Women in Marvel Films

Abstract

The concept of identity in superhero narratives has become a burgeoning field in academic studies of this increasingly popular cinematic genre. Women in Marvel Films provides the first rigorous analysis of the portrayals of women, heroic and otherwise, in films based on Marvel comics from the 1980s to the present. It explores the relationships between this cultural phenomenon and wider issues of gender equality, considering the cultural moments in which Marvel films are made and incorporating complex histories of the comic book and Hollywood industries. Highlighting characterisations of women, narratives and cinematic elements such as music and mise-en-scène, and questioning how these elements collectively engage with gendered discourses, the discussion also positions previous iterations of women in Marvel comic book narratives as highly relevant. Women in Marvel Films thereby considers how feminist issues surface within superhero adaptations and how they are dealt with via Hollywood and comic book conventions. This book ultimately shows how the Marvel superhero film taps into political complexities regarding gender and related identity issues, such as women’s roles in society and their relation to men, and provides a fascinating insight into gendered power dynamics in contemporary American popular culture. The films discussed include The Punisher (1989), Blade (1998), the X-Men series (2000–2020), Elektra (2005), and the films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Black Panther (2018) and Captain Marvel (2019).