A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of PhD at the University of Warwick Permanent WRAP URL: http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/93641 Copyright and reuse: This thesis is made available online and is protected by original copyright. Please scroll down to view the document itself. Please refer to the repository record for this item for information to help you to cite it. Our policy information is available from the repository home page. For more information, please contact the WRAP Team at: [email protected] warwick.ac.uk/lib-publications Hollywood Superheroes The Aesthetics of Comic Book to Film Adaptation By James C. Taylor A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Film and Television Studies University of Warwick, Department of Film and Television Studies November 2016 1 Contents Illustrations .............................................................................................................................................. 4 Declaration ............................................................................................................................................. 11 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................ 12 Abstract .................................................................................................................................................. 13 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 14 Review of Literature ............................................................................................................................... 25 Critical Approaches to Comics and Superheroes ............................................................................... 25 Formalist Approaches .................................................................................................................... 25 Auteurism ....................................................................................................................................... 40 Genre Critique ................................................................................................................................ 43 Ideological Critique ........................................................................................................................ 53 Adaptation ......................................................................................................................................... 60 Binaries and Hierarchies ................................................................................................................ 60 Comics Form and Film Form .......................................................................................................... 66 Intermedial and Intertextual Dialogue ........................................................................................... 76 Chapter One – Truth, Justice and the Cinematic Way: The First Superhero Blockbuster ..................... 90 Superman’s Early Intertexts ............................................................................................................... 91 Establishing Superman with Images, Words and Sounds .............................................................. 95 The Clark Kent/Superman Spectrum............................................................................................ 103 Analysis of Superman: The Movie .................................................................................................... 122 Clark/Superman/Reeve ................................................................................................................ 122 Remediating Comics Form ........................................................................................................... 128 Head-on Propulsion ..................................................................................................................... 137 The New Hollywood Adventures of Superman ............................................................................ 151 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 163 Chapter Two – Digital Power and Moral Responsibility: The Marvel Superhero in the Twenty-First Century ................................................................................................................................................. 167 A New Breed of Superhero?............................................................................................................. 169 The Digitally Rendered Superhero ................................................................................................... 181 Issues of Realism .......................................................................................................................... 181 Digital and Profilmic Bodies ......................................................................................................... 195 The Politics of Space......................................................................................................................... 204 External Space and Community ................................................................................................... 204 Nostalgic Construction of Internal Space ..................................................................................... 217 Serial Negotiations of the Peter/Spider-Man Spectrum .................................................................. 237 2 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 248 Chapter Three – Earth’s Mightiest Superhero Blockbuster: Networked Seriality and the Team Narrative .............................................................................................................................................. 254 Team Narratives in Superhero Comic Books.................................................................................... 257 Adapting to a Cinematic Universe .................................................................................................... 268 Mapping the Team ........................................................................................................................... 286 Characterised Spaces ................................................................................................................... 287 A Hierarchy of Super-Bodies ........................................................................................................ 299 Assembling the Avengers’ Politics.................................................................................................... 317 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 336 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................ 341 Champions of New Hollywood ......................................................................................................... 343 The Immortal Hollywood Superhero ............................................................................................... 349 Bibliography ......................................................................................................................................... 363 Comics and Novels Cited ...................................................................................................................... 374 Filmography ......................................................................................................................................... 382 3 Illustrations Figure 1 Mystique transforms between panels in The Uncanny X-Men #142....................................... 27 Figure 2 Overlapping figures and motion lines indicate superhuman speed in Wonder Woman #38 . 28 Figure 3 A line style consisting of bold curves and clearly defined forms in Daredevil #10 .................. 29 Figure 4 A line style consisting of sharp, angular strokes and scratchy shading in Daredevil Volume 2 #35.......................................................................................................................................................... 29 Figure 5 Superman's bright red cape and chest emblem provide a stark contrast to the gloomy palette of The Dark Knight Returns ........................................................................................................ 30 Figure 6 Aspect-to-aspect transitions heighten a sense of urgency in Hawkeye Volume 4 #2 ............. 33 Figure 7 Diagram from Understanding Comics illustrating the range of artistic styles available to comics .................................................................................................................................................... 36 Figure 8 Spatial symmetries and dynamic lines in The Amazing Spider-Man #23 ................................. 40 Figure 9 Words and images perform a range of spatiotemporal functions on the opening page of 'The Fate of an Archer' in Flash #219 ............................................................................................................. 79 Figure 10 The Mouse's tail/tale in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland