An Alternate Approach to Adaptation: Superheroes, Branding and Media Franchise Culture

An Alternate Approach to Adaptation: Superheroes, Branding and Media Franchise Culture by Katerina Marazi A dissertation submitted to the Department of Translation and Intercultural Studies, School of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Philosophy – Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece In fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2017 An Alternate Approach to Adaptation: Superheroes, Branding and Media Franchise Culture by Katerina Marazi has been approved June 2018 Supervising Committee: Approved: Michalis Kokonis (Professor, School of English) …………………… Tatiani Rapatzikou (Associate Professor, School of English) …………………… Eleftheria Thanouli (Assistant Professor, School of Film) …………………… Department Chairperson: Approved: Fotini Apostolou …………………. In dedication to my family and all who encouraged and believed in me We all wish we had superpowers. We all wish we could do more than we can do. -Stan Lee ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the members of the committee for their insightful and challenging questions. Their words of praise have given me confidence and their unique perspectives have provided constructive feedback towards my further development and improvement as a researcher. I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the members of my supervising committee. Dr. Kokonis has shown patience, persistence and support in this long endeavor. His comments, corrections, and direction have helped shape this dissertation. He has given me the motivation to seek out conference opportunities, publication opportunities and has been unfailing in his efforts to help me develop my research background further. Dr. Rapatzikou has been a constant and stable force of support. She has encouraged me to pursue conference, seminar and employment opportunities. She has always been available for long, extensive discussions concerning my research and academic development. Her corrections and comments have helped navigate me in this long, arduous journey. Dr. Thanouli’s attention to detail and advice have enabled me to see and draw significant connections in my research. Her guidance and rigorous line of questions have shown me the complexity, demands and significance of clear and coherent positioning and argumentation in the field of research as well as that of academia. Overall, the unique contributions of my supervisors have molded and motivated me as a researcher. Their suggestions have enriched my research experience and have equipped me with skills, knowledge and the desire to pursue more and achieve more. Without their help, assistance and guidance this dissertation would not be what it is and for that I humbly extend my gratitude and appreciation. Table of Contents Abstract i Introduction 1 Chapter One: Delineating the Field, Presenting the Problem and Elevating the Context 25 1.1 Adaptation Prejudices and Debates: Identifying the Problem 26 1.2 Approaching and Defining Adaptations from a Cultural Perspective 40 1.3 Conglomerate Hollywood, Media Franchises and Branded Entertainment 52 Chapter Two: Brand Identity, Superheroes and Cultural Adaptation 73 2.1 Identity and Branding: Adaptation as a Cultural Process of Brand Identity Articulation 74 2.2 Re-evaluating the Original: Brand Characters, the Role of Identity and the Superhero- 94 Adaptation Analogy 2.3 Extended Brand Identity and the Blending of Marketing and Narrative: Establishing the 113 Content/Form/Context Triptych 2.4 Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) Phase One: An Extended Identity Brand 128 Chapter Three: Fidelity or Value? Power Play in the Brand Context 148 3.1 Brand Management and Fandom: the Value of Power Play in the Brand Context 149 3.2 The Brand System of The Avengers: Leveraging and Creating the Megabrand 170 3.3 Adaptation or Trans-media? Media Franchises and the Cultural Value of Power Play and 179 Renegotiating Identities Concluding Remarks 206 Works Cited 215 Short Bio 234 Marazi i Abstract This dissertation argues that adaptation is a cultural practice involving the conscious negotiation and change of identities taking place along the vertical axis of hierarchies. The vertical axis constitutes the context of adaptation. The conscious negotiation results in a variety of texts and products along the horizontal axis of narrative media. The dynamics of both axes reveal the intentions and purposes of those who adapt texts or products. Furthermore, the two axes demonstrate the power play between those who adapt and those who receive the adapted product or text. It is the power play, however, along the vertical axis that influences and governs the process and product of adaptation. The point of intersection confirms adaptation products as synchronic identities. The dynamic relationship of the vertical and horizontal axes on the other hand confirms the diachronic nature of adaptation as practice. Adaptation is first and foremost a cultural practice of identity negotiation. To support this argument, the current dissertation adopts a cultural studies approach to adaptation as both process and product. As a cultural practice adaptation can produce literary texts but it should not be understood as producing only literary texts. To that end, this dissertation more specifically combines elements from John Bryant’s fluid-text approach so as to argue that all texts, both source material and adaptations, exhibit an identity. The practice of adaptation is concerned with negotiating how that identity will manifest concretely. Contrary to expectations, this project does not provide a textual analysis of its case studies. Rather a contextual examination is conducted by employing the tool of brand identity. The chosen case study this dissertation provides a contextual reading of is the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) Phase One franchise. While adaptation theory examines the end-product or text, brand identity is dependent on the product-context relationship and the development of an Marazi ii identity. By adopting brand identity for the examination of adaptations, one is immediately confronted with what the entertainment industry is adapting, namely identities of Intellectual Properties (IPs) that are treated and promoted as brands. Brand identity demonstrates the workings of culture via its structure, aims and intentions. The structure of brand identity provides an alternate way of approaching, analyzing, and comparing adaptations because it takes the context of production/reception into consideration. As a result, it reveals the power play in the dialogue between producers and audiences concerning the adapted identity. In contrast to adaptation studies which so far focus on the literary and textual aspects of adaptations as products, this project focuses on the cultural significance of the context and adaptation as a process. The overarching question this dissertation seeks to answer is what adaptation is and what is its cultural significance? The answer, as this project demonstrates, is not found solely in the adaptation products. It is located in the dynamic relationship of products, process and context. In other words, cultural significance lays in the interrelationships between producers, texts and consumers that negotiate and contribute to the perpetuation of cultural textual-identities. Marazi 1 Introduction The field of Adaptation Studies emerged out of the novel-to-film comparisons originally developing a path of its own ever since. In essence a complex, controversial and interdisciplinary field, for a long time it has been the focus of literary and film scholars. These disciplines have provided significant textual comparisons and analysis of adaptations by focusing on the horizontal axis of texts and narrative media. The main problem, however, is that the cultural context that produces adaptations has been overlooked. Focus along the vertical axis of context, process and value are lacking. The acknowledgment of the cultural context is vital because it confirms that adaptation is both a product and a process. Literary Studies, and Film Studies are capable of providing interdisciplinary examinations of adaptations resulting in richer accounts and interpretations. Instead, they provide discipline-specific textual comparisons with a persistent focus on what and how a work is adapted. The sole focus on the adaptation text creates a domino effect resulting in debates and dilemmas revolving around matters of fidelity and medium-specificity discourses. This is due to the fact that individual disciplines view adaptations only as literary texts instead of a cultural process resulting in products. Other questions remain for the most part neglected. For instance, who is the adaptor, why does an adaptation occur, under what conditions are a work adapted and for what purposes? The most frequent re- occurring question in adaptation, “Which is better, the book or the film?” ironically, is not literary but cultural. Adaptation Studies exhibits a limited scope when embarking solely on textual comparisons of the aforementioned kind. In order to answer questions such as is adaptation necessary, why adapt some works instead of others, what is the significance of adapting certain works over and over again, one needs to take the context of production and reception into Marazi 2 consideration. For instance, textual comparisons adopting a gender studies approach could reveal the different treatment and representation of gender between novel and film. Approaches such as this are more frequent and they do move away

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