“The Year Marvel’s Luck Dried Up”

Kendall Phillips, professor of communication and rhetorical studies in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, was quoted in the Observer article “The Year Marvel’s Luck Dried Up.” Phillips, who teaches a class focused on the Marvel cinematic universe, says “it seems clear that the dominance of the superhero film at the box office must come to an end at some point.” Kendall believes that the current state of the nation is contributing to the lack of excitement about superhero movies and television shows. “With the pandemic, ongoing instances of police brutality and system racism, increasingly vicious partisan rancor, fantasies of morally correct superheroes may just not feel right,” says Phillips.