
"The book is a smoothly written, highly accessible and, above all, richly informative text that addresses a crucial gap in scholarly knowledge and offers some unexpected food for thought." --Studies in Costume and Performance
"This is a very interesting book ... It provides a chain of interesting ideas that invite reflection on the relationship between the fact and fiction of superhero costumes, and give some useful hints of what to consider when designing costumes for superhero characters." --The Comics Grid "A rigorous and wide-ranging exploration of this important topic." --Mike Carey, comic book writer "Smart and accessible, Brownie and Graydon's exploration of the superhero costume is a welcome addition to the fields of media, sociology, cultural studies and politics. Meticulous analysis of well-selected case studies is situated within a lively discussion of contemporary identity politics, reminding readers of popular culture's important role in organizing our understanding of the world, and our place within it." --Helen Warner, University of East Anglia, UK "Accessible and academic - this research explores the familiar images of superhero appearances, diving into layers of meaning in the logos, tights, and vivid colors. What is revealed is the powerful relationship between the costume, the wearer, and the popular image." --Monica Sklar, University of Minnesota, USA