The superhero costume
Subtitle: identity and disguise in fact and fiction
By: by Barbara Brownie and Danny Graydon
Contributors: Graydon, Danny
Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
Published: 2015
Place of publication: London; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 192
ISBN-13: 9781472595911; 9781472595904
Subjects: ART / Popular Culture; DESIGN / Fashion; Social aspects; Popular culture; Clothing and dress; Symbolic aspects; Identity (Psychology); Superheroes; PERFORMING ARTS / Film & Video / History & Criticism
Description: "Costume defines the superhero, disguising and distinguishing them from his or her civilian alter-ego. Instantly recognizable, the often garish garb includes insignias which are frequently appropriated and distorted throughout the world in a variety of media. This book provides the first interdisciplinary analysis of the superhero costume and investigates wide-ranging issues such as identity, otherness, ritual dress and disguise. Analysis focuses on the implications of wearing superhero costume, exploring interpretations of the costumed hero and the extent to which the costume defines his or her role. Using examples across various media (comic books, film, and television) with case studies including The X-Men, Watchmen, real-life superheroes such as Phoenix Jones and Pussy Riot and audience activities such as cosplay, The Superhero Costume presents new perspectives on the increasingly popular genre. A lively and thorough account of superhero fashions throughout history, The Superhero Costume will be essential reading for undergraduate students of fashion, visual culture, popular culture and cultural studies"--
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Machine generated contents note:; title: IntroductionSection 1: Origins and Evolution; title: 1. Superman, The Brand, and the Circus Strongman; title: 2. Wearing the Flag: Patriotism and Globalisation; title: 3. Evolution and Adaptation: Form v. FunctionSection 2: Masquerade and Identity; title: 1. Identity, Role and the Mask; title: 2. Channelling the Beast; title: 3. Dressing Up, Dressing Down: A Spectacle of Otherness, and the Ordinariness of the Civilian Alter-egoSection 3: Harsh Realities; title: 1. Superhero Costumes and The Fashion of Being Unfashionable; title: 2. Cosplay; title: 3. Real-Life SuperheroesSection 4: Case Studies; title: 1. Watchmen; title: 2. Iron Man; title: 3. The X-MenNotes; title: Bibliography; title: Index.