It\u27s a Bird! It\u27s a Plane! It\u27s...Cultural Anxiety? Using Detective Comics\u27 Three Biggest Heroes to Identify and Explore Cultural Anxieties as Depicted Through Television

This collection of essays uses the mythic nature of superheroes to examine and discuss specific cultural anxieties as they’re navigated and alleviated in superhero television texts. First, I examine the way that anxiety over feminism and the women’s rights movement manifested itself in Wonder Woman, the 70s television series starring Lynda Carter. Next, I use Smallville and its depictions of a teenaged Superman to explore its handling of anxieties over the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Finally, I performed a content analysis of six different series of Batman cartoons to examine the way they respond to national concerns over gun violence. I found that though Wonder Woman speaks to concerns about the women’s movement in the 70s, it tells us that feminism is something that can be contained by celebrating feminine strength in a way that hyper-feminizes women and depicting that the struggle for women’s rights has been completed. Smallville navigates American anxiety following 9/11, but it does so in a way that avoids grappling with real-life issues. It allows us to instead engage with myths about America’s resilient strength, cultural superiority, and patriarchal subjugation of women. Batman cartoons too handle concerns over gun violence in a superficial way, as the physical depictions of guns become less and less realistic as the series progress

The Grizzly, April 23, 2015

Mayday Concert Returning • Not on My Campus Campaign Launches • Student Art Show to Open on CoSA Day • Elections Results • Holocaust Survivor to Share Her Story to Campus • CoSA Spurs Second Annual Creative Exchange in Myrin • CoSA to Celebrate Wide Variety of Student Work • Opinion: Crigler Beneficial But Needs Improvements; What Makes Crigler Worthwhile for Students? • Sibling Stickhandlers Stayed Side by Side • UCWR Sticks it to Gender Normshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1932/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, March 19, 2015

Tops in the East: Gymnastics Will Head to NCGA Nationals • New Wins Power Games • Ursinus to Host ISGP Conference • Going Global Launches • Schellhase Contest in Progress • Simple Servings Fits Students\u27 Needs • Photo Series on Equality Sparks Discussion on Race • Hamlet Comes to Stage with Puppets • Opinion: Ditch the SAT Once and For All; Being Biracial Does not Mean Choosing Sides • Golf Teams Tee Off in 2015https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1927/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, April 3, 2014

New USGA President Takes Role, States Goals • Variety of Summer Jobs, Opportunities Offered on Campus • Josh Emmons Discusses his Work, Answers Questions • 83rd Student-Made Lantern to Come Out End of April • Student-Directed Play Debuts in Blackbox • Department Name Changes in Effect • Senior Balances Sports, Jobs, Grades • Opinion: Online Courses Deserve Some Credit; Record Gifts Should Soften Tuition Increase • Senior Spotlight: Lacrosse\u27s Nile Thompson • Ursinus Wrestler Jumps From the Field to the Mat • Wins and Losses as UC Teams Battle the Weatherhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1902/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, April 9, 2015

Students Expose Racism on Yik Yak • English Honor Society Hosting Gatsby Party • Goss, Fulbright Winner, Plans to Travel to Turkey • HEART Lab Offers Unique Research • Annual Edible Book Festival Continues for Eleventh Year • New Minors Created for Fall • Opinion: A Fourth CIE Question That Breaks the Silence; Fourth Question Not True to Liberal Arts • Stick it to \u27em • On the Right Trackhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1930/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, April 1, 2015

UC Stand Plans New Multi-Gender Fashion Show • Woodstock Receives Award • Experiences from Model UN • Ursinus Alum is Succeeding in the Business World • Women and Minorities on Wikipedia Examined • Opinion: The Challenges of Transferring to Ursinus • Tennis Teams Ace Early Slatehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1929/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, February 5, 2015

Fundraiser Aims to Raise $100 Million • A Trend in Tuition Costs Explains Rise This Year • Wismer on Wheels Benefits Charities and Volunteers • Gaoko Exam Makes Chinese Students Come to America • Art Class Works With Animal Foundation to Create Art • Writing Center Help Expands • Diversity Monologues Event is Helping Bring UC Students Together • Opinion: Tuition is a Headache for International Students; A Vegan\u27s Defense of Hunting • All Around Good Season for Ruoss • Basketball Teams Working Without Seniorshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1922/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, April 30, 2015

New President: S. Brock Blomberg Will Assume Ursinus Presidency in July • Katz Receives Spanish Award • UC Receives STEM Grant • Commencement Will Honor Fongs • Main Street Safety is Addressed • What\u27s the Origin of Collegeville\u27s Name? • Sustainability Tent Returning for Move Out Days • Ursinus\u27 GSA Celebrates 25 Years on Campus • Breakaway Student Shows Performing This Weekend • Opinion: The Path to Safer Greek Organizations at UC; Greek Life is Destructive Across the United States • Local Alum Helps Bolster UC Softball Program • One More Goalhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1933/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, February 26, 2015

We\u27re Just Saying Ursinus Discusses Diversity on Campus • Alumni Invited to Classes • Composting Initiative in Lower Fails to Take Hold • Stereotypes in U.S. Colleges • Math Department Struggles • Satirical Blog Gains Campus Popularity • Professor Releases Poetry Book • New Officer Joins Safety • Opinion: The Gray Area in Fifty Shades; Ursinus Has a Responsibility to Ban Yik Yak • Wrestling Prepares for Regional Meet • Bears Two Much to Handlehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1925/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, April 24, 2014

Ursinus Conducts First Ever ISGP Conference on Pandemic Preparedness • Library Staff Planning for Big Changes • First Schellhase Ursinus Essay Prize Announced on CoSa Day • Annual Charity Art Fair to Support Camp Cranium • Political Activists to Speak at Graduation • Senior Fellows Help to Shape the Incoming Freshman Class • Alumni Weekend to be Held on Campus • Opinion: Parents Influence our Political Beliefs; Fight to Preserve Net Neutrality in the US • Balancing Act for the Ages: Senior Bryn O\u27Neill • Opinion: MLB Must Move on From Steroid Era • Men\u27s Lacrosse Stays Alive, Baseball Splits with JHUhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1905/thumbnail.jp