twenty-first-century warfare and to interrogate issues of patriotism, drone strikes, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), grief, memorialization, politicization, mass surveillance, and civil liberties.