Disability

Disabilities have been a defining characteristic for several notable comic book characters. Daredevil is blind, Professor X is unable to use his legs, and Hawkeye is deaf–a trait notably ignored in the Avengers films. These disabilities have been used by writers to provide a counterpoint to the superhuman abilities of heroes, a way to explore the range of their incredible powers and also their very human limitations. While still an ongoing part of many superhero stories, comics have moved toward examining the experiences and perspectives of disabled characters operating in a world not built for them. Professor X is given an advanced hover chair to address his lack of mobility in a regular wheelchair and El Deafo (2014) tells the semi-autobiographical story of a young deaf girl who comes to see her disability as a superpower. As comics have a legacy of telling stories about the hope for the normalization and acceptance of those who are different, as well as their all too often frequent rejection by society, disability narratives have found a place within the pages of comics. The comics in this exhibit show how creators use comics to ask how special abilities or the lack of what are considered regular abilities can define, limit, and also expand the horizons of characters in the modern world.