More than Marvel: Representations of Norse Mythology in Contemporary Popular Culture I: New Perspectives
Sponsoring Organization(s)
Association for the Advancement of Scholarship and Teaching of the Medieval in Popular Culture
Organizer Name
Michael A. Torregrossa
Organizer Affiliation
Independent Scholar
Presider Name
June-Ann Greeley
Presider Affiliation
Sacred Heart Univ.
Paper Title 1
Adapting the Norse Myths: Risks, Challenges, and Creative Choices
Presenter 1 Name
Erik A. Evensen
Presenter 1 Affiliation
Univ. of Wisconsin–Stout
Paper Title 2
Asgardians in the East: Norse Gods in Japanese Popular Culture
Presenter 2 Name
Ilse Schweitzer VanDonkelaar; Sarah Kelley Brish
Presenter 2 Affiliation
Michigan State Univ.; Independent Scholar
Paper Title 3
Hidden Bodies, Masculine Minds: Shield-Maidens in Video Games, Norse Myth, and Legend
Presenter 3 Name
Shirley McPhaul
Presenter 3 Affiliation
Univ. de Puerto Rico–Recinto de Río Piedras
Paper Title 4
"I did that once. They made a saga about it": Metafiction and Storytelling in Neil Gaiman's Adaptations and Retellings of Norse Mythology
Presenter 4 Name
Fanny Geuzaine
Presenter 4 Affiliation
Univ. catholique de Louvain
Start Date
11-5-2019 10:00 AM
Session Location
Schneider 1280
Description
Myths and legends from the Middle Ages remain important links to the past, and there has been much interest in recasting this material into post-medieval contexts, forging a bridge between our forebears and our modern selves. Creators of our own time have been especially prolific in reviving these stories for new audiences. The tales told of the gods of the Norsemen are one such medieval legacy to find currency today, and they have appeared in a variety of media, including comics. For example, Marvel Comics’ representation of the Norse god Thor has been an important element of its shared world since his debut in 1962, and, in its incorporation of the character into the Marvel Universe, the publisher has done much in the service of Medieval Studies through its widespread dissemination across the globe of a relatable depiction of the Norse Gods and the intricate mythology associated with them. Marvel’s account of Thor and his compatriots has also featured in an array of media beyond the pages of its long-running comic book series, and the recent release of three feature films centered around the Asgardian as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, one of the world’s most popular and prosperous movie and television franchises, has provided additional texts to further knowledge of the Nine Worlds and its inhabitants. Nonetheless, while Marvel remains the most prominent creator of modern tales of the Norse gods, the company does not hold the exclusive rights to this material. Other writers, comics creators, filmmakers, television producers, and game designers have also appropriated the stories and legends of the gods of Asgard and further individuals within the cosmology of the Nine Worlds for their own purposes, yet their work remain relatively unknown when compared to the phenomenal success and reach of Marvel Comics and Marvel Studios.
It is the intent of this session to shed the spotlight on these other examples of Nordic-inspired medievalisms and to bring them into ongoing conversations and debates about the reception of the medieval in the post-medieval world.
Michael A. Torregrossa
Founder, Association for the Advancement of Scholarship and Teaching of the Medieval in Popular Culture
More than Marvel: Representations of Norse Mythology in Contemporary Popular Culture I: New Perspectives
Schneider 1280
Myths and legends from the Middle Ages remain important links to the past, and there has been much interest in recasting this material into post-medieval contexts, forging a bridge between our forebears and our modern selves. Creators of our own time have been especially prolific in reviving these stories for new audiences. The tales told of the gods of the Norsemen are one such medieval legacy to find currency today, and they have appeared in a variety of media, including comics. For example, Marvel Comics’ representation of the Norse god Thor has been an important element of its shared world since his debut in 1962, and, in its incorporation of the character into the Marvel Universe, the publisher has done much in the service of Medieval Studies through its widespread dissemination across the globe of a relatable depiction of the Norse Gods and the intricate mythology associated with them. Marvel’s account of Thor and his compatriots has also featured in an array of media beyond the pages of its long-running comic book series, and the recent release of three feature films centered around the Asgardian as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, one of the world’s most popular and prosperous movie and television franchises, has provided additional texts to further knowledge of the Nine Worlds and its inhabitants. Nonetheless, while Marvel remains the most prominent creator of modern tales of the Norse gods, the company does not hold the exclusive rights to this material. Other writers, comics creators, filmmakers, television producers, and game designers have also appropriated the stories and legends of the gods of Asgard and further individuals within the cosmology of the Nine Worlds for their own purposes, yet their work remain relatively unknown when compared to the phenomenal success and reach of Marvel Comics and Marvel Studios.
It is the intent of this session to shed the spotlight on these other examples of Nordic-inspired medievalisms and to bring them into ongoing conversations and debates about the reception of the medieval in the post-medieval world.
Michael A. Torregrossa
Founder, Association for the Advancement of Scholarship and Teaching of the Medieval in Popular Culture