Ashleigh Prosser

The concept of mutation has transcended its scientific origins to become a powerful metaphor in media and popular culture for transformation, adaptation, and fear of the unknown. From the genetic mutations of Marvel’s X-Men superheroes to the biological horror of the infected in The Last of Us, representations of mutation in popular culture often serve as a means to challenge our understanding of the boundaries of the human condition and what it means to be ‘human’...

Popular culture studies provide a unique perspective on the intricate intersections of sociopolitical, economic, and artistic contexts that shape our identities and experiences, as reflected in the media and cultural landscape. The Australasian Journal of Popular Culture Studies (AJPC) aims to understand the diverse forms and narratives of popular culture that influence our identities over time. This issue features six articles that offer a scholarly examination of contemporary popular culture studies, with topics including the cultural history of aviation at Australia’s most famous beach, theatrical reimaginings of Shakespeare via Western Australia’s ‘Bogan’ culture, and critical analyses of character and genre in television, film and true crime. The issue concludes with two book reviews of recent scholarly monographs and one film review of the recently released remake of Nosferatu (2024). Collectively, this issue underscores the importance of context in popular culture studies, with contributions spanning across the globe, highlighting the field’s broad scope and interdisciplinary nature.

In this editorial, the editors introduce the 12.2 volume of The Australasian Journal of Popular Culture. The dynamic and interdisciplinary nature of the field is discussed with reference to the collection of articles within the volume, highlighting the malleability of popular culture in all its transdisciplinary forms. The editors provide a summary of the seven articles included in the volume, which collectively represent diverse critical discussions of the field across sociopolitical, socioeconomic and sociocultural artistic realms. The articles examine the evolving realms of the monstrous, the mythic, the heroic and the historical through various mediums like television, film, characters and historical moments. The editors then conclude by offering a summary of the three book reviews included in the volume.

In our twenty-first century context, we tell stories through the foods we eat, the images we share, the people we follow on social media, the shows we watch and the music we listen to. From film to television, from Twitter accounts to the latest fandom trend, popular culture provides us with channels through which our narratives of everyday can transform from immaterial notions to very material and tangible objects of consumption. At the centre of our ways of storytelling lies the formation of our identities. This editorial introduces a Special Issue of the Australasian Journal of Popular Culture that is focused on exploring the many complex intersections between storytelling, identity and popular culture.