Superhero Grief and the Multiverse of Loss Considerations and Case Studies in Non-Death Loss

Introduction: The Echo of Non-Death Loss: A Personal Story
Cody Thomas Blackbird
Part I: Framing the Work
1.It’s Not All About Thanos – Loss Comes in Many Forms
Darcy L. Harris and Jill A. Harrington
Part II: Loss of Time and Control
2. Personal Blips: Re-emerging from a Loss of Time
Pamela A. Malone and Jill A. Harrington
3. Inability to Change the Past: Loss of Control and Lessons from the Flash and Doctor Strange
Jill A. Harrington, Sharon Strouse, and Kim Burditt Bartlett
4. Thor: The Importance of Self-forgiveness in the Face of Failure
Jakob van Wielink and Leo Wilhelm
5. Non-Death Loss and the Human Condition: The Hulk, Autism, and Mental Health in Conversation
Sara Pula and Alexander D. LaMorie
Part III: Relational Losses
6. Lucifer: Bringing Light to Loss from Family Estrangement 
Jill A. Harrington, Pamela A. Malone, and Debi Jenkins Frankle
7. The Avengers: Loss of Friendship and Trust in a Team
Marnix Reijmerink and Jakob van Wielink
8. Guardians of the Galaxy: The Quest for Calling in the Face of Loss of Belonging
Leo Wilhelm and Jakob van Wielink
9. Black Panther: Losing Faith in Our Fathers
Greg Adams
10. Divorce, Children, and Non-Custodial Parents: Ant-Man and the Quantum Realm of Loss
Jill A. Harrington and Ami Neiberger
11. Luke Skywalker: Adopted Children —Feeling Loved, Feeling Loss
Jill A. Harrington, Karen McSweeney, and Teresa E. Doniger
Part IV: Navigating Losses of Health, Function, Ability
12. Unveiling Stark’s Heart: Loss and Living with Chronic Illness
Debi Jenkins Frankle
13. Hands of a Surgeon: Dr. Stephen Strange and Professional Identity Loss
Noah M. Raizman
14. Black Widow and Non-Death Loss: Bodily Autonomy and Forced Sterilization
Brooke Baker, MacKenzie A. Kibler, and E. Goldblatt Hyatt
15. Professor X and Wolverine: Navigating the Journey of Loss Due to Dementia
Shannon A. Matthews
Part V: Navigating Difference
16. Drax and the Loss of Metaphors - Autism, Grief, and a Parent’s Journey: A Conversation with Jill A. Harrington
Rebecca Morse, Kailey Bradley, and Jill A. Harrington
17. Mutation, Loss, Community, and Love: Non-Finite Losses in the LGBTQ Community
Bradford Leary
Part VI: Transgenerational Loss
18. Zuri's Legacy: Healing Transgenerational Grief and Loss through Spiritual Practice
Raé N. Lundy
19. Luke Cage: Giving Power to the Silenced Grief of Incarceration Loss
Reverend Eric Brewer
20. Journey to Captain America and the Double Consciousness of African American Patriotism
Jillian M. Blueford and Kertesha B. Riley
Part VII: Loss of Beliefs, Purpose, and Meaning
21. Exploring Complex Relational and Spiritual Loss in Superhero Narratives
Brendan Prout
22. Okoye: Lessons from a Warrior on Job Loss, Identity, and Disparities
Jasmine Cobb
23. Loss of A Balanced Life: Am I Wearing the Mask or is It Wearing Me?
Kent Tonkin
24. What Captain America Teaches Us About Non-death Loss and Positive Coping with Grief
Paul T. Bartone and David F. Carey
Part VIII: Superhero Identity and Childhood Trauma
25. Unraveling the Scarlet Threads: Displaced Children, Grief, and What We Can Learn from Wanda Maximoff's Journey
Donna A. Gaffney
26. Shadows in Context: Two-Face, Batman, and Losses Associated with a Traumatic Childhood
Mark Shelvock
27. America Chavez: Navigating Betrayal Trauma, Intersectionality, and Resilience in the Multiverse of Loss
Lauren Cortéz and Diane Diaz
28. The Mandalorian and Fear of Attachment: Loss of the Mask – Din Djarin Allows Himself to Be Seen
Sharon Strouse and Jill A. Harrington
Part IX: Loss of Homeland/Environment
29. The Asian Experiences of Non-Death Loss and the Last Airbender
Yong Hao Ng
30. Wayne Manor and Rebuilding Your Life After the Loss of Your Home
Lindsey Whissel Fenton
31. Wonder Woman: Chosen Migration and Inhabiting a Liminal Space
Maria Georgopoulos and R. Abby Spilka
32. From Poison Ivy to the Justice League: A Psychological Approach to Environmental and     Political Grief
Mark Shelvock
Part X: Mental Health, Addiction, and Loss
33. Addiction and Ambiguous Loss: Tony Stark's Long-Lasting Struggles
Laura Vargas
34. Lost to the Darkness: Wanda Maximoff and the Non-Death Losses of Mental Illness Cheryl H. Dodson and Jill A. Harrington
Part XI: Conclusion
35. Conclusion: From the Multiverse of Loss to Empowerment
Jill A. Harrington 

Biography

Jill A. Harrington, DSW, LCSW, is a former assistant professor of social work at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia, and maintains a small private clinical practice in the Washington, DC, region.

Darcy L. Harris, PhD, RN, RSW, FT, is a professor emeritus of thanatology at King’s University College at Western University in Ontario, Canada, where she also maintains a private clinical practice.

“Superhero Grief and the Multiverse of Loss is a wonderful companion to Superhero Grief. It is a stimulating, erudite, and overwhelmingly enjoyable exploration of non-death losses through the experiences of a wide range of contemporary superheroes. The book is both a delight for students yet scholarly enough to enthrall professionals.”

Kenneth J. Doka, PhD, vice president for grief programs, The Hospice Foundation of America

“Through vivid case studies, psychological insight and creative engagement with iconic characters, this volume validates the pain of disenfranchised grief while revealing its power to transform. Essential for grief scholars, clinicians and anyone whose invisible losses have altered their lives, Superhero Grief and the Multiverse of Loss is an inspiring reminder that from the ruins of what once felt unshakable, we can rise. That grief can be carried, not only as a weight, but as a flame to guide the path ahead.”

Christopher Hall, AM, JP, MA, chief executive officer, Grief Australia

“An insightful and timely contribution to thanatology, Superhero Grief and the Multiverse of Loss provides a deep dive into the realm of non-death losses, long overlooked not only in literature but also in society. The reference to superheroes is both poignant and powerful, honoring the grief of those who support while illuminating the significance of these losses and their ability to shape and even transform the hero’s journey.”

Andrea Warnick, MA, RN, RP, education director, co-owner, and CEO, AWC Grief Support