The Ages of the Avengers: Essays on Earth's Mightiest Heroes in Changing Times examines stories from one of Marvel Comic's most popular franchises in light of the contemporary cultures when those comic books originally produced. With essays that address tales from some of the very first issues of The Avengers through Avengers Arena, which concluded in 2014, five decades of comic books are analyzed by popular culture scholars. Audience expectations for entertainment have fluctuated dramatically throughout the years, and comic book creators have been forced to adapt to shifting hopes, fears, and concerns amongst readers. Like any popular culture product, issues of the Avengers are reflective of the time period when they were produced, and the comic books have adapted to changing times to avoid becoming relics of a bygone era. In this collection, essays examine Avengers storylines such as the Korvac Saga, Civil War, and Secret Invastion, scrutinize key characters including the Black Panther and Hank Pym, and explore how real world events such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, the end of the Cold War, and 9/11 influenced the popular entertainment being produced and consumed in America.

The Incredible Hulk is one of the earliest Marvel Comics superheroes. Through the decades, the character and his narrative elements-the causes of Bruce Banner's transformations, the Hulk's strength, intelligence and skin color, the storys' tone, theme and sources of conflict-have been continually reinvented to remain relevant. This collection of new essays explores Marvel's more than five decades of Hulk comics. The contributors analyze the Hulk and his supporting cast in their shifting historical contexts, offering insights into both our popular entertainment and our cultural history. Topics include the Cold War's influence on early Incredible Hulk issues, a feminist reading of She-Hulk and writer Peter David's focus on the AIDS crisis.

The first superhero team from the Silver Age of comics, DC's Justice League has seen many iterations since its first appearance in 1960. As the original comic book continued and spin-off titles proliferated, talented writers, artists and editors adapted the team to appeal to changing audience tastes. This collection of new essays examines more than five decades of Justice League comics and related titles. Each essay considers a storyline or era of the franchise in its historical and social contexts. Exploring both the popular culture and relevant events of the day, the contributors discuss how the Vietnam War was addressed in Justice League comics, how the Cold War transformed the roles of superheroes in the DC universe and how the post-9/11 political climate affected a crossover character.

Created in 1941 by the psychologist William Marston, Wonder Woman would go on to have one of the longest continuous run of published comic book adventures in the history of the industry. Seventy years after her debut Wonder Woman remains a popular culture icon. Throughout the intervening years many comic book creators have had a hand in guiding her story, resulting in different interpretations of the Amazon Princess. But the changes in tone, theme, or subject matter in Wonder Woman's fictional adventures are not only the result of new creators. Wars, the feminist movement, politics, and evolving social opinions and concerns can be seen influencing the stories found in Wonder Woman's comic books. In this collection, each chapter examines a specific period or storyline from Wonder Woman comic books and analyses those stories in regards to contemporary issues in American society. Tracing the evolution of Wonder Woman through seven decades of comic books not only increases our understanding of an important American icon, it illuminates the relationship between American society and the entertainment it produces and consumes.

The X-Men comic book franchise is one of the most popular of all time and also one of the most intriguing to critically analyse. With storylines that often contain overt social messages within its "mutant metaphor," X-Men is often credited with having more depth than the average superhero property. In this collection, each essay examines a specific era of X-Men related comic books in relationship to contemporary social concerns. The essays are arranged chronologically and advance from an analysis of popular science at the time of the launch of the first X-Men comic book in 1963 through an essay that interprets a storyline in light of the rhetoric used during President Obama's first campaign for the presidency. Several spin-off X-Men titles, including Generation X, X-Statix, and Academy X are also used as source materials. Topics ranging from Communism to celebrity culture to school violence are addressed by scholars who provide new insights into one of the most significant popular culture products of American culture.

Black Panther was the first black superhero in mainstream comic books, and his most iconic adventures are analyzed here. This collection explores Black Panther's place in the Marvel universe, focusing on the comic books. With topics ranging from the impact apartheid and the Black Panther political party had on the comic to theories of gender and animist imagery, these essays analyze individual storylines and situate them within the socio-cultural framework of the time period they were created, drawing connections that deepen understanding of both popular culture and the movements of society. Supporting characters such as Everett K. Ross and T'Challa's sister Shuri are also considered. From his first appearance in 1966 by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee up through the character's recent adventures by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Brian Stelfreeze, more than fifty years of the character's history are addressed.

Billionaire industrialist, cold warrior, weapons designer, alcoholic, philanthropist, Avenger-Tony Stark, alter-ego of Marvel Comics' Iron Man, has played many roles in his five decades as a superhero. From his 1963 comics debut in Tales of Suspense to the recent film adaptations-The Avengers (2012), Iron Man 3 (2013)-hundreds of creators have had a hand in writing the character with evolving depictions and distinct artistic styles. This collection of essays provides an historical overview of an important figure in American popular culture and a close reading of Iron Man's most iconic story lines, including his origin in Vietnam, "Demon in a Bottle", "Civil War", and "Extremis".

Ever since Superman first appeared on the cover of Action Comics #1 in 1938, the superhero has changed with the times to remain a relevant icon of American popular culture for more than 70 years. This collection explores the evolution of the Superman character and demonstrates how his alterations mirror historical changes in American society. Beginning with the original comic book and ending with the 2011 Grounded storyline, these essays examine Superman's Depression-era stint as a crusading social avenger, his patriotic heroism during World War II, his increase in power in the early years of the Cold War, his death and resurrection at the end of the Cold War, and his recent dramatic reimagining. By looking at the many changes the Man of Steen has undergone to remain pertinent, this volume reveals as much about America as it does about the champion of Truth, Justice, and the American Way.

While many American superheroes have multiple powers and complex gadgets, the Flash is simply fast. This simplicity makes his character easily comprehendible for all audiences, whether they are avid comic fans or newcomers to the genre, and in turn he has become one of the most iconic figures in the comic-book industry. This collection of new essays serves as a stepping-stone to an even greater understanding of the Flash, examining various iterations of his character-including those of Jay Garrick, Barry Allen, Wally West and Bart Allen-and what they reveal about the era in which they were written.

Airing from 1982 to 1993, Cheers was both critically acclaimed and one of the most popular television shows of all time, earning over 100 Emmy nominations and securing 28 wins, including four for best comedy series. The show followed a group of Boston, Massachusetts locals who frequently gathered to drink and socialize. Bar owner Sam Malone was the de facto leader of the group and boss to Carla Tortelli, Coach Ernie Pantuso, Woody Boyd, and Diane Chambers, Sam's on-again, off again paramour. Regular patrons Norm Peterson and Cliff Claven completed this ersatz family, later joined by Frasier Crane, his wife Lilith, and Rebecca Howe, a new foil for Sam. Cheers not only provided laughs for eleven seasons, it revolutionized American sitcoms with its long-running stories and famous will-they-won't-they relationship. In Cheers: A Cultural History, Joseph J. Darowski and Kate Darowski offer an engaging analysis of the show, providing insights into both the onscreen stories as well as the efforts behind the scenes to shape this beloved classic. The authors examine the series as a whole, but also focus on the show's key characters, narrative arcs, and many themes, ranging from alcoholism to adultery. This volume also provides close looks at how set design, class issues, and gender roles informed the series throughout its run. Also included is a compendium of opinionated reviews of every episode, highlighting the peaks and dips in quality across more than a decade of television. Cheers: A Cultural History will appeal to the show's many fans and bring back beloved memories of the place where everybody knows your name!

First appearing in 1963, The Uncanny X-Men comic book had a rough start, lasting until 1970 when the series was cancelled due to low sales. Following a relaunch in 1975, however, the comic book found new popularity thanks to intricate plots by Chris Claremont and the artwork of John Byrne. Within a few years, The Uncanny X-Men was one of Marvel comics' bestselling series, and over the decades has become one of the most successful and popular franchises in comic book history. Spin-off titles, mini-series, multi-media adaptations, and a massively expanded cast of characters followed. One of the reasons for the success of the X-Men franchise has been the powerful mutant metaphor which enhances the stories with cultural significance and explorations of themes such as societal prejudice and discrimination. In X-Men and the Mutant Metaphor: Race and Gender in the Comic Books, Joseph Darowski provides a thorough analysis of The Uncanny X-Men. In this volume, Darowski provides the historical background of the comic, dividing the long-running series into distinct eras.Each chapter includes a discussion of the creators and general storylines, followed by a thorough look at principal members of the X-Men as well as a close reading of key stories. The final chapter includes a statistical look at the literal use of race and gender in the entire series, rather than the metaphorical or thematic ways such issues have been addressed in stories. For this study, the author interviewed several comic book creators for their insights, and dozens of images from the comic books are used to highlight analyses throughout the book. Of particular significance are statistics the author provides about the race and gender of every hero, villain, and supporting character that has appeared in the comic book series. By delving into the historical background of the series and offering close examinations of characters and stories, X-Men and the Mutant Metaphor illuminates an important aspect of this popular culture phenomenon.

After America's most pompous barhound left the Cheer's gang in Boston, he returned to Seattle and found himself surrounded by an equally colorful cast of friends and family alike. For eleven seasons, radio psychiatrist Frasier Crane contended with his blue-collar ex-cop father Martin, English caretaker Daphne, coworker Roz, and his younger brother Niles. Looking at the world through Frasier's aristocratic, witty lens, the show explored themes of love, loss, friendship, and what it might mean to live a full life. Both fans and critics loved Frasier, and the show's 37 primetime Emmy wins are the most ever for a comedy series. In Frasier: A Cultural History, Joseph J. Darowski and Kate Darowski offer an engaging analysis of the long-running, award-winning show, offering insights into both the onscreen stories as well as the efforts behind the scenes to shape this modern classic. This volume examines the series as a whole, but also focuses on the show's key characters, including Eddie, the canine. Close looks at set design, class issues, and gender roles are also provided, along with opinionated reviews of all 264 episodes, highlighting the peaks and dips in quality across more than a decade of television. Despite the show's focus on an elitist intellectual-and his equally snooty brother-Frasier often embraced farce on a level previously unseen in American sitcoms, a mix of comedic elements that endeared it to viewers around the world. Frasier: A Cultural History will appeal to the show's many fans as well as to scholar of media, television, and popular culture.