Our popular culture is dominated by superheroes, in the movie theaters, in comic books, or in so many consumable goods. Superheroes have superpowers and thus can do things that humans cannot—like shoot spiderwebs from their wrists or fly into space without special gear. These bodies are superpowered, and they are projected into our consciousness in particular forms and in particular costumes that set them apart. They may have shields or hammers or wrist cuffs that contribute to their powers, but they also have very clear shapes and physiques. Our politics has integrated the idea of superheroic solutions into our complex forms of government and political processes, often looking for external solutions to solve endemic problems. The ongoing problem with superheroes remains that they operate outside of the legal and governmental systems and processes. As movie goers we may thrill at the strength of the heroes themselves, and we see beautiful and amazingly fit actors and actresses playing these roles. But what does this understanding of the superheroic body communicate to us? The human and the superhuman are disconnected in yet another way—given the capacities of these bodies to do incredible feats while also looking a very particular way. This paper explores the superheroic body itself, and how this is yet another dimension of super ability and ableism and a covert sexualization of globally consumed bodies. Does every superhero film need to project an image of six-pack abs? The unexpected heroics of Po (the Dragon Warrior) in Kungfu Panda works in opposition to the expected presentation of MCU or Universal superheroes, even those who have physical disabilities. The bodily presentations of superheroes often conceal important individual qualities, some of which may offend some audiences (like sexuality or gender). The comics from which these films and television shows are deriving their narratives also had sexualized visions of these superheroes. But in translating the comic images to moving images and narratives, what do these images tell us about how we imagine heroes and villains? What do these bodies reveal and how do we understand ourselves through these imaginaries and aesthetic choices?
