"The Marvel Cinematic University (MCU) has become a touchstone of contemporary American life. In 2009, Disney purchased Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion, including its subsidiary film production company, Marvel Studios. Since then, the MCU-the collection of multi-media Marvel Studios products that share a single fictional storyline-has grown from two feature films to 23 interconnected movies, a half-dozen short films, three streaming Disney+ series, and more than 30 print titles. At the time of this writing, eight of the 25 highest grossing films of all time are MCU movies"-- Provided by publisher.

ch. 1An Introduction to the Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe / Lilly J. Goren -- pt. One Origin Stories -- ch. 2 Building Worlds: Three Paths toward Racial Justice in Black Panther / Heather Pool -- ch. 3 Tony Stark and the Classical Heroism of the Marvel Cinematic Universe / Ari Kohen -- ch. 4 Endurance in Marvel Cinema: Letting Go of Compulsory Overcoming in Superhero Stories / Anna Daily -- ch. 5 Captain America vs. James Madison / Christopher J. Galdieri -- ch. 6 "Operation: Rebirth" and the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Origin Stories as Founding Narratives / Ronald J. Schmidt Jr. -- ch. 7 Nostalgia, Nationalism, and Marvel Superheroics / Lilly J. Goren -- pt. Two With Great Power -- ch. 8 Government as the Bad Guy? / Nicholas Carnes -- ch. 9 Democratic Monstrosity: Marvel's Avengers and Extraordinary Politics / Elizabeth Barringer -- ch. 10 Strange Sovereignty: Fantasies of Supremacy and Coloniality in the Marvel Cinematic Universe / Matthew Longo -- ch. 11 Civilian Control of Superheroes: Applying What We Know from Civil-Military Relations / Stephen M. Saideman -- ch. 12 Environmentalism and the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Spider-Man: Far from Home as a Cautionary Tale / Nancy J. Hirschmann -- ch. 13 Marvel Cinematic Universe Villains and Social Anxieties / Christina Zhang -- pt. Three An Expanding Universe -- ch. 14 Wrestling with Power and Pleasure: Black Widow and the Warrior Women of the Marvel Cinematic Universe / Linda Beail -- ch. 15 From "Grrrl Power" to "She's Got Help": Captain Marvel as the Superhero of Second-Wave Feminism / Kristin Kanthak -- ch. 16 Vulnerable Heroines: Gendering Violence in Jessica Jones / Menaka Philips -- ch. 17 "I Know My Value": Agency in the Prime-Time Network Portrayal of Peggy Carter / Christina Fattore -- ch. 18 Men and Supermen: Gender and (Over)Compensation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe / Dan Cassino -- ch. 19 Deep in Marvel's Closet: Heteronormativity and Hidden LGBTQ+ Narratives in the Marvel Cinematic Universe / Patricia C. Rodda -- ch. 20 Avengers, Assemblage / Danielle Hanley -- ch. 21 Female Combatants in the Marvel Cinematic Universe / Ora Szekely -- ch. 22 Who Watches the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Race, Sex, and the Audience for Onscreen Diversity / Bethany Lacina -- ch. 23 Geopolitical Representations of Africa through the Marvel Cinematic Lens / Meghan S. Sanders -- pt. Four Conclusion -- ch. 24 "You've Become Part of a Bigger Universe": Plurality, Public Things, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe / Jennifer Forestal -- Afterwords -- Afterword 1 How Marvel Studios Makes a Universe / Carlee Goldberg -- Afterword 2 Classical Dramatic Structure: A Primer on the Marvel Cinematic Universe / Matthew L. Free.