Avengers and Philosophy: Earth's Mightiest Thinkers, The by Mark White Page A
Authors: Mark White
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The Avengers and philosophy : Earth’s mightiest thinkers / edited by Mark D. White.
pages cm. — (The Blackwell philosophy and pop culture series; 46)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-118-07457-2 (paper); ISBN 978-1-118-22253-9 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-23645-1 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-26138-5 (ebk)
1. Avengers (Fictitious characters) 2. Comic books, strips, etc.—Moral and ethical aspects. 3. Superheroes in literature. 4. Superhero films—History and criticism. 5. Philosophy in literature. 6. Philosophy in motion pictures. I. White, Mark D., 1971- editor of compilation.
PN6728.A9A93 2012
791.43’652—dc23
2011043329
INTRODUCTION: EARTH’S MIGHTIEST PHILOSOPHERS
If you like superheroes—and you wouldn’t be reading this book if you didn’t—you love superhero teams, and the Avengers are the preeminent team in the Marvel Universe. The best thing about the Avengers is that not only do you get to see all your favorite heroes banding together to defeat formidable threats against incredible odds, but you also get to see them interact both as superheroes and as people. Whether they’re cooped up in Avengers Mansion or exploring the deepest realms of space, you get to see how they work together and play together, both when they get along and when they don’t. That’s what we love about the Avengers, whether in the comics, the animated series, or the feature film—it’s equal parts superhero epic and soap opera.
Just as the Avengers assemble to confront threats no single hero can handle himself or herself, the contributors to The Avengers and Philosophy assembled to discuss a range of topics so broad that no single philosopher could possibly handle it all. Have you ever wondered how the “big three” Avengers—Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor—compare in terms of their moral philosophies? Has the Kree-Skrull War ever made you consider the ethics of war itself? What about the Avengers’ peculiar tendency to welcome former criminals into their ranks, such as Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch? We didn’t forget to ask questions about the great Avengers villains: Can Kang actually go back in time to kill himself? Do we actually admire Norman Osborn and his Dark Avengers? And finally, speaking of soap opera, can the Scarlet Witch and the Vision truly love each other?
No matter what Avengers lineup you prefer, or which Avenger is your favorite, there’s a chapter in The Avengers and Philosophy for you. (Why no Squirrel Girl, you ask? Wait for volume two—it’s all her.) So until Avengers Academy opens a branch near you, this book is the best way to learn from Earth’s Mightiest Philosophers—until we get our own movie, that is!
I would like to thank Bill Irwin for his constant support, encouragement, and hard work on this book and the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture series as a whole; Connie Santisteban at Wiley, who saw this book through from beginning to end; and my fellow contributors, who came through with insights into philosophy and the Avengers I would never have imagined. I also want to give special thanks to Christine Hanefalk, who was incredibly supportive, especially in the stressful final weeks of this project. Finally, I would like to thank all the creators who have made the Avengers shine
For general information about our other products and services, please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at (800) 762-2974, outside the United States at (317) 572-3993 or fax (317) 572-4002.
Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Some content that appears in standard print versions of this book may not be available in other formats. For more information about Wiley products, visit us at www.wiley.com .
The Avengers and philosophy : Earth’s mightiest thinkers / edited by Mark D. White.
pages cm. — (The Blackwell philosophy and pop culture series; 46)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-118-07457-2 (paper); ISBN 978-1-118-22253-9 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-23645-1 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-26138-5 (ebk)
1. Avengers (Fictitious characters) 2. Comic books, strips, etc.—Moral and ethical aspects. 3. Superheroes in literature. 4. Superhero films—History and criticism. 5. Philosophy in literature. 6. Philosophy in motion pictures. I. White, Mark D., 1971- editor of compilation.
PN6728.A9A93 2012
791.43’652—dc23
2011043329
INTRODUCTION: EARTH’S MIGHTIEST PHILOSOPHERS
If you like superheroes—and you wouldn’t be reading this book if you didn’t—you love superhero teams, and the Avengers are the preeminent team in the Marvel Universe. The best thing about the Avengers is that not only do you get to see all your favorite heroes banding together to defeat formidable threats against incredible odds, but you also get to see them interact both as superheroes and as people. Whether they’re cooped up in Avengers Mansion or exploring the deepest realms of space, you get to see how they work together and play together, both when they get along and when they don’t. That’s what we love about the Avengers, whether in the comics, the animated series, or the feature film—it’s equal parts superhero epic and soap opera.
Just as the Avengers assemble to confront threats no single hero can handle himself or herself, the contributors to The Avengers and Philosophy assembled to discuss a range of topics so broad that no single philosopher could possibly handle it all. Have you ever wondered how the “big three” Avengers—Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor—compare in terms of their moral philosophies? Has the Kree-Skrull War ever made you consider the ethics of war itself? What about the Avengers’ peculiar tendency to welcome former criminals into their ranks, such as Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch? We didn’t forget to ask questions about the great Avengers villains: Can Kang actually go back in time to kill himself? Do we actually admire Norman Osborn and his Dark Avengers? And finally, speaking of soap opera, can the Scarlet Witch and the Vision truly love each other?
No matter what Avengers lineup you prefer, or which Avenger is your favorite, there’s a chapter in The Avengers and Philosophy for you. (Why no Squirrel Girl, you ask? Wait for volume two—it’s all her.) So until Avengers Academy opens a branch near you, this book is the best way to learn from Earth’s Mightiest Philosophers—until we get our own movie, that is!
I would like to thank Bill Irwin for his constant support, encouragement, and hard work on this book and the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture series as a whole; Connie Santisteban at Wiley, who saw this book through from beginning to end; and my fellow contributors, who came through with insights into philosophy and the Avengers I would never have imagined. I also want to give special thanks to Christine Hanefalk, who was incredibly supportive, especially in the stressful final weeks of this project. Finally, I would like to thank all the creators who have made the Avengers shine
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