Fatima Qaraan
PhD Candidate
York University
Toronto, Ontario

Turzi, Mariano. The International Politics of Superheroes. 2022. London, UK: Rowman & Littlefield.

In his book, The International Politics of Superheroes, political scientist Mariano Turzi explores the intersections between global politics and the world of superheroes while navigating through various superhero stories and examines how they mirror the political climate of their times. From the American idealism portrayed in early Superman comics to the complex global issues such as nationalism, globalism, and power addressed in more recent Marvel and DC films, all offering a unique perspective on how superheroes are more than just fictional characters—they are also cultural icons that shape and are shaped by international politics. Turzi utilizes superheroes to represent differing international affairs from around the globe as images that aid analysis; an intellectual strategy used for understanding international relations via a shortcut through a conceptual universe (ix). Thus, Turzi employs Joseph Campbell’s universal heroic narrative called The Hero’s Journey, in which “a heroic protagonist sets out, meets, and overcomes a daunting set of challenges as a transformative adventure, and finally returns, empowered, and enlightened (ix). This narrative, Turzi argues, resembles the symbolic path that present-day nation-states “seem to be undergoing…(re)discovering the principles that make up national identity based on issues such as social integration, inequality, security, and immigration” (ix). Turzi describes this symbolic path in four different sections: 1) primary theories (“X-Ray Visions”), 2) international structure (“The Multiverses”), 3) contemporary international relations issues (“Why We Fight”), and 4) key actors on the global stage (“The Players”). Turzi’s book consequently provides a compelling analysis of how superhero narratives reflect global political dynamics, offering readers a unique theoretical lens through which the complex intersections between national identity, international relations, and cultural symbolism can be understood.

In Part I, Turzi categorizes the study of international affairs into four schools of thought: liberalism, realism, structuralism, and constructivism. Just as Cyclops from the X-Men requires his ruby quartz eye-lens cover to control and direct his explosive ocular detonations, these theories provide specific frameworks in which to observe, explain, and predict international events. Chapter 1 compares liberalism to the principles of the Justice League of America (JLA). The JLA’s open-door policy for new members mirrors liberalism’s cosmopolitan political theory, valuing diverse input from various heroes (3). Chapter 2 moves on to discuss political realism in comparison with the tragic fate suffered by Bruce Wayne. As a child, he witnessed the murder of his parents, which fueled his determination to combat crime and become Batman. Turzi describes realism as understanding the international race for power as endless and viewing the world as dangerous place rather than one of opportunity (9). Chapter 3 explores constructivism, which rejects an inherent truth in objects, arguing that knowledge is shaped by history, society, and power as discursive rather than material. Turzi compares this theoretical framework to the transformation of Harvey Dent, Gotham City’s once justice driven district attorney, into, Two-Face, a supervillain whose actions are dictated by the flip of a coin. Constructivism, Turzi argues, employs a combination of objective and subjective elements to create a complex international reality. In Chapter 4, structuralism, the Marxist concept that understanding human society requires understanding material production and exchange (17) is explored. This idea is linked to Red Son or “Soviet Superman” (19); both structuralism and Red Son shift the focus from war and peace to economic structure, inequality, poverty, and exploitation (20). Part I ends with chapter 5, in which Turzi equates Marvel’s Dr. Strange’s journey through the multi-verses to Kimberlee Crenshaw’s intersectional theory. Dr. Strange was a brilliant but arrogant neurosurgeon involved in a car accident severely damaging his hands. Seeking a cure, he discovers the mystical arts becoming the Sorcerer Supreme, defending Earth from interdimensional threats. Through these comparisons, Turzi effectively demonstrates how different international relations theories provide unique lenses for understanding the complexities of global affairs.

Part II explores four characteristics of the contemporary world: world order, globalization, digital technology consolidation, and the diffusion of international institutions. These elements form the foundation for understanding international relations and set the stage for global interactions. Hence, in Chapter 6, Turzi describes hegemony as the “leadership exercised by a single state” (27) on an international scale and uses the United States as an example. The U.S. is compared to Superman, a DC Comics superhero created in 1938, who uses his powers to improve the lives of others while holding the potential for great destruction. Chapter 7 likens globalization— “the increasing global integration of economies, societies, and cultures” (32)—to the Flash, from the DC 1940 comic series Flash Comics. When vibrating at a specific frequency, the superhero passes through solid matter, similar to how globalization “crosses barriers from legal to the illegal and vice versa” (34). Chapter 8 continues the technological theme with Cyborg, a member of DC Comics’ Teen Titans, who is half machine, half human, to describe the internet’s impact on international relations. Turzi explains that “like Cyborg, [international relations] showcases their usual features (the human part) but are now intertwined with technology (the robotic part)” (35). Chapter 9 concludes Part II by equating international organizations to governing world politics upheld through institutions providing states with incentives, costs, values, and standards of behaviour (41). Turzi argues that these institutions function like the powers of Spiderman, a Marvel Comics standalone hero created in 1962. Spiderman’s powers consist of webs that shoot from his arms used to immobilize adversaries, Turzi compares these webs to international institutions dependence on the supporting fibres of nation-states in the international community (41). To summarize, in Part II, Turzi illustrates how global leadership, globalization, technological advancement, and international institutions collectively shape the complex landscape of international relations.

Part III focuses on the issues Turzi believes are most relevant to the global agenda (47). Chapter 10 discusses, Tony Stark, also known as Iron Man, a Marvel superhero who is a wealthy inventor and industrialist, representing the function of American technology and industry fighting against communism. Chapter 11 focuses on Dr. Manhattan from the “Watchmen” series, a god-like being with immense powers including control over time and space. Dr. Manhattan is used by the US government as a nuclear weapon deterrent and his presence on Earth represents human feelings about nuclear threats like fear, pride, and bewilderment (60). Chapter 12 explores wealth disparities by comparing Superman’s archnemesis, DC Comics’ supervillain Lex Luther, to the real world’s 1%. LexCorp finances Luther’s presidential ambitions analogous to real-world actors like Bill Clinton and George Bush. Then in Chapter 13, Turzi compares the X-Men, a group of mutants dedicated to protecting a world that fears with humans to migrants and refugees. Turzi believes that, like the X-Men, migrants, and refugees force host societies to confront and re-evaluate their principles. Climate change and the ways human activities disrupt the Earth’s stability, leading to catastrophic consequences are highlighted in Chapter 14. Aquaman, a guardian of nature, embodies this conflict while navigating loyalties between the underwater and surface worlds, symbolizing current global tensions between economic growth and environmental preservation. Part III closes with Chapter 15, in which DC Comics’ Green Lantern Corps, an intergalactic force, is compared to the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space’s efforts to regulate space through laws banning weapons of mass destruction. Indeed, maintaining space as a global common is essential for ensuring international peace and security.

The final section, Part IV, examines the main actors in global affairs. To illustrate this, Chapter 16 compares Captain America, a super-soldier who symbolizes patriotism and justice, to the U.S.’s global role as the world’s economic, military and communications superpower. The second global power on Turzi’s list, the European Union, is discussed in Chapter 17. The EU upholds values like peace, compassion, and truth, akin to DC Comics’ Wonder Woman. This superheroine is known for her Lasso of Truth and mission to promote peace and justice, comparative to the EU’s display of soft power. In Chapter 18, Marvel’s Wakanda, a technologically advanced and secretive African nation known for its powerful, tradition-rooted warrior culture, is the image Turzi presents to discuss emerging countries. Wakanda, Turzi argues, reflects some of the challenges faced by developing nations such as modern technology coexisting with traditional economies and resource wealth exceeding national prosperity. Ultimately, policies in these countries alternate between isolation and integration, with societies identifying more with cultural terms than with a global liberal community. In Chapter 19, China is characterized by Fu Manchu, a Chinese imperial family descendant who embodies Western fears of Asian power and influence. With vast resources, an army, and advanced technology, Fu Manchu’s quest for world domination parallels China’s rising power and potential clashes with the United States to remain on top. In Chapter 20, Turzi argues that the Hulk, a scientist who transforms into a gigantic, powerhouse with near-limitless strength whenever he gets angry, is a superhero as Russia is an international power: neither plans to fight evil or save the world (102).

     Chapters 21 and 22 offer valuable insights that tie together the intricate themes discussed throughout the book. In Chapter 21, Turzi shares one of his favourite stories about Juan Salvo, the Eternaut. Salvo is a Latin American hero who resists an alien invasion with collective bonds of solidarity (105), in contrast with American superheroes who rely on their superpowers. This story reflects Latin America’s approach to international relations, emphasizing autonomy and consideration for developing countries within the global economic hierarchy, whereby the Eternaut fights alien invaders revealed to be pawns controlled by assailants from the centre. This conflict emulates dependency theory, the view that the underdevelopment of the periphery results from the global capitalist system and subordination imposed by international elites from the centre. In the book’s final chapter, Turzi shares an epilogue in which he writes about the COVID-19 pandemic and Batman’s formidable adversary, Bane. Bane incarnates the core of our pandemic era – “and not just because he wears a face mask” (109). This supervillain was born in prison, making his origins reflective of the speculations surrounding the virus’s emergence from a laboratory. Much like Bane, the pandemic blurs the lines between human and non-human entities, immersing us in an intricate web of “viruses, bats, rainforests, human activity, trafficking, global markets, air travel, protective gear, nation-states, borders, geopolitics, and beyond” (110). In this incisive exploration, Mariano Turzi adeptly illustrates how these iconic figures act as images of our global political dynamics. Through meticulous analysis, Turzi unveils the profound connections between cultural symbolism and international relations. As the book ends, readers are left with a heightened awareness of our interconnected world and the urgent need for collective understanding and action.

Author Bio

Fatima Qaraan is a PhD candidate in the Department of Politics at York University. Fatima specializes in political theory, gender and politics, and international development. Her dissertation explores how gender-role dynamics, social and cultural norms, and consent legislation impact child marriage in Canada.