Great Power and Great Responsibility : The Philosophical Politics of Comics

Great Power and Great Responsibility is a book about what makes comics tick and about how the philosophies of the world are reflected back at us through comics. By investigating certain iconic series with academic rigor, Mann shows how much of the world is captured in the comic series, particularly our ideas of power, justice, and responsibility. In clear and accessible prose, Mann first takes the reader through the beginning mechanics of the comic, so they can follow his arguments better, then shows how philosophies play out in different series. From Bomb Queen and Sheena to the Watchmen and Planetary he delves into what drove the authors of the different series, how their political views shaped the comics and in turn influenced the comics' readers. He ends with a fascinating look at the culture that creates and consumes the comic series.