Superhero discourse in Americanization

It is the time to save the world “together”.

Jaehyun Ahn + Seohee Kong

AMC2031-01 10/12/2014

Dear. Superheroes

• The success of Superhero movie is an influentialcultural phenomenon worldwide.

• The dominant discourse is looking at thephenomenon of globalization as Americanization,a cultural homogenization.

• We argue that this situation will gradually changetoward globalization including Americanization, acultural heterogenization.

2

THESIS

What is symbolized by Superheroes?

3

Superhero Movie, influential cultural phenomenon worldwide

Illustration of superman, a tribute to real 9/11

heroes

By Marvel Comics

1. http://www.comicvine.com/forums/gen-discussion-1/what-would-superman-have-done-during-9-11-1501241/

2. http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/06/04/33philly_ep.h33.html

Funeral of 7-year-old boy in Philadelphia

Superheroes spread worldwide…

4

Vote for Spiderman: Indian politician scales

buildings as superhero in bid for voters

1. http://www.vancouverdesi.com/news/vote-for-spiderman-indian-man-scales-buildings-as-superhero-in-bid-for-voters-w-video-

photos/739713/

2. http://blog.daum.net/landjstyle/3

Wall paining at a Korean pub

Superhero Movie, influential cultural phenomenon worldwide

5

Super pope Graffiti Appears @Vatican

1. http://washington.cbslocal.com/2014/01/29/vatican-tweets-graffiti-of-super-pope/

Superhero Movie, influential cultural phenomenon worldwide

Man of Steel (2013)

6

Superhero Movie Americanization = Globalization

1. Dress in “Stars and Stripes”

7

2. Movie scenes

Superhero Movie Americanization = Globalization

8

3. Story

Superhero Movie Americanization = Globalization

Analogy!

9

4. Fetishism of Consumer

Superhero Movie Americanization = Globalization

Applying Appadurai’s Five Scapes,

10

Mediascape

Financescape

TechnoscapeEthnoscape

Ideoscape

Superhero movieMoving toward Globalization including Americanization

11

Superhero movieMoving toward Globalization including Americanization

Explicit scenes of Americanization

Heterogenization of Superheroes

12

KRRISH: Indian Batman RA-One: Indian Ironman

Application of Appadurai’s ‘Active Agency’1. http://www.cla.purdue.edu/English/theory/postmodernism/modules/baudrillardsimulation.html

Superhero movieMoving toward Globalization including Americanization

Emergence of new superheroes

13

Transformer4 (2014) Hancock(2012) X-men(2014)

Superhero movieMoving toward Globalization including Americanization

14

Superhero movieMoving toward Globalization including Americanization

Terminator2 (1991) Terminator5 (2015)

Changing of the main character

15

CONCLUSION

We anticipate that one day, we can confrontsuperheroes, not fixed to Americanstereotypes but that is comopolitan, achievingcultural heterogenization form of globalization.