Unmasking the Fangirl in Superhero Videogames

ABSTRACT Superhero fandom has traditionally had a “boys' club” reputation. However, since the 2010s, grassroots initiatives such as cosplay, fan art, and social media activism have challenged these boundaries, resulting in a wider definition of comic book fandom and better representation of teen girls in comic books and their transmedia extensions. The videogame adaptations Marvel's Avengers (2020) and DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power (2021) represented a transformative moment across popular culture fandoms. Breaking with adaptations that relegated women superheroes to nonplayable characters, these games feature girl characters as heroic, playable protagonists, while also positioned as superhero “fangirls” themselves.