Arrow and Superhero Television: Essays on Themes and Characters of the Series

This collection of new essays focuses on The CW network’s hit television series Arrow—based on DC Comic’s Green Arrow—and its spin-offs The Flash, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow and Supergirl. Comic book adaptations have been big business for film studios since Superman (1978) and in recent years have dominated at the box office—five of the 11 highest grossing films of 2016 were adapted from comics. Superheroes have battled across the small screen for considerably longer, beginning with The Adventures of Superman (1952–1958), though with mixed success. The contributors explore the reasons behind Arrow’s success, the series’ representation of bodies, its portrayal of women, its shifting political ideologies, and audience reception and influence on storylines.