Superheroes: Cinema and Comics

Undergraduate | 2026

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Area/Catalogue
MDIA 2020
Course ID icon
Course ID
207667
Level of study
Level of study
Undergraduate
Unit value icon
Unit value
6
Course level icon
Course level
2
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Inbound study abroad and exchange
Inbound study abroad and exchange
The fee you pay will depend on the number and type of courses you study.
Yes
University-wide elective icon
University-wide elective course
Yes
Single course enrollment
Single course enrolment
Yes
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Note:
Course data is interim and subject to change

Course overview

One of the of the most popular forms of media of the early 21st century is inter-connected superhero films inspired by comic books. In this course, students will gain a deeper understanding of superhero films and comics and transmedia universes, as well as their historical influences, and the roles they have played in wider cultural debates about identity, power, ethics and society, using cutting edge digital tools to research these films and build important skills in data collection and analysis.

Course learning outcomes

  • Analyse the cultural history of superhero media from a variety of perspectives.
  • Apply digital humanities methods to engage with creative texts through digital archives and algorithms.
  • Design and conduct a research project that investigates the textual and/or paratextual qualities of a set of cultural texts.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the ways that comics can be used to communicate information by creating a short research comic.

Prerequisite(s)

N/A

Corequisite(s)

N/A

Antirequisite(s)

N/A