Undergraduate Research
Under the Mellon Initiative at Trinity University, I conducted research with a professor within the communication department and had our work published our work in the Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics.
“Oh, My God! I CAN FLY!": Female Agency in Marvel’s Runaways
This panel is from a scene in Vol. 1 of Brian K. Vaughan's Runaways, art by Adrian Alphona. At their secret hideout, The Hostel, the teens reclaim their identities and vow to right their parents' wrongs.
Dr. Jennifer Henderson from Trinity University and I researched the representation of four female protagonists (Nico, Karolina, Gertrude and Molly), in terms of superhero powers and agency, in the Marvel comic series “Runaways.” To do this, we analyzed and coded the female superheroes’ actions, words, and choices throughout the first 18 issues of the series. As part of our research, we completed a literature review on female friendship, adolescent development, female superheroes, and young adult media. At the end of our research, I presented findings at the end of summer at the Summer Research Symposium to the general public and at the National Conference for Undergraduate Research.
Our research was published in the Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics in February 2018.
Catherine Clark & Jennifer Jacobs Henderson (2018) Oh, my god! I CAN FLY!’: female agency in Marvel’s Runaways, Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics, DOI: 10.1080/21504857.2018.1437053
Read the full work here!