Joss Whedon Versus the Corporation: Big Business Critiqued in the Films and Television Programs

Joss Whedon may be primarily known for his numerous films and television series that feature villainous vampires, angry gods, and even bloggers who wish to rule the world, but what connects much of his work is the constant presence of a particular type of antagonist: the corporation. In this study of Whedon's work, from his early days as story editor for Roseanne to his relationship with Marvel, I trace his use of corporate culture as the primary antagonist under which all of his protagonists struggle, from the fast food horrors in Buffy and Roseanne, to the corporate-funded technology used in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers films, followed by an extensive case study of the multifaceted (and difficult to defeat) Rossum Corporation in Dollhouse. The proliferation of corporate actors allows Whedon and his team to provide explicit sociopolitical commentary on a real world in which corporations wield enormous control.