Titans (2017) by Armond Boudreaux and Corey Latta

When

I read this last summer, and learned of one of the authors months prior due to reading a chapter he wrote on Black Panther.

Why

As multiple publications aim to tie a constructivist analysis of superhero media to civics or civil discourse [From Wakanda to America (2018), Black Panther (2021), Comics and Citizenship (2023)], I am interested in scholarly analysis of superheroes along civic dimensions. This book, focusing specifically on political polarization, explores this relationship in a thoughtful and relatable manner.

How

The Boudreaux and Latta’s complication of various superhero narratives and the perspectives underlying them have proved helpful in thinking about scholarly endeavors. Two examples include in-progress projects exploring Luke Cage and the X-Men.