Despite the recent success of Marvel Studios and the rising academic interest in superheroes, there has not previously been a comprehensive examination of the Marvel Cinematic Universe: the films and other media connected to the studio's films. This is a new mode of film making, one in which the franchise, the existing model of multi-installment narrative, has become subsumed into a larger conglomerate storytelling entity, the shared universe. Looking beyond box office achievements, Marvel's establishment of its own movie studio has increased its cultural impact in the United States and around the world.

This collection of essays, approaching their subjects from a variety of perspectives and disciplines, examines the ways the Marvel Cinematic Universe represents, constructs, and distorts American culture. For decades, Marvel Comics' emphasis on socially relevant characters and plots has generated fan engagement and popular appeal. In the new millennium, the success of Marvel Studios' films represents a new and unique engagement with social, political, and economic concerns that challenge established values and call into question cherished beliefs.