Discussing the real life ramifications of superheroes and the inventions of superheroes.
First date taught: 25 April 2023
9B – Local Hero
Theme: The attraction of superheroes.
canon (n) : all the writings or other works known to be by a particular person; a book, TV show, film, etc. that its fans (= people who like it very much) use to base their own stories, activities, etc. on
world-building (n) – the act of creating an imaginary world in a book, film, computer game, etc., so that it appears to be real
fan-fiction / fanfic – stories written about TV, film, or book characters by their fans (= people who admire them), or an example of such a story
mashup (n) – a type of medium (typically recorded music or video) that consists of parts of different songs or images or other medium that have been combined
Example: He specializes in making comic adaptations of literature classics, producing a mashup of high and low cultures.
Marvel Universe
DC Universe
collaborations / collab (n) – a situation in which two or more people work together to create, achieve, or promote (= encourage people to buy or use) something
Example: By doing a YouTube collab, two relatively isolated audiences are introduced to the other’s content.
will-they-won’t-they (n.ph.) – Of or pertaining to a potential coupling between two people who share romantic chemistry, but whose relationship is threatened by uncertainty, external obstacles or internal strife.
love interest (n) – a character whose main role in a story or film is that of a lover of the central character
romantic tension – the tension and chemistry created when two love interests interact and grow closer in your story
reboot (v) – to start something again or do something again, in a way that is new and interesting
Example: With his new movie he reboots the classic Western.
film adaptation – the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dialogic process
manga (n) – Japanese comic books that tell stories in pictures
comic book (n) – a magazine or book that contains a set of stories told in pictures with a small amount of writing
graphic novels (n) – a book containing a long story told mostly in pictures but with some writing
modernize (v) – to make something more modern
brutality (n) – behaviour that is very cruel or violent and showing no feelings for others, or an act of this type
vigilantism (n) – the practice of ordinary people in a place taking unofficial action to prevent crime or to catch and punish people believed to be criminals
vigilante justice (n) – the actions of a single person or group of people who claim to enforce the law but lack the legal authority to do so
they think they are above the law
the ends justify the means (idiom) – said about a situation in which the final aim is so important that any way of achieving it is acceptable
copaganda (n) – a form of propaganda used to describe depictions of police in a positive (or excessively positive) light while obscuring negative qualities, most often through mass media, with the intent of swaying public opinion for the benefit of law enforcement
Examples: Dragnet, Law & Order
comic-con (n) – A comic book convention (one day event) or comic-con is a fan convention with a primary focus on comic books and comic book culture, in which comic book fans gather to meet creators, experts, and each other. Commonly, comic conventions are multi-day events hosted at convention centers, hotels, or college campuses.
cosplay (n) – the hobby of dressing as and pretending to be a character from a film, TV programme, comic book, etc.
Example: This Star Trek tunic is perfect for cosplay or conventions.
frontline workers – employees within essential industries who must physically show up to their jobs; employees who provide an essential service or key public service.
medical workers during the pandemic
public servants (n) – a government employee
superhuman abilities (adj) – exceeding normal human power, size, or capability
“leaping tall buildings in a single bound”
judge, jury and executioner (idiom) – means they are in charge of every decision made, and they have the power to be rid of whomever they choose
echo chamber (n) – a situation in which people only hear opinions of one type, or opinions that are similar to their own
lynch mob / lynching (n) – If a crowd of people lynch someone who they believe is guilty of a crime, they kill them without a legal trial, usually by hanging (= killing using a rope round the neck)
complicit (adj) – involved in or knowing about a crime or some activity that is wrong
lawlessness (n) – behaviour that is illegal or not controlled by laws
tights (n) [A2] – a piece of clothing made of very thin material that tightly covers the feet, legs, and lower part of the body below the waist, often worn under skirts and dresses
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Attribution: Image by kues1 on Freepik
English With Dixie 