WHEN CAP CALLS WHO ASSEMBLES? CONVERSATIONS WITH WOMEN OF COLOR FANS OF THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is the largest grossing franchise in movie history with over 30 movies and 80 years of source material to draw from. However, there is still a lack of diverse representation on screen and behind the camera. This lack of representation is felt amongst fans of the movies as well. Given the majority of fans in the US are White men, non-White fans face unique barriers to participating in MCU fandom. This research investigates the experiences of Women of Color fans of the MCU through semi-structured interviews. How do Women of Color feel about representation of women and Women of Color in the MCU? What are the experiences of these fans within the MCU fandom? This study situates the opinions and experiences of Women of Color fans through the lenses of textual poaching and participatory fan culture to better understand how they engage with the source material. Dramaturgy is also utilized to understand how they felt presenting themselves as a “fan” to others and how they interpret interactions with other fans. Though Women of Color fans felt the lack of representation within the films made participating in fandom spaces with other fans more difficult, they persevered. They found new ways to connect with the source material, pushed back against exclusionary tactics, and built community. More research is needed about Women of Color fans and, as all my respondents mentioned, more Women of Color are needed in positions of power within Hollywood to create more authentic representation on screen.