Tanya Cochran

791.45092

23

Trade Paperback

0815610386

9780815610380

Scholarly & Professional

1 in

10.1 in

12.3 Oz

7 in

PN1992.4.W49R43 2014

2014-003751

English

488 Pages

Reading Joss Whedon

2014

Syracuse University Press

The text is invaluable for Whedon scholars. However, Reading Joss Whedon is not simply valuable for Whedon 'acafans' It stands as an exemplar for popular culture studies, showing intertextualities and interconnectedness by which scholars from different disciplines can interrogate pop culture artifacts, no matter the medium and no matter the topic., A critical anthology edited by some of the architects of Whedon Studies, offers an exciting, engaging snapshot of the work produced by scholars in this growing area of study., A jam-packed collection of scholarly works on the beloved nerd icon that may be ideal for Whedon superfans.

Television and Popular Culture Ser.

Television / History & Criticism, American / General, Individual Director (See Also Biography & Autobiography / Entertainment & Performing Arts), Film / History & Criticism

Literary Criticism, Performing Arts

In an age when geek chic has come to define mainstream pop culture, few writers and producers inspire more admiration and response than Joss Whedon. From Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Much Ado About Nothing, from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog to The Avengers , the works of Whedon have been the focus of increasing academic attention. This collection of articles represents some of the best work covering a wide array of topics that clarify Whedon's importance, including considerations of narrative and visual techniques, myth construction, symbolism, gender, heroism, and the business side of television. The editors argue that Whedon's work is of both social and aesthetic significance; that he creates ?canonical television.? He is a master of his artistic medium and has managed this success on broadcast networks rather than on cable. From the focus on a single episode to the exploration of an entire season, from the discussion of a particular narrative technique to a recounting of the history of Whedon studies, this collection will both entertain and educate those exploring Whedon scholarship for the first time and those planning to teach a course on his works., In an age when geek chic has come to define mainstream pop culture, few writers and producers inspire more admiration and response than Joss Whedon. From Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Much Ado About Nothing, from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog to The Avengers , the works of Whedon have been the focus of increasing academic attention. This collection of articles represents some of the best work covering a wide array of topics that clarify Whedon's importance, including considerations of narrative and visual techniques, myth construction, symbolism, gender, heroism, and the business side of television. The editors argue that Whedon's work is of both social and aesthetic significance; that he creates "canonical television." He is a master of his artistic medium and has managed this success on broadcast networks rather than on cable. From the focus on a single episode to the exploration of an entire season, from the discussion of a particular narrative technique to a recounting of the history of Whedon studies, this collection will both entertain and educate those exploring Whedon scholarship for the first time and those planning to teach a course on his works., In an age when geek chic has come to define mainstream pop culture, few writers and producers inspire more admiration than Joss Whedon. This collection of articles represents some of the best work covering a wide array of topics that clarify Whedon's importance, including considerations of narrative and visual techniques, myth construction, symbolism, gender, heroism, and the business side of television.

Contents by Topic Acknowledgments Introduction: Much Ado about Whedon Rhonda V. Wilcox Part One: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Buffy the Vampire Slayer: An Introduction Rhonda V. Wilcox From Beneath You, It Foreshadows: Why Buffy's First Season Matters David Kociemba Hero's Journey, Heroine's Return?: Buffy, Eurydice, and the Orpheus Myth Janet K. Halfyard ?It's Like Some Primal, Some Animal Force . . . That Used to Be Us?: Animality, Humanity, and Moral Careers in the Buffyverse Ananta Mukherjea ?Can I Spend the Night / Alone??: Segments and Connections in ?Conversations with Dead People? Rhonda V. Wilcox ?Hey, Respect the Narrative Flow Much??: Problematic Storytelling in Buffy the Vampire Slayer Richard S. Albright All Those Apocalypses: Disaster Studies and Community in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel Linda J. Jenson Part Two: Angel Angel: An Introduction Cynthea Masson ?Enough of the Action, Let's Get Back to Dancing?: Joss Whedon Directs Angel Stacey Abbott What the Hell?: Angel's ?The Girl in Question? Cynthea Masson Part Three: Firefly and Serenity Firefly and Serenity: An Introduction Tanya R. Cochran Firefly: Of Formats, Franchises, and Fox Matthew Pateman ?Wheel Never Stops Turning?: Space and Time in Firefly and Serenity Alyson R. Buckman Metaphoric Unity and Ending: Sending and Receiving Firefly's Last ?Message? Elizabeth L. Rambo Part Four: Dollhouse Dollhouse: An Introduction David Lavery Reflections in the Pool: Echo, Narcissus, and the Male Gaze in Dollhouse K. Dale Koontz ?There Is No Me; I'm Just a Container?: Law and the Loss of Personhood in Dollhouse Sharon Sutherland and Sarah Swan Part Five: Beyond the Box Joining the Evil League of Evil: The Rhetoric of Posthuman Negotiation in Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog Victoria Willis Buffy's Season 8, Image and Text: Superhero Self-Fashioning Marni Stanley Watchers in the Woods: Meta-Horror, Genre Hybridity, and Reality TV: Critique in The Cabin in the Woods Kristopher Karl Woofter Joss Whedon Throws His Mighty Shield: Marvel's The Avengers as War Movie Ensley F. Guffey Part Six: Overarching Topics Stuffing a Rabbit in It: Character, Narrative, and Time in the Whedonverses Lorna Jowett Adventures in the Moral Imagination: Memory and Identity in Whedon's Narrative Ethics J. Douglas Rabb and J. Michael Richardson Technology and Magic: Joss Whedon's Explorations of the Mind Jeffrey Bussolini

Textbook

Syracuse University Press

9780815610380