American Superheroes and Immigration

In this course we will explore how American comic book artists represent diasporic identities through superhero narratives. We will focus on Superman and the character's Kryptonian heritage while also juxtaposing imaginary diasporas—such as Wonder Woman’s Amazon heritage and Black Panther’s Wakanda—with real ones from South and East Asia, and the Caribbean, linked to characters such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Shang-Chi, Ms. Marvel, and La Borinqueña. Key topics will include how changes in American culture have broadened the corporate definition of American immigrant identities and why this issue is controversial in modern political discourse. The final project will involve each student creating their own diasporic superhero.