Captain America and the Nationalist Superhero: Metaphors, Narratives, and Geopolitics

by Jason Dittmer

Nationalist superheroes—such as Captain America, Captain Canuck, and Union Jack—often signify the “nation-state” for readers, but how do these characters and comic books address issues of multiculturalism and geopolitical order? In his engaging book Captain America and the Nationalist Superhero, geographer Jason Dittmer traces the evolution of the comic book genre as it adapted to new national audiences. He argues that these iconic superheroes contribute to our contemporary understandings of national identity, the righteous use of power, and the role of the United States, Canada, and Britain in the world.

Tracing the nationalist superhero genre from its World War II origins to contemporary manifestations throughout the world, Captain America and the Nationalist Superhero analyzes nearly one thousand comic books and audience responses to those books. Dittmer also interviews key comic book writers from Stan Lee and J. M. DeMatteis to Steve Englehart and Paul Cornell.

At a time when popular culture is saturated with superheroes and their exploits, Captain America and the Nationalist Superhero highlights the unique relationship between popular culture and international relations.

Genres: Nonfiction, Comics

242 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely fascinating discussion of arguably the world's most famous nationalist superhero and his counterparts. I read this for research purposes to write an essay, but found myself thoroughly engrossed by the subject, reading more for pleasure than work! I want to revisit so many chapters of this just to take it all in! A brilliant read for anyone who loves comics to be honest - understanding the history, ideas and the issues that under-pin your favourite superhero will only make you love them more, I promise!

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most critical texts can be dull and boring--This one was not. It was both very informative while also being entertaining to read. I'm very glad I found this books as it covers a lot of ground, but stays true to the central thesis of the book. I wish more academic texts were like this one.

[Joshua · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really interesting look at how nationalist superheroes like Captain America not only change over time, but how they navigate the changing geopolitical world. Dittmer uses superheroes from the United States, Canada and Great Britain and looks at how they interact with the legacies and vision of their respective countries. The only thing I think that would have made it more enjoyable was if it had been organized into three distinct sections for each country, rather than mixing them together in each chapter. I felt that mixing them together lead to a lot of space used to recap the origins and personalities of the various superheroes in each chapter.