Superhero Ethics : 10 Comic Book Heroes; 10 Ways to Save the World; Which One Do We Need Most Now?

In Superhero Ethics, Travis Smith argues that superhero stories are more than mere popcorn amusements. Read as metaphors, they have much to say about how we ought to conduct ourselves, relate to others, and promote the common good. Smith sets out to determine which superhero has the best ethical character-the one we should emulate in our daily lives. To that end, he structures the book as a contest. He takes ten popular superheroes and pits them one against another, chapter by chapter. The winner of each chapter advances to the final round. By the end of the book, a single victor emerges as the most ethical superhero of them all. Superhero Ethics is an enlightening and entertaining look at how the world's most popular comic book characters are more profound than we thought and can teach us about ourselves and the Limes in which we live. Book jacket.