Grant Morrison and the Superhero Renaissance: Critical Essays

Superheroes are enjoying a cultural resurgence, dominating the box office and breaking out of specialty comics stores onto the shelves of mainstream retailers. A leading figure behind the superhero Renaissance is Grant Morrison, long-time architect of the DC Comics’ universe and author of many of the most successful comic books in recent years. Renowned for his anarchic original creations--Zenith, The Invisibles, The Filth, We3--as well as for his acclaimed serialized comics--JLA, Superman, Batman, New X-Men--Grant Morrison has radically redefined the superhero archetype.

Known for his eccentric lifestyle and as a practitioner of ＂pop magic,＂ Morrison sees the superhero as not merely fantasy but a medium for imagining a better humanity. Drawing on a variety of analytical approaches, this first-ever collection of critical essays on his work explores his rejuvenation of the figure of the superhero as a means to address the challenges of modern life.

Darragh Greene lectures in Middle English literature at University College Dublin. He has published various essays on medieval English literature, including Chaucer, as well as later authors, such as Shakespeare. Kate Roddy is an occasional lecturer and seminar leader at Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin. She has published on sixteenth-century literature and gender and sexuality in comic book fandom.