Captain America and the Nationalist Superhero: Metaphors, Narratives, and Geopolitics PDF
Preview Captain America and the Nationalist Superhero: Metaphors, Narratives, and Geopolitics
Captain ameriCa and the nationalist superhero Massacre in Haditha, by Tanya Tier. (Used with permission from the artist.) Jason Dittmer Captain ameriCa and the nationalist superhero Metaphors, Narratives, aNd Geopolitics Temple UniversiTy press philadelphia Temple UniversiTy press philadelphia, pennsylvania 19122 www.temple.edu/tempress Copyright © 2013 by Temple University all rights reserved published 2013 library of Congress Cataloging-in-publication data dittmer, Jason. Captain america and the nationalist superhero : metaphors, narratives, and geopolitics / Jason dittmer. p. cm. includes bibliographical references and index. isBn 978-1-4399-0976-8 (cloth : alk. paper) — isBn 978-1-4399-0977-5 (pbk. : alk. paper) — isBn 978-1-4399-0978-2 (e-book) 1. Comic books, strips, etc.— history and criticism. 2. superheroes in literature. 3. nationalism and literature. 4. Geopolitics—social aspects. 5. popular culture—political aspects. 6. america, Captain (Fictitious character) i. Title. pn6714.d58 2013 741.5′3581—dc23 2012015512 The paper used in this publication meets the requirements of the american national standard for information sciences—permanence of paper for printed library materials, ansi Z39.48-1992 printed in the United states of america 2 4 6 8 9 7 5 3 1 For Stephanie, my everything Contents acknowledgments ix 1 introducing nationalist superheroes 1 2 Gendered nation-state, Gendered hero 24 3 embodying multiculturalism 46 4 Origins 63 5 narratives of Continuity and Change 83 6 Grounding the nation-state 102 7 Geopolitical Orders 123 8 alternate Worlds 142 9 parody and subversion 160 afterword 181 notes 189 references 207 index 225 Acknowledgments I owe special thanks to paul adams, Caroline Bressey, michael Brown, sean Carter, simon dalby, Klaus dodds, dan hassler-Forest, James Kneale, and alec murphy for providing feedback on draft chapters. many of the insights about Canada and Canadian superheroes belong to my friend and collaborator soren larsen, who partnered with me to conduct the Canadian portion of this research. he graciously allowed me to use our findings in this book. i am also indebted to randy scott and the special Collections staff at michigan state University, to steven hensen and the special Collections staff at duke University, and to the very helpful staff at the Canadian library and archives. more generally, i am grateful to the faculties at Georgia southern University and University College london for their support during this project. i completed the first draft of this book while i was on a visiting fellowship at the london school of economics, to which i am grateful as well. The research findings herein were tested and refined through innumerable conference presentations and at seminars and colloquia at the University of Georgia, Ohio University, the University of sussex, the University of amsterdam, and Johannes Gutenberg University. i am grateful to all participants for their thoughts and criticisms. research funding was provided by the British academy, a Canadian high Commission Faculty research Grant, and a Georgia southern University Faculty research Grant. i owe the greatest debt of gratitude to my supportive friends and family— especially stephanie dittmer, who, from the very beginning of this project, was my unceasing advocate.
The list of books you might like
