The Quantum Gaze in Graphic Narrative and Fan Culture Background: The “Quantum Gaze” refers to the idea that the gendered gaze, as theorized by Laura Mulvey can be subverted when the object of the gaze may or may not be mulSple things at once. This idea relies on the physical principle of the superposiSon of states –the fact that electrons are literally not fixed in posiSon unless they are under observaSon. (Figure 1).
Figure 2 Spidermen (copyright Marvel Comics)
Many electrons, each in one predictable place Uranium atom by Dinsey Studios in Our Friend the Atom (1957)
(Images copyrighted by VerSgo Comics)
Superheroes: Superhero comics acSvely superposiSon states. Examples of this include the DC MulSverse and “Otherworlds” as well as various alternaSve universes. These circumstances draw on a long tradiSon of playing with the idea of parallel universes in popular forms (Star Trek is a notable example). The idea of “quantum” is important in the Discworld books, where it plays varying roles.
One electron probably here somewhere but possibly anywhere else Hydrogen atom from a seminar by Carlos Plaza for the American Welding Society
Theory: In film, the quantum gaze operates when certain characters or enSSes are outside of the frame (DeTora 2010). In fan culture and graphic narraSves, the superposiSon of states is more conceptual, at the level of secondorder significaSon in semioSc theory. However, many graphic narraSves also literalize this superposiSon.
Addi:onal Superposi:ons: VerSgo’s imprint Fables, by Bill Willingham, illustrates superposiSon of the idenSSes and forms of various characters (Figures 4-6). For example, the Big Bad Wolf and his cubs combine air, animal and human. Figure 4: The Cubs
Figure 1: “Classic” and “quantum” electrons
Fan Culture: As depicted on Big Bang Theory, many fans consider quanSSes such as “Spiderman” to be meaningless unless pinned down, because “Spiderman” represents a huge constellaSon of characters and stories. Spiderman is of further interest, because his race is unclear unless the specific Spiderman is idenSfied (Figure 2).
Figure 3 Superman (Infinite Crisis) (copyright DC Comics)
Lisa DeTora, WSC
Fables consists of 150 original issues, plus mulSple spin offs, novels, and short stories. These books are set in a fabulous mulSverse that crosses over into the “mundane world,” a situaSon that becomes complicated when some of the Fables go to Hollywood. Characters cross over within and between these books, creaSng mulSple opportuniSes for superposiSon. Figure 6: Forms of the big bad wolf
Figure 5: Some states of Rose Red
In Fables, all characters must manage not only their different roles and forms within the narraSve, but also mulSple references to their other/original and Disney versions as understood in the “mundane” world. Characters like Snow White and Rose Red are amalgams of various popular representaSons as well as the original fairy tale sources.
Conclusions:
• SuperposiSon of states is a useful model for reading significaSon in various popular sources • This quantum gaze operates differently in staSc forms like comics compared with dynamic forms like film