From the Joker to a Game of Thrones prequel, origin stories are increasingly common in film and TV – perhaps at the expense of originality in popular culture.
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Articles on Marvel superheroes
Displaying all articles
The new Captain Marvel movie takes us back to the 1990s with a look at some of the technologies of the day. Do people still use pagers?
The film wowed critics and fans. But its hidden power may be black lead characters who are accomplished scientists – just the thing to help inspire future generations to follow in their footsteps.
Remembering the co-creator of Spider-Man, The Hulk, Fantastic Four and all the rest.
There are so many opportunities for women in Hollywood these days, as long as they play roles that were originally intended for men.
Marvel will need to look deeper than basic representation for its future success.
To some, superhero films are the equivalent of fracking. But they offer audiences transcendence, mystery, a moral compass, and even the hope of salvation.
Avengers: Infinity War is the biggest Marvel movie ever with largest cast of superheroes (and villains). So far. But how does the science stack up?
This new Afro-celebratory sci-fi trendsetter sets out to unsettle and subvert film stereotypes about Africa – and succeeds brilliantly.
Seeing black lead characters who are accomplished scientists could be just the thing to help inspire future generations to follow in their footsteps.
The new Thor: Ragnarok movie out today tackles some of the superhero issues fans have long questioned. But how does the science stack up?
The third in the Thor series, directed by New Zealand wunderkind Taika Waititi, is thoughtful, hilarious and looks magnificent.
American cinema mines Greek myth most strongly at times of profound social anxiety. In the age of Trump, we are already seeing key political battlegrounds framed as underworld quests in film.
Because they're mass-produced and written in a serialized format, comics can be seen as historical documents that reflect the political moment.
Forget Wonder Woman and Batman. The Maid of Orléans - an uneducated, teenage girl who led armies to victory - is a hero for our times.
Peter Parker knows the formula for angular acceleration of a pendulum, and applies his science knowledge with gusto in the latest Spider-Man movie.
The new mummy film is the latest foray into 'shared universes', the seemingly critic-proof movie juggernauts that have come to dominate our cinemas.
As DC and Marvel battle for movie domination at the box office, older people are being left out.
The Marvel superhero directly confronts a 'war on terror culture' that regards Muslim-Americans as threats.
It ain't all biff, bang pow.
Top contributors
-
Michael Milford is a Friend of The Conversation.Professor, Queensland University of Technology
-
Colin Yeo is a Friend of The Conversation.
PhD Candidate, English and Cultural Studies, University of Western Australia
-
Research Fellow, Robotics & AI, Queensland University of Technology
-
Professor of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
-
Senior Lecturer in Theology, Australian Catholic University
-
Lecturer in Media Studies, University of Notre Dame Australia
-
Scholar in Media and Cultural Studies, Macquarie University
-
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, The University of Queensland
-
Lecturer in Management Work and Organisation, University of Stirling
-
Assistant Professor of Focused Inquiry, Virginia Commonwealth University
-
Professor of Comics Studies, University of Dundee
-
Senior Lecturer in Literary Studies and Creative Writing, Monash University
-
Honorary Associate, Classics and Ancient History, La Trobe University
-
Professor of English and Asian American Studies, University of Connecticut
-
Dr of International Development; Global Development Institute, University of Manchester
