Not All Supermen - Sexism, Toxic Masculinity, and the Complex History of Superheroes

An eye-opening exploration of the toxic masculinity and sexism that pervades the superhero genre.
Superheroes have been exciting and inspirational cultural icons for decades, dating back to the debut of Superman in the 1930s. The earliest tales have been held up as cornerstones of the genre, looked upon with nostalgic reverence. However, enshrining these tales also enshrines many outdated values that have allowed sexist gender dynamics to thrive.
In Not All Supermen: Sexism, Toxic Masculinity, and the Complex History of Superheroes, Tim Hanley examines how anger, aggression, and violence became the norm in superhero comics, paired with a disdain for women that the industry has yet to fully move beyond. The sporadic addition of new female heroes over the years proved largely ineffective, the characters often underused and objectified. Hanley also reveals how the genre's sexism has had real-world implications, with many creators being outed as sexual harassers and bigots, while intolerant fan movements are awash with misogynistic hate speech.
Superheroes can be a force for good, representing truth, justice, and courage, but the industry is laden with excessive baggage. The future of the genre depends on what elements of its past are celebrated and what is left behind. Not All Supermen unravels this complex history and shows how superheroes can become more relevant and inspiring for everyone.

List of contents

Acknowledgements
Introduction
1. Origins
2. Codification
3. Marvelous
4. Mania
5. Divergence
6. Overpowered
7. Despair
8. Caliber
9. Exaggeration
10. Breakdown
11. Frozen
12. Barriers
13. Pride
14. Supremacy
15. Assemble
16. Power
17. Instigate
Conclusion
Bibliography
Notes
Index
About the Author

About the author

By Tim Hanley

Summary

Not All Supermen explores the complex history of the superhero genre, with its troubling undercurrent of sexism and toxic masculinity while supposedly espousing truth, justice, and valor for generations of fans.

Product details

• Authors: Tim Hanley, Hanley Tim
• Publisher: Rowman and Littlefield
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 31.07.2022
• EAN: 9781538152737
• ISBN: 978-1-5381-5273-7
• No. of pages: 250
• Subjects: Fiction > Poetry, drama; Humanities, art, music > Art > Theatre, ballet; Popular Culture, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Popular Culture, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Women's Studies, LITERARY CRITICISM / Subjects & Themes / Women, LITERARY CRITICISM / Comics & Graphic Novels, Literature: history & criticism, PERFORMING ARTS / Film / History & Criticism, Gender studies: women, Graphic novels: history & criticism, Literary studies: fiction, novelists & prose writers, Film history, theory & criticism, Gender studies: women & girls, Film Theory & Criticism, Graphic novel & comic books: guides & reviews