*Action Philosophers — Recommended
- Posted by Johanna on August 2, 2006 at 8:30 am
- Category: Graphic Novel Reviews
- CREDITS: by Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey
- PUBLISHER: Evil Twin Comics; $6.95 US
Action Philosophers makes the history of philosophy fun. Profiles cover nine figures — Plato, Bodhidharma (inventor of both Zen Buddhism and Kung Fu), Nietzsche, Jefferson, Saint Augustine, Ayn Rand, Freud, Jung, and Joseph Campbell — using the vocabulary, both visual and verbal, of action-adventure comics.
Exaggerations and modern language are used to make points in memorable fashion. Characters have plenty of attitude, making long-dead historical figures easier to relate to from the modern perspective. For instance, the Pythagoreans become more understandable when described as “math hippies”, and the image of Greek baths as populated by the Village People is hilarious. The section on Augustine is darn near indescribable visually, what with characters that variously resemble Japanese fighting robots, Jack Kirby’s New Gods, and the Smurfs.
The creators aren’t above stepping in, when necessary, punctuating a section on Buddhist beliefs about how everything, even art, is subjective and untrustworthy with their apologies. Later, the artist is attacked by Isaac Newton during the Jefferson segment for resorting to visual cliché. There are also distinct perspectives expressed, as when Jefferson is taken to task for hypocrisy regarding equality or when those who respected Nietzsche’s ideas are insulted. I had no idea that Ayn Rand had movie business connections, and I finally understand what objectivism claims, which should come in handy the next time I try to read a Ditko comic.
There’s a lot of energy and a healthy skepticism towards belief systems. That attitude, not taking anything as writ in stone, is necessary to make it all so funny. Too much respect would be deadly dull. That humor carries ideas so effectively that the reader will likely be surprised by how much he retains about key movements in philosophy. This book blends fictional techniques and non-fictional content to create an enjoyable “only in comics” form of entertainment.
Additional issues, after the collection, cover Karl Marx, Machiavelli, and a Kabbalistic rabbi (The Action Philosophers World Domination Handbook) and Descartes, Sartre, and Derrida (Action Philosophers Hate the French). Popular culture allusions abound, with the Machiavelli story taking it to the extreme, homaging Calvin & Hobbes, Hero of the Beach, the Justice League, and Richie Rich, among others. Marx as Rambo is oddly involving. Derrida is mind-blowing, as the creators deconstruct their own story as they tell it. The short recommended reading section nicely sums up his philosophy as the unforgettable “annoying five-year-old of Western thought”.
The book’s website has a bibliography, previews, and more. The writer and artist also have websites.
August 2, 2006 at 8:42 AM
ACTION PHILOSPHERS is quite possibly my favorite serial comic of the past year.
August 2, 2006 at 4:08 PM
Sounds utterly fantastic–and will fit right in with all the re-reading I’ve been doing lately of Shanower’s AGE OF BRONZE, Gonnick’s various HISTORies, and Morrison’s DOOM PATROL! Are there any plans to collect the “World Domination” and “Hate the French” issues?
August 3, 2006 at 3:38 PM
Are there any plans to collect the “World Domination” and “Hate the French” issues?
I think Fred and Ryan do plan to collect later issues in due course, but those two issues–unlike the earlier ones collected in the tpb–are still in print and available (from the website even if not at the local comics shoppe).
Even if you kinda prefer book formats (and, I’m a bibliophile, so I understand that sentiment) Action Philosophers is well worth buying in comic book form. IMO, of course…
August 4, 2006 at 6:49 AM
I agree. The collection is bare-bones, a straight reprint of the issues, so I lean towards the issues, where possible. Each issue has so much to teach the reader and so much fun that reading too many at once can be overwhelming.
I’m looking forward to the next issue, The People’s Choice, soon.
September 16, 2006 at 9:08 AM
[...] There are very few series I want to follow in serialized stapled form any more, but Action Philosophers is one of them. The latest issue, It’s All Greek to You (Evil Twin Comics, AUG06 3286, $2.95), has the typical three stories, this time covering Aristotle, the Pre-Socratics, and Epictetus the Stoic. [...]
May 11, 2007 at 7:45 AM
[...] Action Philosophers comes to a well-deserved conclusion with issue #9 (MAY07 3442, $2.95). I loved their announcement of the end and their new plans, because it was in keeping with the tone and appeal of the comic, with fake quotes from philosophers that added up to funny. Entertaining press releases are more memorable and thus better for getting your message out. Ones that are entertaining in the same way as your comic are even better. [...]
January 19, 2008 at 7:42 AM
[...] never ever going to read anything by Ayn Rand (I learned everything I wanted to know about her when Action Philosophers wrote her up), so this seems like an easy way to figure out why people still love or hate her work. [...]
November 27, 2008 at 6:56 PM
[...] Written by Greg Pak (whose work I loved in the already-forgotten Warlock) and Fred Van Lente (Action Philosophers, Comic Book Comics) with art by Khoi Pham with Paul Neary and others, this first storyline cleans [...]
June 18, 2009 at 7:18 AM
[...] Book Comics #2,3 written by Fred Van Lente, art by Ryan Dunlavey, published by Evil Twin Comics Action Philosophers made me a devotee of Evil Twin Comics. This new series is just as good. This is the best [...]
December 7, 2009 at 2:19 AM
[...] Draper Carlson (talking about Vol. 1 of the trade paperback collection of the series) The creators aren’t above stepping in, when necessary, punctuating a section on Buddhist beliefs [...]
June 25, 2010 at 8:09 AM
[...] Our Side will be the next graphic novel. It will be written by Fred Van Lente (Comic Book Comics, Action Philosophers, Hercules) and will be illustrated by Queenie Chan (The Dreaming), who drew the first one. [...]
September 5, 2010 at 10:12 AM
[...] comic series with that name? It was written by Fred Van Lente (currently writing hot indy title Action Philosophers) and drawn by Steve Ellis, and I quite enjoyed it. Since it was published in 1998, perhaps they [...]
October 2, 2010 at 7:50 PM
[...] story, written by Fred Van Lente (Comic Book Comics, Action Philosophers), is based on an outline by Dean Koontz, who created the character in a series of novels. Odd [...]
July 30, 2011 at 8:29 AM
[...] Van Lente (writer of Comic Book Comics, Action Philosophers, and the comic that a little movie called Cowboys & Aliens is based on) and Sarah Oleksyk [...]