Batman Unmasked: Analyzing a Cultural Icon

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Bloomsbury Publishing USA, Sep 20, 2013 - Social Science - 368 pages
Over the sixty years of his existence, Batman has encountered an impressive array of cultural icons and has gradually become one himself. This acclaimed book examines what Batman means and has meant to the various audiences, groups and communities who have tried to control and interpret him over the decades. Brooker reveals the struggles over Batman's meaning by shining a light on the cultural issues of the day that impacted on the development of the character. They include: patriotic propaganda of the Second World War; the accusation that Batman was corrupting the youth of America by appearing to promote a homosexual lifestyle to the fans of his comics; Batman becoming a camp, pop culture icon through the ABC TV series of the sixties; fans' interpretation of Batman in response to the comics and the Warner Bros. franchise of films.
 

Contents

1978
1
19391945 Origins and Wartime
33
1954 Censorship and Queer Readings
101
19611969 Pop and Camp
171
19861997 Fandom and Authorship
249
1999
308
Bibliography
334
Index
353
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About the author (2013)

Will Brooker Professor of Film and Television at Kingston University, UK. He is the author of several books, including studies of Batman, Star Wars, Blade Runner, and Lewis Carroll.

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