Superwomen

<p><b>Winner of the 2017 Eisner Award in the Best Academic/Scholarly Work category</b><br><b><br>2017 Prose Awards Honorable Mention Media & Cultural Studies</b> <p/>Over the last 75 years superheroes have been portrayed most often as male heterosexual white and able-bodied. Today a time when many of these characters are billion-dollar global commodities there are more female superheroes more queer superheroes more superheroes of color and more disabled superheroes--but not many more. <p/><i>Superwomen</i> investigates how and why female superhero characters have become more numerous but are still not-at-all close to parity with their male counterparts; how and why they have become a flashpoint for struggles over gender sexuality race and disability; what has changed over time and why in terms of how these characters have been written drawn marketed purchased read and reacted to; and how and why representations of superheroes matter particularly to historically underrepresented and stereotyped groups. <p/>Specifically the book explores the production representations and receptions of prominent transmedia female superheroes from their creation to the present: Wonder Woman; Batgirl and Oracle; Ms. Marvel and Captain Marvel; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; <i>Star Wars</i>' Padmé Amidala Leia Organa Jaina Solo and Rey; and <i>X-Men'</i>s Jean Grey Storm Kitty Pryde Rogue and Mystique. It analyzes their changing portrayals in comics novels television shows and films as well as how cultural narratives of gender have been negotiated through female superheroes by creators consumers and parent companies over the last several decades.</p>