CONTENTS
Introduction: Earth’s Mightiest Philosophers
Part One: What Would an Avenger Do?
Chapter 1: Superhuman Ethics Class with the Avengers Prime
The Utilitarian Iron Man
Captain America: Duty above all Else
Convicted Heroes
Verily, a Fine Segue!
Ethicists Assemble!
Chapter 2: Shining the Light on the Dark Avengers
Plato and the Ancient Greek Avengers
Does Might Make Right?
Are the Dark Avengers Evil or Simply Bold?
No One Needs to Know
Being Just
Just How Dark are the Dark Avengers?
Chapter 3: The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Family
Of Father and Ultron
Sometimes the Apples Do Fall Far from the Tree
Journey to the Center of the Ant
The Ties that Bind
The Torch is Passed
Sins of the Father?
Let there be an Ending!
Part Two: Who is an Avenger?
Chapter 4: Superhero Identity: Case Studies in the Avengers
It’s all about Bodies, Right?
I like you for your Mind, Honest
Unmasking the Mantle Theory of Superhero Identity
Case Study 1: The Supersoldier
Case Study 2: Pym Particles
Are you the Next Goliath?
Chapter 5: I am Made of Ink: She-Hulk and Metacomics
What is a Metacomic?
Your Cover is Blown, Jen
“There’s a Reader Out There Now!”
Gutter-Hoppin’ and More Amazing Stories
Don’t Make the She-Hulk Angry . . .
What are the She-Hulk’s Powers?
Maybe Jen’s Reading this Chapter Right Now
Chapter 6: The Self-Corruption of Norman Osborn: A Cautionary Tale
Osborn’s Oratory and the Dark Reign
The Split Osborn Identity
Wag the Goblin
Hoist by his Own Petard
Part Three: Should the Avengers Do More Than Avenge?
Chapter 7: Forgivers Assemble!
Time Travel, Retcons, and Forgiveness
Can Cap Forgive the Rest of his Kooky Quartet?
Who will Forgive the Mutants?
Forgive Me!
Forgiveness in the House Of M
The Paradox of Forgiveness
Avengers, Forgive!
Chapter 8: Gods, Beasts, and Political Animals: Why the Avengers Assemble
Assembling for Necessity or Perfection?
Elementary Greek Lessons (Approved by the Comics Code)
Ms.-Sing her Friends
Getting her Arête Together
The Original Irredeemable Ant-Man
Neither Gods nor Beasts But Political Animals
Chapter 9: Cap’s Kooky Quartet: Is Rehabilitation Possible?
Can an Archer Change his Trick Arrows?
Finding a Balance with Hawkeye
Maybe it Really is in the Blood
Old Dogs and New Tricks
Avenging or Saving?
Hope for the Future?
Avengers Rehabilitate!
Part Four: Do the Avengers Ever Go Too Far?
Chapter 10: Fighting the Good Fight: Military Ethics and the Kree-Skrull War
Entry Point to the Kree-Skrull War
There’s an Intergalactic War Going on and You’re Invited
Was Ronan in the Right?
Those Sneaky Skrulls
Tortured Logic
And the war Rages on
Chapter 11: Secrets and Lies: Compromising the Avengers’ Values for the Good of the World
Figuring out the Rules
Occulting the Truth
Sorcerer Supreme Emergency
Shhhhh—Avengers Assemble (in Secret)!
Being Wikileaked On
“This is the Kind of Thing that is Going to Bite US in the Butt”
Chapter 12: The Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D.: The Problem with Proactive Superheroics
The Ultimates, the Avengers, and Nick Fury’s S.H.I.E.L.D.
Red and Gold Helicarriers?
I Didn’t Mean it, Honest
This Changes Everything (Until it Changes Back)
But I Want to Help!
Captain America’s mighty S.H.I.E.L.D. . . . Well, Sort Of
Part Five: What Kind of World do the Avengers Live In?
Chapter 13: Can Kang Kill his Past Self? The Paradox of Time Travel
The Science of Bending Time
Breaking Time
Building a Time Machine
Closed Timelike Kang
Time to End
Chapter 14: “No Other Gods Before Me”: God, Ontology, and Ethics in the Avengers’ Universe
God, the One-Who-Is-Above-All—or “Stan,” For Short
“Gods are a Bit Different”
Ontology Comics #1
Does Godliness Imply Goodness?
Equal Opportunity—for Deities?
Chapter 15: Love Avengers Style: Can an Android Love a Human?
What is Love, Anyway?
Friends, Lovers, and Significant Others
Unreciprocated Love
“No Sister of Mine May Become Involved with a—a—a Robot!”
Love: American Style
Chapter 16: The Way of the Arrow: Hawkeye Meets the Taoist Masters
Don’t Try So Hard, Clint
When is a Butcher Like an Archer?
Hawkeye, Humble?
The Life and Death of a Hero
The Way of the Archer
Appendix: Why are there Four Volumes of Avengers?
Contributors: Avengers Academy
Index: From Jarvis’s Secret Files
The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series
Series Editor: William Irwin
South Park and Philosophy
Edited by Robert Arp
Metallica and Philosophy
Edited by William Irwin
Family Guy and Philosophy
Edited by J. Jeremy Wisnewski
The Daily Show and Philosophy
Edited by Jason Holt
Lost and Philosophy
Edited by Sharon Kaye
24 and Philosophy
Edited by Jennifer Hart Weed, Richard Davis, and Ronald Weed
Battlestar Galactica and Philosophy
Edited by Jason T. Eberl
The Office and Philosophy
Edited by J. Jeremy Wisnewski
Batman and Philosophy
Edited by Mark D. White and Robert Arp
House and Philosophy
Edited by Henry Jacoby
Watchmen and Philosophy
Edited by Mark D. White
X-Men and Philosophy
Edited by Rebecca Housel and J. Jeremy Wisnewski
Terminator and Philosophy
Edited by Richard Brown and Kevin Decker
Heroes and Philosophy
Edited by David Kyle Johnson
Twilight and Philosophy
Edited by Rebecca Housel and J. Jeremy Wisnewski
Final Fantasy and Philosophy
Edited by Jason P. Blahuta and Michel S. Beaulieu
Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy
Edited by Richard Brian Davis
Iron Man and Philosophy
Edited by Mark D. White
True Blood and Philosophy
Edited by George Dunn and Rebecca Housel
Mad Men and Philosophy
Edited by James South and Rod Carveth
30 Rock and Philosophy
Edited by J. Jeremy Wisnewski
The Ultimate Harry Potter and Philosophy
Edited by Gregory Bassham
The Ultimate Lost and Philosophy
Edited by Sharon Kaye
Green Lantern and Philosophy
Edited by Jane Dryden and Mark D. White
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Philosophy
Edited by Eric Bronson
Arrested Development and Philosophy
Edited by Kristopher Phillips and J. Jeremy Wisnewski
Inception and Philosophy
Edited by David Johnson
The Big Lebowski and Philosophy
Edited by Peter S. Fosl
Spider-Man and Philosophy
Edited by Jonathan Sanford
The Big Bang Theory and Philosophy
Edited by Dean Kowalski
The Hunger Games and Philosophy
Edited by George Dunn and Nicolas Michaud
Game of Thrones and Philosophy
Edited by Henry Jacoby
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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?