Episode 108. Souped Up: Blade (1998) and Constantine (2005)
Using two popular examples, Andrea and Alex look at the collision between the horror and superhero genres. From conservative leanings to taboo-breaking stories, we explore two films that deviate from the norm (and occasionally, their own source material) to embark in two very different directions. Become a Patron! REQUIRED READING Blade . Dir. Stephen Norrington, 1998. Constantine . Dir. Francis Lawrence, 2005. EXTRA CREDIT How Blade created the Marvel Cinematic Universe. How Blade saved Marvel and set it up for cinematic takeover. Super Black: American Pop Culture and Black Superheroes. Adilifu Nama’s cultural history of the Black superhero genre. Horror Noire: Blacks in American Horror Films from the 1890s to Present. Robin R Means Coleman’s groundbreaking book examining Black characters and creators in the horror genre. Blade and the Power of Liminal Privilege . A retrospective look at how the film’s themes endure in the BLM era. The Black Hero: A Cultural Impossibility. Kathryn Feeney’s breakdown of the Black superhero mirage. The Devil You Know. Ken Chen’s piece for the The New Inquiry on Hellblazer and John Constantine’s true origins. How 9/11 Changed Cinema. A look at how a tragic event upended the politics of popular films. Flying While Black: Two Creators on Inventing (and Reinventing) Black Superheroes. Eve L. Ewing and Evan Narcisse weigh in on the importance of representation in the superhero genre. LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”