A thought-provoking collection of essays explores the philosophical side of the comic book world, collecting the contributions of sixteen philosophers on a variety of subjects, including evil, justice, metaphysics, and the limits of violence. Original. A thought-provoking collection of essays explores the philosophical side of the comic book world, collecting the contributions of sixteen philosophers on a variety of subjects, including evil, justice, metaphysics, and the limits of violence. Original. Men in Bright Tights and Wild Fights, Often at Great Heights, and, of Course, Some Amazing Women, Too! ix Part One The Image of the Superhero 1(42) 1. The Real Truth about Superman: And the Rest of Us, Too MARK WAID 3(8) 2. Heroes and Superheroes JEPH LOEB and TOM MORRIS 11(10) 3. The Crimson Viper versus the Maniacal Morphing Meme DENNIS O'NEIL 21(8) 4. Superhero Revisionism in Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns AEON J. SKOBLE 29(14) Part Two The Existential World of the Superhero 43(102) 5. God, the Devil, and Matt Murdock TOM MORRIS 45(17) 6. The Power and the Glory CHARLES TALIAFERRO and CRAIG LINDAHL-URBEN 62(13) 7. Myth, Morality, and the Women of the X-Men REBECCA HOUSEL 75(14) 8. Barbara Gordon and Moral Perfectionism JAMES B. SOUTH 89(13) 9. Batman and Friends: Aristotle and The Dark Knight's Inner Circle MATT MORRIS 102(16) 10. The Fantastic Four as a Family: The Strongest Bond of All CHRIS RYALL and SCOTT TIPTON 118(12) 11. Comic-Book Wisdom MICHAEL THAU 130(15) Part Three Superheroes and Moral Duty 145(76) 12. Why Are Superheroes Good? Comics and the Ring of Gyges JEFF BRENZEL 147(14) 13. Why Should Superheroes Be Good? Spider-Man, the X-Men, and Kierkegaard's Double Danger C. STEPHEN EVANS 161(16) 14. With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility: On the Moral Duties of the Super-Powerful and Super-Heroic CHRISTOPHER ROBICHAUD 177(17) 15. Why Be a Superhero? Why Be Moral? C. STEPHEN LAYMAN 194(13) 16. Superman and Kingdom Come: The Surprise of Philosophical Theology FELIX TALLON and JERRY WALLS 207(14) Part Four Identity and Superhero Metaphysics 221(46) 17. Questions of Identity: Is the Hulk the Same Person as Bruce Banner? KEVIN KINGHORN 223(14) 18. Identity Crisis: Time Travel and Metaphysics in the DC Multiverse RICHARD HANLEY 237(13) 19. What's Behind the Mask? The Secret of Secret Identities TOM MORRIS 250(17) Wow! It Could Be the Greatest Gathering of Minds in Comic-Book History! Hold on to Your Hats and Get Ready for the Bios of Your Life! 267(8) Index 275