Annotation: Superman, Batman, Spider-Man – superheroes – for almost a century of their existence, have become one of the pillars of modern pop culture, and their catchy, spectacular, theatrical tracksuits are one of the most recognizable symbols of the 20th century. Visual communication scholar Barbara Brownie and pop-culture critic Danny Graydon offer readers the first interdisciplinary analysis of the superhero costume. Brownie and Graydon demonstrate the ways in which “fashion” around superhero costumes has transformed through the decades. From the earliest comic book pages to contemporary film franchises, the authors explore in detail the relationship between superheroes and their attire. How has the function of the superhero’s costume changed? Why is the mask such a necessary element? How does all this relate to the practices of the 18th century masquerade? Among the topics of focus in this book are comic books, films, television series, stories of “real-life superheroes”, and fan-driven pop-culture phenomena such as cosplay.