American comic films as a tool of USA “soft power” (using Marvel comics as an example)

The paper aims to identify the role of American comic films as one of the most effective tools of “soft power” (using Marvel Studios' comic film adaptations as an example). Currently, it can be noted that the policy pursued by America at the international level is more flexible and focused on interaction with society than on military forces and other means of coercion. For instance, the article examines the concept of “soft power” introduced by the American political scientist and international relations scholar Joseph Nye Jr. The author points out the special role of culture in the functioning of “soft power” along with an analysis of the Marvel superheroes images popular among children and adults, alike and their ability to create an attractive image of the United States for audiences around the world. Furthermore, the article examines how, through the imagery of American superheroes, Marvel films offer three of its core messages to foreign audiences: America as the epicenter of world events, America's messianism and America can go it alone.