‘I can work with this!’: Teaching close reading with Doug Murphy’s True Colors

This article explores the educational potential of Doug Murphy’s animated short film True Colors (2017), focusing on its use of pink kryptonite as a catalyst for conversations regarding gender norms and identity. The film includes the brief but meaningful transformation of Superman into a woman, making it an ideal lens for examining the perpetuation and critique of gender stereotypes in superhero media. While the film portrays Superman as being equally capable regardless of sex it nevertheless reinforces stereotypes for female superheroes through visual tropes including lipstick and high heels – appearance-related accoutrements that, in fact, have been reclaimed by third-wave feminists. This article argues for the value of the film as a text for developing close reading skills, especially in the first-year undergraduate classroom, and reveals how it can profitably engage students in thinking about identity, visual storytelling and cultural norms. Finally, it weighs in on both the potential and the limitations of short films for enabling open and critical discussions about progressiveness.