[Discussion] Superheroes Conference

[sule tarakcioglu]

=93Holy Men in Tights!"=96 a Superheroes Conference, June 2005

Superheroes and supervillains =96 whether human or god, born or created,=20
product of nature or creature of science =96 they have existed as cultura=
l=20
icons for centuries. Why have they endured? How have they transformed=20
over the decades? What is their cultural or mythic function? Where does=20
the hero end and the superhero begin?

We call for papers or panel sessions that address the varying roles,=20
identities, and social functions that these enduring beings serve.=20
Superheroes and Supervillains may be interpreted through the lens of:=20
historical approaches; censorship codes; industry and franchise=20
differentiation (e.g. DC vs. Marvel Comics); mythology; national and=20
cultural specificity; gender identity and power shifts; diverse media=20
formats (cinema, comics, computer games, television) and their=20
distinctive versions of superheroes; the female superhero (Wonderwoman,=20
Catwoman, Jean Grey, Sable, Martha Washington, Sailer Moon, Buffy,=20
Xena); serial form and the cliff hanger; the current resurgence in the=20
cult of superpowers in recent cinema; the supervillain; the=20
super-collective; auteurs (e.g. Frank Miller, Alan Moore, Tezuka Osamu,=20
Massimiliano Frezzato); superhero universes (e.g. Matrix, Star Wars);=20
fan culture.

Superhero examples can include (but are not limited to): the comic book=20
superheroes from classics like Batman, Superman, Spiderman, Catwoman,=20
Captain American, and X-Men, to revisionist and anti-(super)hero types=20
found in the Invisibles, Dark Knight Returns, Watchmen, Preacher,=20
Sandman, Punisher, Wolverine; superheroes in television (e.g. Buffy,=20
Angel, Alias, Dark Angel, Xena); manga and anime (Astroboy, Prince=20
Planet, Vampire D, the Zoids, Ikari Shinji, Akira); computer game types:=20
Lara Croft, Final Fantasy heroes; ancient heroes (e.g. Odysseus,=20
Hercules, Odin, Thor) and samurai warriors and mythology.

The deadline for paper proposals and panel sessions is *April 15th=20
2004*. The conference will be held in June 2005 and hosted by the Cinema=20
Studies Program, University of Melbourne, Australia.

Send proposals to Angela Ndalianis via email.

Assoc. Prof. Angela Ndalianis
Head of Cinema Studies
School of Art History, Cinema, Classics & Archaeology
Elisabeth Murdoch Building
University of Melbourne
Victoria 3010. Australia

Email: angelan@unimelb.edu.au <mailto:angelan@unimelb.edu.au>
Visit the website at=20
http://www.refractory.unimelb.edu.au/home/superheroes/superheroes.htm