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Grounded in debates on male bodies and gender norms, it foregrounds medium-specific comic features by analysing the interplay between verbal and visual modalities. 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Litt. in Translation  \nM.Sc. in Translation Studies (Merit)  \n[M.Litt. in](M.Litt. in) English Language and Literature  \nSubmitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Ph. D.  \nModern Languages and Cultures  \nModern Languages and Cultures  \nSchool of Modern Languages and Cultures  \nCollege of Arts  \nUniversity of Glasgow  \nSubmitted on 30th September 2025  \nAbstract  \nThis thesis examines the representation of male bodies and the construction of normative masculinity in superhero comics through a panel-by-panel textual analysis of Batman’s periodical comics published by DC Comics. As one of the most enduring cultural figures in popular media, Batman embodies a diverse and often contradictory set of ideals about men and manliness, which are consolidated into a coherent cultural image that has remained accessible and resonant for generations of readers. By focusing on the interplay between verbal and visual modalities in comics, this study identifies the artistic and narrative strategies through which masculine ideals are performed, negotiated, and contested.  \nThe research begins with a critical review of existing scholarship on gender and sexuality in superhero narratives, situating this project within debates on male bodies, gender norms, and the superhero as a cultural complex. While previous studies examining bodily presentation tend to assume the position of the ‘male gaze’ and a focus on female characters, this thesis foregrounds the medium-specific qualities of comics and proposes to apply textual analysis of the gazes on male bodies. By exploring the possibility of homosocial gaze, this research intends to fill the gap in gaze studies which, in the context of heteronomativity, representations of idealised masculinity, are rarely discussed beyond the ‘female gaze’ and the ‘queer gaze’. Developing a set of analytical tools drawn from visual narratology, multimodality studies, and comics grammar, this thesis proposes a form-based analytical framework that integrates art practices, art experience, and comic scholarship to identify and analyse the formation of gaze.  \nThis research represents one of the few comprehensive studies of men and masculinity in superhero culture, with particular attention to mainstream representations that are often overlooked in scholarship. Through detailed case-studies of Batman comics, it explores the mechanisms by which normative masculinity is stabilised and challenged. Themes such as body build, physical capacities, and heroic resilience reveal how hegemonic masculinity is reinforced, while representations of violence, nudity, ageing, death, and queer sexuality expose its contradictions and fragility. By exploring the paradox of dominance in normative masculinity and the simultaneous objectification of the male form, these examples illustrate that the superhero’s masculine performance is neither fixed nor uniform but is instead a site of fluid power struggles where meaning is constantly negotiated.  \nDedication  \nI dedicate this thesis to Les Amis de l'ABC with love, in the hope that art and freedom will be everlasting.  \nAcknowledgements  \nI would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisors, Professor Laurence Grove (primary supervisor) and Dr Enza De Francisci (secondary supervisor) . Without their insightful advice and kind support, I could not have finished this thesis. I am more than grateful for their patient guidance and rigorous comments, and I will always remember and cherish our discussions along this long journey. Also, I thank all my annual review readers for their constructive comments and suggestions.  \nI also want to say thank you to all the brilliant staff members of SMLC, the Disability Service Team of University of Glasgow, and Clear Links, for I am grateful for the help as well asthe inclusive environment. Specially, thank you, Dr ","cbCaibD5Qqw02xWO","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaibD5Qqw02xWO","pdf",22654154,342,"English","# Abstract\n## Research background and scholarship review\n## Analytical framework and methodology\n## Case studies and key themes\n# Dedication\n# Acknowledgements\n# Declaration of Originality Form - Research\n## Degrees\n## Declaration statement","[{\"question\":\"What is the core focus of the thesis?\",\"answer\":\"The thesis focuses on how male bodies are represented in superhero comics and how normative masculinity is constructed and revised in Batman periodical comics.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the thesis approach analysis of comics?\",\"answer\":\"It uses panel-by-panel textual analysis to examine the interaction between verbal and visual modalities, identifying narrative and artistic strategies that perform, negotiate, and contest masculine ideals.\"},{\"question\":\"What gap in gaze studies does the thesis aim to address?\",\"answer\":\"It aims to extend gaze studies beyond the usual emphasis on the female gaze and queer gaze by exploring gazes on male bodies and the possibility of homosocial gaze.\"}]","Gazing at Male Bodies in Superhero Comics - Batman and the Construction and Revision of Masculinity | PDF",862]