What do you think?
Rate this book
Superheroines and the Epic Journey: Mythic Themes in Comics, Film and Television
The heroine's journey echoes throughout ancient legend. Each young woman combats her dark side and emerges stronger. This quest is also a staple of American comic books. Wonder Woman with semi-divine powers gives us a new female-centered creation story. Batgirl, Batwoman and Black Widow discover their enemy is the dark mother or shadow twin, with the savagery they've rejected in themselves. Supergirl similarly struggles but keeps harmony with her sister. From Jessica Jones and Catwoman to the new superwomen of cutting-edge webcomics, each heroine must go into the dark, to become not a warrior but a savior. Women like Captain Marvel and Storm sacrifice all to join the ranks of superheroes, while their feminine powers and dazzling costumes reflect the most ancient tales.
- GenresComicsSuperheroes
296 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2017
3 people are currently reading
341 people want to read
About the author
Valerie Estelle Frankel
113 books245 followersValerie Estelle Frankel is the author of 88 books on pop culture, including Doctor Who - The What, Where, and How; The Villain's Journey, History, Pop Culture, and Hidden Meanings in Hamilton; and How Game of Thrones Will End. Many of her books focus on women’s roles in fiction, from her heroine’s journey guides From Girl to Goddess and Superheroines and the Epic Journey to books like Star Wars Meets the Eras of Feminism and Fourth Wave Feminism in Science Fiction and Fantasy. She's editing a series on Jewish Science Fiction for Rowman & Littlefield. Once a lecturer at San Jose State University, she now teaches at Mission College and is a frequent speaker at conferences. Come explore her research at www.vefrankel.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 6, 2025
Long ago in the 1940s,1950s and part of the 1960s superheroines existed but they were mostly presented as weaker than their male counterprts, damsels in distress and were prone to be man hungry and longing to find the man of their dreams and marry. Some exceptions existed, but they were few and far between.
In the mid to late 1960s things began to change. Women superheroines became more outspoken, independent and every bit as capable as their male counterparts.
That trend continues today in comic book to even larger degree.
Modern superheroines have evolved to the point where they often dip into the dark side of their persona.
Wonder Woman, Black Widow, The Scarlet Witch, Catwoman, Black Canary, Storm, Phoenix and dozens of other powerful female superheriones often skirt the edge between good and evil.
They’ve discovered that often in order to fight evil it is necessary to fight dirty and sometimes use questionable means by which to end a conflict.
In author Valerie Estelle Frankel’s and McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers’ new oversize softbound book: Superheroines And The Epic Journey, the dark side of superheroines is explored along with mystic themes in comics, film and television
Female superheroines often take on the role of warriors in order to become saviors.
All aspects of superheroines are explored from powers, epic battles and epiphanies, role model status.
Superheroines exemplify the expanding role of women in today’s society, taking on various roles and tasks and proving that women are force to be reckoned with.
Acts 17:12
Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
In the mid to late 1960s things began to change. Women superheroines became more outspoken, independent and every bit as capable as their male counterparts.
That trend continues today in comic book to even larger degree.
Modern superheroines have evolved to the point where they often dip into the dark side of their persona.
Wonder Woman, Black Widow, The Scarlet Witch, Catwoman, Black Canary, Storm, Phoenix and dozens of other powerful female superheriones often skirt the edge between good and evil.
They’ve discovered that often in order to fight evil it is necessary to fight dirty and sometimes use questionable means by which to end a conflict.
In author Valerie Estelle Frankel’s and McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers’ new oversize softbound book: Superheroines And The Epic Journey, the dark side of superheroines is explored along with mystic themes in comics, film and television
Female superheroines often take on the role of warriors in order to become saviors.
All aspects of superheroines are explored from powers, epic battles and epiphanies, role model status.
Superheroines exemplify the expanding role of women in today’s society, taking on various roles and tasks and proving that women are force to be reckoned with.
Acts 17:12
Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
June 22, 2017
There's some solid theories in here. There's some really good close reading of a wide variety of works and a good overview of the superheroine mythos mapped on to her reckoning of the Campbell monomyth.
However, the biggest flaw with the book is that there are numerous factual errors in its comic research. Misspelled names (Mockingjay for Mockingbird), incorrect dates (claiming Donna Troy premiered in the 1980s rather than 1970s) and straight up factual errors (referring to Natalia Kassle as "Danger Girl" in the comic Danger Girl: Mayday... the title refers to a team and not a person and Natalia isn't even on the team by that point).
While errors like this may seem minor, when they are as numerous and constant as they are in this text, it makes me as a reader doubt the validity of other things she says. This is a problem that could have been solved with some careful editing and fact checking at the very least if not some additional research.
Still, it is a good intro to the intersection of comics and gender studies and would easily be three stars if not for its errors. Certainly it should inspire the reader to check out many of her references for further study.
However, the biggest flaw with the book is that there are numerous factual errors in its comic research. Misspelled names (Mockingjay for Mockingbird), incorrect dates (claiming Donna Troy premiered in the 1980s rather than 1970s) and straight up factual errors (referring to Natalia Kassle as "Danger Girl" in the comic Danger Girl: Mayday... the title refers to a team and not a person and Natalia isn't even on the team by that point).
While errors like this may seem minor, when they are as numerous and constant as they are in this text, it makes me as a reader doubt the validity of other things she says. This is a problem that could have been solved with some careful editing and fact checking at the very least if not some additional research.
Still, it is a good intro to the intersection of comics and gender studies and would easily be three stars if not for its errors. Certainly it should inspire the reader to check out many of her references for further study.
January 8, 2018
I thought this was very well done, and it tickled all the corners of my little geek heart. Frankel approaches pop culture from a scholar's viewpoint and manages to draw meaning out of what is all to often regarded as a disposable form. If you like comic books or superheroes in other formats, check this out.
September 19, 2018
There are some ideas you will agree with and some you will not in here. Good presentation lost a star for a few factual errors, in a presentation like this you need to be perfect to get the 'A' grade
April 9, 2017
It goes through all kinds of superheroines -- comic books, novels, short stories, famous, marginalized. It covers the heroine's journey (something Frankel writes about a lot), this time looking at superpowers, costumes, secret identities, and how the superheroine reaches apotheosis. Excellent.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews