A common misconception is that professors who use popular culture and fantasy in the classroom have abandoned the classics, yet in a variety of contexts—high school, college freshman composition, senior seminars, literature, computer science, philosophy and politics—fantasy materials can expand and enrich an established curriculum.

The new essays in this book combine analyses of popular television shows including Buffy the Vampire Slayer; such films as The Matrix, The Dark Knight and Twilight; Watchmen and other graphic novels; and video games with explanations of how best to use them in the classroom. With experience-based anecdotes and suggestions for curricula, this collection provides a valuable pedagogy of pop culture.