The Woman Fantastic in Contemporary American Media Culture

In chapters devoted to individual television programs, adult and young adult literature, and comics, the authors collected in __The Woman Fantastic in Contemporary American Media Culture__ discuss feminist negotiation of today’s economic and social realities through the image of the fantastic female. Senior scholars and rising academic stars address figures from Wonder Woman and She-Hulk to Talia Al Ghul and Martha Washington; from __Battlestar Gallactica__’s female Starbuck to __Game of Thrones__’ Sansa; and from Carrie Vaughn’s Kitty Norville to Cinda Williams Chima’s __The Seven Realms__. Although The Last Three Decades Have Offered A Growing, Changing Body Of Scholarship On Images Of Fantastic Women In Popular Culture, These Studies Either Tend To Focus On One Particular Variety Of Fantastic Female (the Action Or Sci-fi Heroine), Or On Her Role In A Specific Genre (villain, Hero, Temptress). This Edited Collection Strives To Define The Woman Fantastic More Fully, In A Range Of Media. The Woman Fantastic May Appear In Speculative Or Realist Settings, But Her Presence Is Always Recognizable. Her Gendered Textual And Cultural Construction Seems Entirely Fantastic. Neither Second- Or Third-wave Role Model Nor Positive Image To Counteract Something Perceived As Negative, She Instead Embodies An Artificial Construction Of Womanhood That Does Gender In Ways That Reflect Back To Us What We Mean When We Talk About Gender. The Concept Of The Woman Fantastic Signals This Volume's Focus On Textual Constructions That Foreground Artificiality--through Futuristic Contexts, Fantasy Worlds, Alternate Histories, Or The Display Of Super Powers That Challenge The Laws Of Physics, Chemistry, And/or Biology. In Chapters Devoted To Certain Television Programs, Adult And Young Adult Literature, And Comics, Contributors Discuss Feminist Negotiation Of Today's Economic And Social Realities. Senior Scholars And Rising Academic Stars Offer Compelling Analyses Of Fantastic Women: From Wonder Woman And She-hulk To Talia Al Ghul And Martha Washington; From Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Norville Series To Cinda Williams Chima's The Seven Realms Series; And From Battlestar Gallactica's Female Starbuck To Game Of Thrones' Sansa And Even Elaine Barrish Hammond Of Usa's Political Animals-- Part I. The Making Of Today's Woman Fantastic -- Part Ii. Expanding The Horizons Of The Woman Fantastic -- Part Iii. The Woman Fanstastic In Social And Theoretical Context. Edited By Elyce Rae Helford, Shiloh Carroll, Sarah Gray, And Michael R. Howard Ii. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "Although the last three decades have offered a growing, changing body of scholarship on images of fantastic women in popular culture, these studies either tend to focus on one particular variety of fantastic female (the action or sci-fi heroine), or on her role in a specific genre (villain, hero, temptress). This edited collection strives to define the "Woman Fantastic" more fully, in a range of media. The Woman Fantastic may appear in speculative or realist settings, but her presence is always recognizable. Her gendered textual and cultural construction seems entirely fantastic. Neither second- or third-wave role model nor "positive" image to counteract something perceived as "negative," she instead embodies an artificial construction of womanhood that "does" gender in ways that reflect back to us what we mean when we talk about gender. The concept of the "Woman Fantastic" signals this volume's focus on textual constructions that foreground artificiality--through futuristic contexts, fantasy worlds, alternate histories, or the display of super powers that challenge the laws of physics, chemistry, and/or biology. In chapters devoted to certain television programs, adult and young adult literature, and comics, contributors discuss feminist negotiation of today's economic and social realities. Senior scholars and rising academic stars offer compelling analyses of fantastic women: from Wonder Woman and She-Hulk to Talia Al Ghul and Martha Washington; from Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Norville Series to Cinda Williams Chima's The Seven Realms Series; and from Battlestar Gallactica's female Starbuck to Game of Thrones' Sansa and even Elaine Barrish Hammond of USA's Political Animals"-- Provided by publisher "Although the last three decades have offered a growing, changing body of scholarship on images of fantastic women in popular culture, these studies either tend to focus on one particular variety of fantastic female (the action or sci-fi heroine), or on her role in a specific genre (villain, hero, temptress). This edited collection strives to define the "Woman Fantastic" more fully, in a range of media. The Woman Fantastic may appear in speculative or realist settings, but her presence is always recognizable. Her gendered textual and cultural construction seems entirely fantastic. Neither second- or third-wave role model nor "positive" image to counteract something perceived as "negative," she instead embodies an artificial construction of womanhood that "does" gender in ways that reflect back to us what we mean when we talk about gender. The concept of the "Woman Fantastic" signals this volume's focus on textual constructions that foreground artificiality ... through futuristic contexts, fantasy worlds, alternate histories, or the display of super powers that challenge the laws of physics, chemistry, and/or biology. In chapters devoted to certain television programs, adult and young adult literature, and comics, contributors discuss feminist negotiation of today's economic and social realities. Senior scholars and rising academic stars offer compelling analyses of fantastic women: from Wonder Woman and She-Hulk to Talia Al Ghul and Martha Washington; from Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Norville Series to Cinda Williams Chima's The Seven Realms Series; and from Battlestar Gallactica's female Starbuck to Game of Thrones' Sansa and even Elaine Barrish Hammond of USA's Political Animals" .. Contributions by Marleen S. Barr, Shiloh Carroll, Sarah Gray, Elyce Rae Helford, Michael R. Howard II, Ewan Kirkland, Nicola Mann, Megan McDonough, Alex Naylor, Rhonda Nicol, Joan Ormrod, J. Richard Stevens, Tosha Taylor, Katherine A. Wagner, and Rhonda V. Wilcox

Although the last three decades have offered a growing body of scholarship on images of fantastic women in popular culture, these studies either tend to focus on one particular variety of fantastic female (the action or sci-fi heroine), or on her role in a specific genre (villain, hero, temptress). This edited collection strives to define the "Woman Fantastic" more fully. The Woman Fantastic may appear in speculative or realist settings, but her presence is always recognizable. Through futuristic contexts, fantasy worlds, alternate histories, or the display of superpowers, these insuperable women challenge the laws of physics, chemistry, and/or biology.

In chapters devoted to certain television programs, adult and young adult literature, and comics, contributors discuss feminist negotiation of today's economic and social realities. Senior scholars and rising academic stars offer compelling analyses of fantastic women from Wonder Woman and She-Hulk to Talia Al Ghul and Martha Washington; from Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Norville series to Cinda Williams Chima's The Seven Realms series; and from Battlestar Gallactica's female Starbuck to Game of Thrones's Sansa and even Elaine Barrish Hammond of USA's Political Animals. This volume furnishes an important contribution to ongoing discussions of gender and feminism in popular culture. Contributions by Marleen S. Barr, Shiloh Carroll, Sarah Gray, Elyce Rae Helford, Michael R. Howard II, Ewan Kirkland, Nicola Mann, Megan McDonough, Alex Naylor, Rhonda Nicol, Joan Ormrod, J. Richard Stevens, Tosha Taylor, Katherine A. Wagner, and Rhonda V. Wilcox Although the last three decades have offered a growing body of scholarship on images of fantastic women in popular culture, these studies either tend to focus on one particular variety of fantastic female (the action or sci-fi heroine), or on her role in a specific genre (villain, hero, temptress). This edited collection strives to define the "Woman Fantastic" more fully. The Woman Fantastic may appear in speculative or realist settings, but her presence is always recognizable. Through futuristic contexts, fantasy worlds, alternate histories, or the display of superpowers, these insuperable women challenge the laws of physics, chemistry, and/or biology. In chapters devoted to certain television programs, adult and young adult literature, and comics, contributors discuss feminist negotiation of today's economic and social realities. Senior scholars and rising academic stars offer compelling analyses of fantastic women from Wonder Woman and She-Hulk to Talia Al Ghul and Martha Washington; from Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Norville series to Cinda Williams Chima's The Seven Realms series; and from Battlestar Gallactica's female Starbuck to Game of Thrones's Sansa and even Elaine Barrish Hammond of USA's Political Animals . This volume furnishes an important contribution to ongoing discussions of gender and feminism in popular culture.