Reconceptualizing superwork for improved access to popular cultural objects

Abstract

In the context of popular culture, a successful work or a work with broad cultural or scientific impact often prompts the publication of many derivative works across multiple formats and by multiple creators, works that share elements with the original work such as topics, characters or universes. We argue for reconceputalization of the “Superwork” entity to aggregate these relevant works into a single bibliographic entity about which facts in the form of metadata, exploitable by library users, can be recorded. In this paper, we aim to conduct a deeper investigation of the superwork concept and establish an initial definition for and some boundaries of the concept. In order to further develop the idea of superwork, we provide a prominent example and explain different characteristics of superwork identified via entity analysis. We conclude by discussing examples showcasing the multiple challenges for conceptualizing and representing superwork.

The representation of a multimedia franchise as a single entity: contrasting existing bibliographic entities with web-based Superwork portrayals

“…Kiryakos et al (2017) performed preliminary work on exploring the relationships between related entities in a multimedia franchise and the inability for existing entities to properly describe them. This work was continued in Lee et al (2018) with the researchers contrasting the Superwork concept with existing entities and attempting to define its properties and characteristics. The concept of the Superwork is similar to the one presented here, and this paper continues the work put forth in these previous two studies.…”

“…For this study, the main point of interest is how FRBR OO attempts to define and clarify the work concept as defined in FRBR. Though (Lee et al, 2018;Vukadin, 2014;Tallerås et al, 2018;Kiryakos & Sugimoto, 2019) has suggested that the FRBR OO Complex Work may be suitable for representing a Superwork-like entity, a comparison between Complex Work and Superwork as we have defined it is worth carrying out.…”

“…Based on the documentation, Complex Work appears to have utility in representing distinct series or other sub-units within a franchise, rather than the entire franchise itself. These findings were echoed in Lee et al (2018), stating that the Japanese TV animation series Mobile Suit Gundam may be conceptualized as a Complex Work, but it is more difficult to make this claim for the whole Gundam franchise to which the show belongs. Though Vukadin was more accepting of the use of Complex Work, she stopped short of saying it could be used as a franchise-level entity, instead stating that it provides support for the bibliographic modeling of transmedia relationships.…”

“…As Superwork is meant to represent a fairly high level of abstraction, a concern is whether a Superwork is in fact an entity, or is instead a type of subject. In attempting to define Superwork, Lee et al (2018) faced a similar challenge and questioned whether what they referred to as a Superwork "was not better conceptualized as a kind of super-topic" (p. 6) similar to a Group 3 entity in FRBR. The issue with treating the Superwork as a subject was mainly a practical one: as subjects are typically the domain of various authorities (e.g., LCSH, NDLSH) "implementation would mean the insertion of countless new subject terms based on each franchise" (p. 6).…”

“…If FRBR Work and FRBR OO Complex Work are not representative of franchise-level entities, it is worth examining what types of existing entities more closely resemble Superwork as it is envisioned in this paper. Lee et al (2018) use the example of the Gundam franchise to illustrate a Superwork. Gundam refers to the Japanese science fiction / mecha multimedia franchise that began in 1979 with the animated TV series Mobile Suit Gundam, and has since spawned numerous other TV series, films, manga, novels, plastic figures, large real-life statues, etc.…”