Book Cover Image of Super Black: American Pop Culture and Black Superheroes by Adilifu Nama

Super Black: American Pop Culture and Black Superheroes
by Adilifu Nama

    Publication Date: Oct 01, 2011
    List Price: $24.95
    Format: Paperback, 212 pages
    Classification: Nonfiction
    ISBN13: 9780292726741
    Imprint: University of Texas Press
    Publisher: University of Texas Press
    Parent Company: University of Texas at Austin

    Paperback Description:

    Winner, American Book Award, Before Columbus Foundation, 2012 places the appearance of black superheroes alongside broad and sweeping cultural trends in American politics and pop culture, which reveals how black superheroes are not disposable pop products, but rather a fascinating racial phenomenon through which futuristic expressions and fantastic visions of black racial identity and symbolic political meaning are presented. Adilifu Nama sees the value—and finds new avenues for exploring racial identity—in black superheroes who are often dismissed as sidekicks, imitators of established white heroes, or are accused of having no role outside of blaxploitation film contexts.Nama examines seminal black comic book superheroes such as Black Panther, Black Lightning, Storm, Luke Cage, Blade, the Falcon, Nubia, and others, some of whom also appear on the small and large screens, as well as how the imaginary black superhero has come to life in the image of President Barack Obama. Super Black explores how black superheroes are a powerful source of racial meaning, narrative, and imagination in American society that express a myriad of racial assumptions, political perspectives, and fantastic (re)imaginings of black identity. The book also demonstrates how these figures overtly represent or implicitly signify social discourse and accepted wisdom concerning notions of racial reciprocity, equality, forgiveness, and ultimately, racial justice.



    book cover Super Black: American Pop Culture and Black Superheroes by Adilifu NamaBooks similiar to Super Black: American Pop Culture and Black Superheroes may be found in the categories below: