From the perspectives of positive psychology and positive communication, superheroes are often depicted as possessing virtues and serving as inspirational exemplars. However, many of the virtues enumerated as characterizing the superhero (e.g., courage, teamwork, creativity) could just as easily be applied to heroes of other genres. To understand what is unique to the superhero genre, How Superheroes Model Community: Philosophically, Communicatively, Relationally looks not only to the virt...

In this book, Nathan Miczo demonstrates that humor operates at different levels of identity, exploring how within- and between-group dynamics shape the creation and reception of disparagement humor. While positive forms of humor arise in interpersonal settings, negative forms reflect the activation of group-based, communal identities. Building on this dual sociality view, Miczo critiques the superiority theory of disparagement humor, rooted in Hobbes’s definition of laughter, and tied to h...

While much of the scholarship on superhero narratives has focused on the heroes themselves, Batman’s Villains and Villainesses: Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Arkham’s Souls takes into view the depiction of the villains and their lives, arguing that they often function as proxies for larger societal and philosophical themes. Approaching Gotham’s villains from a number of disciplinary backgrounds, the essays in this collection highlight how the villains’ multifaceted backgrounds, experie...

Despite the growing importance of heroines across literary culture—and sales figures that demonstrate both young adult and adult females are reading about heroines in droves, particularly in graphic novels, comic books, and YA literature—few scholarly collections have examined the complex relationships between the representations of heroines and the changing societal roles for both women and men.In Heroines of Comic Books and Literature: Portrayals in Popular Culture, editors Maja ...

Despite the increasing number and variety of older characters appearing in film, television, comics, and other popular culture, much of the understanding of these figures has been limited to outdated stereotypes of aging. These include depictions of frailty, resistance to modern life, and mortality. More importantly, these stereotypes influence the daily lives of aging adults, as well as how younger generations perceive and interact with older individuals. In light of our graying populatio...

True love may mean certain death in a ghostly affair of risk and passion from New York Times bestselling duo Christina Lauren, authors of The Unhoneymooners and Love and Other Words.When Lucy walks out of a frozen forest, wearing only a silk dress and sandals, she isn’t sure how she got there. But when she sees Colin, she knows for sure that she’s here for him.Colin has never been captivated by a girl the way he is by Lucy. With e...

What does Drew Evans have to say next? Find out in this 8500 word short story, filled with his sexy charm, unique advice and hilarious one-liners.Marriage: the final frontier. Steven went first. He was kind of our test subject. Like those monkeys that NASA sent off into space in the fifties, all the while knowing they'd never make it back.And now another poor rocket is ready to launch.But this isn't just any posh New York wedding. You've seen my friends, you've met ...

When three besties meet three hot guys in Vegas anything can—and does—happen in this first entry in the New York Times bestselling Wild Seasons series from the authors of Love and Other Words and The Unhoneymooners.One-night stands are supposed to be with someone convenient, or wickedly persuasive, or regrettable. They aren’t supposed to be with someone like him.But after a crazy Vegas weekend celebrating her college grad...

From the internationally best-selling author of Sarah's Key Tatiana de Rosnay comes an irreverent yet heartfelt collection of short stories that examines our most intimate and forbidden desiresLate nights at the office... Hotel rooms and secret rendezvous... Lingering perfume... Sizzling texts...What takes place in Paris when husbands and wives tangle with infidelity?In this compulsively readable collection, Tatiana de Rosnay paints a portr...

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Gabriel trilogy comes the hotly anticipated follow-up to The Raven, a sensual novel set in Florence featuring the dangerously intoxicating coupling of Raven and William…Raven Wood’s vampyre prince has returned, pledging his love and promising justice for every wrong done to her. In the wake of their reunion, Raven is faced with a terrible decision—allow the Prince to wreak vengeance against the dem...

The Billionaire's Club—a fabulously sexy contemporary romance series about some of the world's wealthiest, most powerful men and the women they claim...and keep.Not everyone knows that billionaire Daniel Lexington gets a little dirty, a little dark, and will settle for nothing less than everything from any woman lucky enough to tangle his sheets. Handsome, rich and completely irresistible, Daniel can have any woman he wants. However, there is one woman he a...

In this sexy novella from the New York Times bestselling authors of The Unhoneymooners and Love and Other Words, the gentlemen from the “sizzling” (RT Book Reviews) Beautiful series are out for a wild night on the Vegas strip.A beautiful bastard of a groom-to-be. A bachelor-party-crashing bride. And one unforgettable night on the Vegas strip.When Bennett’s friends steal him away from Chloe for a weekend of shenanigans and...