
Batman's Villains and Villainesses
Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Arkham's Souls
Lexington Books (Publisher)
Published on 12. September 2023
Book
Hardback
352 pages
978-1-6669-3083-2 (ISBN)
Description
While much of the scholarship on superhero narratives has focused on the heroes themselves, Batman's Villains and Villainesses: Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Arkham's Souls takes into view the depiction of the villains and their lives, arguing that they often function as proxies for larger societal and philosophical themes. Approaching Gotham's villains from a number of disciplinary backgrounds, the essays in this collection highlight how the villains' multifaceted backgrounds, experiences, motivations, and behaviors allow for in-depth character analysis across varying levels of social life. Through investigating their cultural and scholarly relevance across the humanities and social sciences, the volume encourages both thoughtful reflection on the relationship between individuals and their social contexts and the use of villains (inside and outside of Gotham) as subjects of pedagogical and scholarly inquiry.
Reviews / Votes
This collection is educational and entertaining ... a fascinating amalgamation of theoretical analyses that deal with power, alienation, and trauma by outlining a series of unique perspectives on the superhero genre ... Any scholar studying or teaching literary theory would benefit from reading this book, as its combination of close reading and psychoanalytical methodologies advances the value of literary studies while being accessible to a general audience striving to claim an iota of expertise in the gothic-themed city of the DC universe. * Popular Culture Review * For serious readers of Batman comics and graphic novels, this book offers something for everyone. Many of the villains in Batman's world are described and dissected, including corrupt politicians and police. -- Robin S. Rosenberg, University of California, San Francisco Batman's Villains and Villainesses is a fascinating collection of essays that explores the Caped Crusader's rogues gallery from a number of scholarly perspectives, challenging you to think about these familiar characters in new ways-definitely not a book for the cowardly or superstitious. -- Mark D. White, author of <i> Batman and Ethics </i>More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
722 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-6669-3083-2 (9781666930832)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Batman's Villains and Villainesses
Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Arkham's Souls
E-Book
09/2023
1st Edition
Lexington Books
€108.99
Available for download

Batman's Villains and Villainesses
Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Arkham's Souls
E-Book
09/2023
1st Edition
Lexington Books
€108.99
Available for download
Persons
Marco Favaro, is program manager at the University of Europe for Applied Sciences in Berlin.
Justin F. Martin, is associate professor of psychology at Whitworth University.
Justin F. Martin, is associate professor of psychology at Whitworth University.
Content
Introduction. Not Exactly a Cowardly Lot: Gotham's Villains
Marco Favaro and Justin F. Martin
Chapter 1. Death, Monk, and Strange: The Predecessors to the Supervillain in Detective Comics
John Darowski
Part I. Arkham City: The Asylum, the City and the Ones Who Rule Them
Chapter 2. "This Place Isn't a Prison": Institutions, Choice, and the Case of Arkham Asylum
Tony Spanakos and Damien K. Picariello
Chapter 3. "You Can't Fight City Hall!": The Villains Hidden in Gotham's Government
Ian J. Drake and Matthew B. Lloyd
Chapter 4. The Owls Nesting in the Bat's City: Secrecy, Gotham's Social Structures, and the Court of Owls
James C. Taylor
Part II. Confronting Batman: Outsiders, Doppelgaengers and Parodies
Chapter 5. The Mutants, the Sons of Batman, and the Long Shadow of the Bat
Damien K. Picariello
Chapter 6. Bane: the Man Who "Doppelgaengered" the Bat
Jesus Jimenez-Varea
Chapter 7. Outcasts and Oppressors: Killer Moth and Killer Croc
Jason D. DeHart
Part III Creating a Villainous Identity: Form
Marco Favaro and Justin F. Martin
Chapter 1. Death, Monk, and Strange: The Predecessors to the Supervillain in Detective Comics
John Darowski
Part I. Arkham City: The Asylum, the City and the Ones Who Rule Them
Chapter 2. "This Place Isn't a Prison": Institutions, Choice, and the Case of Arkham Asylum
Tony Spanakos and Damien K. Picariello
Chapter 3. "You Can't Fight City Hall!": The Villains Hidden in Gotham's Government
Ian J. Drake and Matthew B. Lloyd
Chapter 4. The Owls Nesting in the Bat's City: Secrecy, Gotham's Social Structures, and the Court of Owls
James C. Taylor
Part II. Confronting Batman: Outsiders, Doppelgaengers and Parodies
Chapter 5. The Mutants, the Sons of Batman, and the Long Shadow of the Bat
Damien K. Picariello
Chapter 6. Bane: the Man Who "Doppelgaengered" the Bat
Jesus Jimenez-Varea
Chapter 7. Outcasts and Oppressors: Killer Moth and Killer Croc
Jason D. DeHart
Part III Creating a Villainous Identity: Form