It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Transmedia Storytelling!

Superman   Photo Credit: DC Comics

Multimedia and transmedia are two very different things indeed. Multimedia is a term that is much older than transmedia, dating back the beginning of the computer age. Multimedia is essentially telling one story with more than one form of media. So for example your Fifty Shades of Grey is the same thing in book form and on the screen. The universe of Grey never expands further from one medium or the other. Transmedia, a term coined by Marsha Kinder in 1991 and later becoming “Transmedia storytelling” by Henry Jenkins is “Literally, across media; more recently, a description of media projects that use multiple platforms (print, film, web, etc.) to communicate an idea, a narrative, or information with greater complexity and dynamic potential than is possible in a single medium” (Rholetter). Of course that is the nice, short, neat answer. Jenkins has written what could be called 10 characteristics of transmedia storytelling. Allow me to explain these characteristics with one of the greatest fictional characters/ franchises of all-time, who stands for truth, justice and the American way, Superman.

First Appearance of Superman
Photo Credit: http://www.tuffgnarl.com/

1. “Transmedia storytelling represents a process where integral elements of a fiction get dispersed systematically across multiple delivery channels for the purpose of creating a unified and coordinated entertainment experience. Ideally, each medium makes its own unique contribution to the unfolding of the story”(Jenkins). Superman which initially started as a comic in 1938 as appearing in the first issue of Action Comics quickly became a national phenomenon sweeping the nation making his way to radio, books and film. Which each one delivering something different from the others.

2. “Transmedia storytelling reflects the economics of media

The Many Forms of Superman
Photo Credit: DCentertainment.com

consolidation or what industry observers call “synergy.” Modern media companies are horizontally integrated – that is, they hold interests across a range of what were once distinct media industries.A media conglomerate has an incentive to spread its brand or expand its franchises across as many different media platforms as possible.” (Jenkins). Superman back in his early days really had just one company to deal with, Detective Comics. It was up to them to “outsource” work to other studios that they felt was best to do business with. Like with the old Max Fleischer cartoons. Today things are much different with media conglomerates. Warner Brothers owns DC as well as their own television and movie studios thus having Superman go multi-platform in house.

Fan art Justice League Poster
Photo Credit: justkillingti.me

 3. “Most often, transmedia stories are based not on individual characters or specific plots but rather complex fictional worlds which can sustain multiple interrelated characters and their stories. This process of world-building encourages an encyclopedic impulse in both readers and writers.” (Jenkins) Over the last few years Marvel has begun interweaving their films and comics and setting them all in the same universe with characters appearing in films of other characters hence creating continuity between films and allowing the consumer to get something new by watching a previous film or another film by the same studio allowing the viewer to learn information otherwise not known. By watching the single film on it’s own. DC has begun to follow suit by rebooting Superman with Man of Steel” and the widely anticipated Batman Vs Superman. While it is still early to tell whether this will be as successful as the so-called Marvel Universe, DC already has plans for Wonder Woman (2017), Justice League (2017), The Flash (2018), Aquaman (2018) thus creating what is known as the “Expanded DC Universe.”

4. “Extensions may serve a variety of different functions.” (Jenkins) For example, DC used radio

Promotional Newspaper
Photo Credit: http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/

dramas to maintain audience interest in Superman during World War II when Jerry Siegel was drafted and comic production was slowed. The extension may flesh out aspects of the fictional world (as in the web version of the Daily Planet published each week by DC comics during the run of its 52 series to “report” on the events occurring across its superhero universe.

5. “Transmedia storytelling practices may expand the potential market for a property by creating different points of entry for different audience segments.” (Jenkins) For example, DC produced a comic spun off the original about the the origin/childhood of Superman called Superboy, which was aimed for the younger audience interested in seeing the Man of Steel as a child, or for ever younger readers (coloring book or picture book versions of the classic comicbook stories ). Today, you can go to any comic shop and see sections with comics specficially targeted at young children varying drastically from the regular comics.

 6. “Ideally, each individual episode must be accessible on its own terms even as it makes a unique contribution to the narrative system as a whole. Game designer Neil Young coined the term, “additive comprehension,” to refer to the ways that each new texts adds a new piece of information which forces us to revise our understanding of the fiction as a whole.” (Jenkins) In other words each addition of media to the franchise has to be able to make it as its own, provide new insight to the story and fit in as part of a larger picture. During the first run of the Superman Radio show in 1940, Batman would make the first of many appearances in Superman’s Universe. This would be the beginning of the idea of continuity across comic universes even if it was a marketing ploy at the time.

Superman: The Animated Series Poster
Photo Credit: toonami.wikia.com/

7. “Because transmedia storytelling requires a high degree of coordination across the different media sectors, it has so far worked best either in independent projects where the same artist shapes the story across all of the media involved or in projects where strong collaboration (or co-creation) is encouraged across the different divisions of the same company.” (Jenkins) As mentioned previously in number two DC has stakes in all forms of media. Therefore, the coordination to create a game, comic, novel, film, and television series to all interconnect is much easier. Hence today there is Supergirl on television, the Superman movies, the comics, video games and so on. For example Superman: Shadow of Apokolips and Superman: Coutdown to Apokolips are based heavily on Superman: The Animated Series.

8. “A transmedia text does not simply disperse information: it provides a set of roles and goals which

Nashville Comic Con                 Photo Credit: Zambio.com

readers can assume as they enact aspects of the story through their everyday life. We might see this performative dimension at play with the release of action figures which encourage children to construct their own stories about the fictional characters or costumes and role playing games which invite us to immerse ourselves in the world of the fiction.” (Jenkins) In the world of comics in general there is an immense amount of creativity among fans to write their own stories or dress up as their favorite superheroes. In fact there is a convention just for this sort of thing called Comic Con where people go all out. Superman, at least early Superman for me represented someone I wanted to be. He is a role model for and a symbol of hope for the weak and oppressed. Kids and adults alike pretend to Superman and many at times wish they could be Superman.

The last two rules are a little repetitive and reiterate some of the stuff I’ve already talked about so I won’t go over them. By looking at these rules and the history of Superman you can see how important transmedia storytelling is to the franchise right from the very beginning .Even before the first official appearance of Superman creators, Jerome Shuster and Jerry Siegel were still working all the kinks out in the Superman universe pitching one concept and then another before going back to their original Superman idea with slight modifications. It is interesting to note that in the early days of Superman, Shuster and Siegel had to minimize the amount of detail and backstory in their Superman comics, for fear of disinterest in the stories. The world of Superman as we know him today would not appear until the 1950’s or so. Anyway, for the first few years of Superman the universe was pretty simple. He was constrained to the comics and stories consisted mostly of simple plots of gangsters and criminals. He quickly gained popularity and soon his universe would coincide with our beginning the expansion of the Superman universe and his own transmedia exploration. Superman could be seen championing the war effort. He made his way over to the newspapers appearing in strips supporting enlistment to the military and other wartime causes. He also appeared in Look magazine in a piece showing him winning the war singlehandedly. In 1940 Superman first made it to the radio airwaves giving us radio dramas of America’s favorite hero. The show ended in 1942 but a new radio program called “Adventures of Superman” began introducing Superman fans to new ideas, some which were scrapped, by Siegel and Shuster during their days of pitching the “man of steel.” Out of this came Kryptonite, the mysterious substance from Superman’s home planet of Krypton that depletes him of his powers. This would be the beginning of the expansion of the Superman universe and series long arcs. As time goes on we are met with many arcs that we know and have become a part of superman culture today, i.e. Lois suspecting Clark Kent is Superman and the introduction of super villains. Superman made his theatrical debut in 1942 in the first of 18 Max Fleischer animated shorts. It was clear Superman was everywhere and in 1943 a novelization simply titled “Superman”, which turned out to be more than just the story of Superman as prose. Author George Lowther, made some slight variations to the original origin story of Superman, some of the changes stuck around, others didn't fair so well. While examining this very short period of time it is important to note how important how each type of media told us something different about Superman. Even the origin story was never consistent between mediums but we are able to get a better understanding of Superman. The 50’s saw the universe get even more advanced with the writing of more details in the Superman story and with the addition of new characters. Of course Superman would make his way to television in the 1950’s and later to films in 1970’s. Superman has thrived for 77 years and wouldn’t be where he is today without transmedia story telling.

Credit: DC Comics

Notes:

1. Weldon, Glen. Superman : The Unauthorized Biography. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley, 2013. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 13 Nov. 2015.

 

2. Jenkins, Henry. "Transmedia Storytelling 101." Confessions of an AcaFan. Web. 11 Nov. 2015. 

3. Rholetter, Wylene. "Transmedia Storytelling." Research Starters: Education (Online Edition) (2015): Research Starters. Web. 11 Nov. 2015.