Synopses & Reviews
Superman may not have been the first superhero, but ever since his introduction in
Action Comics #1 in 1938, he has been the model for every superhero to follow. For 75 years Superman has thrilled millions with his adventures in comic books, television shows, and movies. His popularity transcends all borders because he strikes so many universal themes, such as justice and strength, moral responsibility, identity, and the heroic ideals of perfection, goodness, and nobility.
But he also raises significant philosophical dilemmas. If Superman is that good, for example, why does he so often resort to violence? Could Lex Luthor be right in telling us Superman is the real threat to humanity? Is Superman the realization of Nietzsche’s Übermensch—and is that a good or bad thing? And of course, why can’t Lois tell that Clark Kent is really Superman?
Gathering a veritable league of philosophers, Superman and Philosophy addresses all these questions and more. This book will thrill longtime and brand-new fans of Superman alike and will inspire new ways to think about the Man of Steel!
Review
“And this delightfully appealing tome does exactly that…” (Comics Review, 25 April 2013)
Review
"As can be noted from my comments above, any book that will make you think or react makes for an interesting read and ‘Superman And Philosophy’ succeeds in doing that. One should always be glad that Superman sees himself as the good scout otherwise the DC Earth would truly be hell." (
SFCrowsnest.org.uk, 1 June 2013)
“And this delightfully appealing tome does exactly that…” (Comics Review, 25 April 2013)
Review
"This volume proves that 'small is beautiful' and can be significant. In only 136 pages, the late Szasz provides a fascinating account of the depiction of atomic warfare and energy in US and Japanese comics and cartoons. Some of what Szasz reveals is downright scary: the extreme censorship of WW II and the devastating impacts of American nuclear testing and failures. The inclusion of small press comics such as Leonard Rifas's EduComics testifies to the comprehensive nature of this book. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers." Choice magazine; Outstanding Academic Title in 2012
Review
and#147;Charming and sophisticated . . . One might view Atomic Comics through many lenses. To some degree, the book fits in the and#145;researcher studies pop cultureand#8217; category, but it is much too entertainingly--even at times, wryly--written to consign to the academic corner of the library.and#8221; -Bulletin of Atomic Scientists
Review
"...
Atomic Comics: Cartoonists Confront the Nuclear World is
a seminal work identifying the perspective that cartoonists brought to nuclear issues that was to prove enduringly influential upon public opinion--an influence that continues to be felt to this very day." --
Midwest Book Review
"An immensely readable survey of how comic books have sowed fear and excitement ... clearly written and free of the jargon one might expect from an academic press." Pat Padua in blogcritcs.org, 8/15/12
"and#133; Atomic Comics is a useful text, serving as a lucid introduction to the various intersections of popular culture and social issues during the Cold War. In a more general sense, it clearly identifies the ways all manner of popular cultural forms express the ideological conditions of their historical moment, thus serving as a succinct introduction to the study of popular culture and history. Szasz's prose is accessible and jargon-free, friendly to both undergraduate and general readers and the text is filled with images of the works he describes. It could fruitfully appear on undergraduate syllabi in American studies, history, and popular culture courses." Sean Cashbaugh, H-Net Reviews
Review
"Atomic Comics is the 2013 winner of the ALA's and#147;Choice Outand#173;standing Acaand#173;demic Titleand#8221; award. Iand#160;read it in almost one sitting, and if this book is any indiand#173;cation of acaand#173;demic writing, then weand#8217;d all be reading nothing but acaand#173;demic titles. . . . Although weand#8217;ve been living in the atomic age for more than seventy years, many of us are woeand#173;fully lacking in any clear underand#173;standing of what the atom is all about. Szasz is less interand#173;ested in eduand#173;cating the reader about the atom than in telling us about the role comic books played in aand#160;dedand#173;iand#173;cated effort to bring the atomic age, in both fiction and nonand#173;fiction, into the hands of the public and#150; and he does aand#160;bang-??upand#160;job. . . . Szasz writes with an atomic power all his own. This is not aand#160;big book (163 pages, text and notes), but he takes the history of the comic book all the way from its beginning to the twenty-??first century with its atomic events, good and bad. The industryand#8217;s eagerness to educate and entertain in all things atomic will leave readers wishing Szasz had written more. The index alone is worth the price of admission." Bookin' with Sunny
Review
"An excellent resource, as informative and entertaining as one could wish for." blogcritics.org, 7/30/13
Synopsis
He’s thrilled millions for 75 years, with a legacy that transcends national, cultural, and generational borders, but is there more to the Man of Steel than just your average mythic superhero in a cape? The 20 chapters in this book present a fascinating exploration of some of the deeper philosophical questions raised by Superman, the Last Son of Krypton.
- The newest hero in the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture arsenal
- Offers new insights into the characters and themes in the world of Superman from comics, TV, and movies
- Looks at the struggles Superman faces from Smallville to Metropolis, informed by philosophers both ancient and modern
- Release date coincides with the release of Zack Snyder's highly anticipated new film Man of Steel and Superman's 75th anniversary
Drawing from the comics, films, and TV series, Superman and Philosophy will thrill long-time and brand-new fans of Superman alike and will inspire new ways to think about the Man of Steel!
Synopsis
Go beyond the cape and into the mind of the Man of Steel, in time for release of Zack Snyder's Man of Steel movie and Superman's 75th anniversaryHe has thrilled millions for 75 years, with a legacy that transcends national, cultural, and generational borders, but is there more to the Man of Steel than just your average mythic superhero in a cape? The 20 chapters in this book present a fascinating exploration of some of the deeper philosophical questions raised by Superman, the Last Son of Krypton and the newest hero in the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture arsenal.
Synopsis
An examination of the cartoons that helped shape American comprehension of the Atomic Age
Synopsis
The advent of the Atomic Age challenged purveyors of popular culture to explain to the general public the complex scientific and social issues of atomic power. Atomic Comics examines how comic books, comic strips, and other cartoon media represented the Atomic Age from the early 1920s to the present. Through the exploits of superhero figures such as Atomic Man and Spiderman, as well as an array of nuclear adversaries and atomic-themed adventures, the public acquired a new scientific vocabulary and discovered the major controversies surrounding nuclear science. Ferenc Morton Szaszandrsquo;s thoughtful analysis of the themes, content, and imagery of scores of comics that appeared largely in the United States and Japan offers a fascinating perspective on the way popular culture shaped American comprehension of the fissioned atom for more than three generations.
About the Author
Mark D. White is chair of the Department of Political Science, Economics, and Philosophy at the College of Staten Island/CUNY, where he teaches courses in economics, philosophy, and law. He has edited and coedited many books in the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture series, including
Batman and Philosophy,
Watchmen and Philosophy,
Iron Man and Philosophy, and
The Avengers and Philosophy.
William Irwin is Professor of Philosophy at King’s College. He originated the philosophy and popular culture genre of books as coeditor of the bestselling The Simpsons and Philosophy and has overseen recent titles including House and Philosophy, Batman and Philosophy, and Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy.
Table of Contents
Introduction: It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane … It’s Philosophy! 1
Part One The Big Blue Boy Scout: Ethics, Judgment, and Reason 3
1 Moral Judgment: The Power That Makes Superman Human 5
Mark D. White
2 Action Comics! Superman and Practical Reason 16
Brian Feltham
3 Can the Man of Tomorrow Be the Journalist of Today? 26
Jason Southworth and Ruth Tallman
4 Could Superman Have Joined the Third Reich? The Importance and Shortcomings of Moral Upbringing 37
Robert Sharp
Part Two Truth, Justice, and the American Way: What Do They Mean? 47
5 Clark Kent Is Superman! The Ethics of Secrecy 49
Daniel P. Malloy
6 Superman and Justice 61
Christopher Robichaud
7 Is Superman an American Icon? 71
Andrew Terjesen
Part Three The Will to Superpower: Nietzsche, the Übermensch, and Existentialism 83
8 Rediscovering Nietzsche’s Übermensch in Superman as a Heroic Ideal 85
Arno Bogaerts
9 Superman or Last Man: The Ethics of Superpower 101
David Gadon
10 Superman: From Anti-Christ to Christ-Type 111
Adam Barkman
11 Superman Must Be Destroyed! Lex Luthor as Existentialist Anti-Hero 121
Sarah K. Donovan and Nicholas Richardson
Part Four The Ultimate Hero: What Do We Expect from Superman? 131
12 Superman’s Revelation: The Problem of Violence in Kingdom Come 133
David Hatfield
13 A World Without a Clark Kent? 145
Randall M. Jensen
14 The Weight of the World: How Much Is Superman Morally Responsible For? 157
Audrey L. Anton
Part Five Superman and Humanity: A Match Made on Krypton? 169
15 Superman and Man: What a Kryptonian Can Teach Us About Humanity 171
Leonard Finkelman
16 Can the Man of Steel Feel Our Pain? Sympathy and Superman 181
Andrew Terjesen
17 World’s Finest Philosophers: Superman and Batman on Human Nature 194
Carsten Fogh Nielsen
Part Six Of Superman and Superminds: Who Is Superman, Anyway? 205
18 “It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s … Clark Kent?” Superman and the Problem of Identity 207
Nicolas Michaud
19 Superman Family Resemblance 217
Dennis Knepp
20 Why Superman Should Not Be Able to Read Minds 225
Mahesh Ananth
Contributors: Trapped in the Philosophy Zone 237
Index: From Brainiac’s Files 243