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Jeff McLaughlin, Comics as Philosophy (Jackson: UP of Mississippi, 2005). 246 pp. ISBN 1-57806-794-4 (paperback, £12.50)
Comics as Philosophy compiles 11 essays with the task of revealing 'how the issues and questions that philosophers deal with can be found not just in some remote branch of academia but in unassuming and easily accessible places' (xi) - such 'places' here, as the title implies, taking the specific form of comic strips. Throughout the 11 chapters, a number of philosophical theories are expounded, their various elements illustrated in the content of a range of American mainstream strips. The title Comics as Philosophy perhaps slightly underestimates the scope of this collection, as in addition to discussions of existentialism, environmental and political philosophy and the Platonic dialogues, the work also contains essays connecting issues of censorship, literary theory and social commentary to the comics genre.
The introduction to the work, written by editor Jeff McLaughlin, briefly notes the content of each of the 11 essays which are to follow and whilst not stated explicitly, immediately one thing is very clear: the work is plainly aimed at an American reading audience. Six of the 11 essays connect their philosophical themes directly to the superhero comics produced by US publishing giants Marvel and DC, most doing so with a certain presupposition of the reader's general familiarity with the characters, their connections to each other and their histories. One essay of the 11 provides a nod...