Premiering in September of 2006, the weekly NBC television series Heroes was an immediate commercial and critical hit, lasting four successful seasons. Heroes follows a group of interrelated characters who discover they have superhuman powers, with each successive episode exploring how these people react to and utilize their powers for good or for evil. This collection of essays explores a variety of issues surrounding Heroes, examining the series' content, marketing and reception. Also investigated is the show's fusion of "cult" and mainstream elements of television, analyzing its ability to combine so-called lowbrow elements (comic books and superheroes) with a high-quality television form prizing such factors as moral ambiguity and depth of characterization--and what this blending process suggests about the current hybrid state of genre television, and about the medium as a whole.

Sue Thornham's study explores issues in feminist filmmaking through an examination of a wide range of films by women filmmakers, ranging from the avant-garde to mainstream Hollywood, and from the 1970s to the present day, discussing directors including Sally Potter, Jane Campion, Julie Dash, Patricia Rozema and Lynne Ramsay.

Great Caesars Ghost!! A team of Brainiacs! Superheroes and Philosophy is Kryptonite for those super villains who diss the heroes as lightweights! Riddle me this, Batman: How are Gotham City and Metropolis like ancient Athens and modern Paris? Read this sensational book and find out!

The Watchman didn't arrive in a Batmobile but drove a tan, four-door Pontiac. He was in costume, of course—a trench coat, motorcycle gloves, army boots, a domino mask, and a red hooded sweatshirt emblazoned with a W logo. Journalist Tea Krulos had spoken to him over the phone but never face-to-mask. By the end of the interview, he wasn't sure if the Watchman was delightfully eccentric or completely crazy. But he was going to find out. Heroes in the Night traces Krulos's journey into the strange subculture of Real Life Superheroes, random citizens who have adopted comic book&–style personas and hit the streets to fight injustice. Some concentrate on humanitarian or activist missions—helping the homeless, gathering donations for food banks, or delivering toys to children—while others actively patrol their neighborhoods looking for crime to fight. By day, these modern Clark Kents work as dishwashers, pencil pushers, and executives in Fortune 500 companies. But by night, only the Shadow knows. Well, the Shadow and Tea Krulos. Through historical research, extensive interviews, and many long hours walking patrol in Brooklyn, Seattle, San Diego, Minneapolis, and Vancouver, British Columbia, Krulos discovered what being a RLSH is all about. He shares not only their shining, triumphant moments but some of their ill-advised, terrifying disasters as well. It's all part of the life of a superhero. As the Watchman explains, &“If everyone made little changes in what they did, gave a little more to charity, watched out for their neighbors, we wouldn't have the problems that we have.&”

Cat, meet mouse... When it comes to stealing, I'm at the top of my game. There is no one better with a lift or a grift. So when the opportunity for a two-million-dollar diamond heist falls in my lap, I can hardly say no. I just need to deal with a few complications...like my adorably clueless husband, the federal agent. Mouse, meet cat... My wife thinks I don't know about her secret life as a thief. She thinks I spend my days at the bureau searching for tax evaders. Or maybe she doesn't. Maybe she knows I'm on to her, which makes our games so much more fun. And so much more intense... Hang on to your pearls: This deliciously sexy romantic comedy features a cat burglar who keeps her friends close and her husband—and arch nemesis—closer. "A sexy, fun, cat-and-mouse chase that hooked me from page one!"—JENNIFER PROBST, New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author of The Marriage Bargain

This book is based on the belief that deep subject knowledge of language and literature provides a foundation for effective teaching and learning. It provides a comprehensive guide to the range of genres and characteristic features of English language fiction written for children. It will help readers to: o develop their understanding of literature within social, cultural and political reading practices o extend their knowledge of language features and conventions of different genres o develop skills in analytical and critical reading. The scope of the first edition has been expanded from solely fiction to cover a range of contemporary literature, including poetry, plays and picture books. The case study material, investigative activities and practical exercises promote an active approach to learning. The second edition focuses on a range of fiction relevant to the National Curriculum for England and the National Literacy Strategy. It provides examples from a range of world literature written in English. Examples from work in translation are also included. It also addresses the requirements of the primary curriculum for ITT English. This book is essential reading for student teachers on PGCE, and undergraduate teacher education courses, and for teachers undertaking CPD in English, literacy or children's literature. It provides useful support material for language coordinators, SCITT coordinators and literacy consultants.