Product Description

Plato! Nietzsche! Bodhidharma! Ayn Rand! Thomas Jefferson! St. Augustine! Freud! Jung! Joseph Campbell! They're not just history's greatest thinkers ... they also make great comics! Action Philosophers details the lives and thoughts of some of history's A-list brain trust as hip and humorous comic book stories, proving that philosophy is not just for boring, tweed-clad college professors. Action Philosophers vol.1 collects the first three sold-out issues of the award winning series by writer Fred Van Lente and artist Ryan Dunlavey.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #467986 in Books
• Published on: 2006-06-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 96 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780977832903
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

From Publishers Weekly
Not so much in the spirit of Classic Comics, but more in the spirit of extremely intelligent kids set on making fun of everything, this collection of Action Philosophers! issues 1–3 is a zany sendup of philosophers, with the occasional mystic thrown in. Van Lente has clearly done his research, and Dunlavey draws it in a blocky, 1950s meets punk-rock style. Starting with Plato, they illuminate the theories, problems and implications of 12 thinkers. Ayn Rand fails as a screen writer in Hollywood, creates objectivism then flits between reason and temper tantrums (did you know Alan Greenspan was a follower?). Freud and Jung duke it out while a Freudian "passive mother" presents her penis-envying daughter with a dildo. Thomas Jefferson sleeps with Sally Hemings in the "All-Sex Special" section, which also features Saint Augustine. (Auggie ogles a hot Roman babe and declares, "Give me chastity and continence... just not now!") The twist is that, while demonstrating that the lives of philosophers make great tabloid fodder, the comics get the theories right. Totally irreverent and manically imaginative, it's perfect for any bright college kid who likes being a pain in the neck. (June)
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Review
Action Philosophers provides a hip, easily digestible summary of weighty material. -- Philosophy Now

Clever comments fly fast and furious… The art is friendly and fun… -- Comics Buyer's Guide

Customer Reviews

Not a comic fan
I have never been a comic fan, however I work with two die hard comic guys and they came to me all jittery and excited telling me I had to see this comic book about philosophers. You see, I've studied philosophy for 10 years, edging closer and to the elusive BA. I am a natural skeptic but I caved in and looked. I laughed out loud at least four times merely leafing through the pages. When I had time to sit down and actually read through the "big red thing" I was very impressed at the blending of humor and accuracy. The spin put on these brilliant thinkers offers true laughter while remaining very accurate to the spirit of their ideas. I had to bring the book to my philosophy professors to test them out and to my pleasure they found it as funny and accurate as I! Nothing like a little brown nosing through comics! I am very impressed with this book and I will purchase every issue of the comic from now on! well done=)

Educational and Humourous
A great intro into some of the great thoughts and thinkers. The humour is very witty. If you like Monty Pythonesque silly intellectual humour, then this book will be a treat.

Very Funny
This is hysterically funny. For anyone who knows the history of philosophy and likes to laugh. Philosophically accurate.