Action! Romance! Debate over the true nature of reality! All this and more in Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey’s breakthrough work, Action Philosophers! Action Philosophers! is one of the best non-fiction comics out there (second only to Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics, in my opinion), and one of my favorite comics of all time! Follow the cut to see what makes this silly-titled comic so great! Superfluous exclamation mark!
In the world of comics, non-fiction is rare. We often flock to comics for a sense of escapism, especially those in the more fantastical genres such as superhero comics. Most tend to forget that comics can be an effective medium for non-fiction as well, particular in subjects such as history that are no more than true storytelling on a different kind of scale. Van Lente and Dunlavey’s Action Philosophers! does exactly this with a large variety of different philosophers, presenting their histories as well as the basics of their philosophical beliefs. Including the philosophers’ life stories alongside their beliefs strengthens the comic in two ways: 1) In my opinion, philosophy is almost meaningless without context; 2) As a visual medium, comics are also a storytelling medium. Forget this, and you dangerously skirt the line between comic and diagram.
What really makes Action Philosophers! stand out — if you couldn’t tell from the title — is Van Lente’s excellent use of humor. We remember things that are unique and unusual, and the humor in and of itself is unique and/or unusual; therefore, Van Lente gets the reader to pay attention and process all the information in his comic that could otherwise put the reader to sleep were it conveyed by a writer of less skill. Van Lente doesn’t go too far, though. I’ve read many papers and the like that aim to be informative while using humor to “spice it up.” Unfortunately, these writers often go too far with their humor and end up distorting their message; their writing may be entertaining, but in the end either nothing is learned or what is learned is incorrect. Van Lente’s humor keeps the reader interested, but the facts that he is trying to relate are crystal clear.
As such, Dunlavey’s art is the perfect complement to Van Lente’s script. While some might dismiss Dunlavey’s art as “cartoony,” that is exactly what makes it so effective. Instead of “cartoony,” though, I would use the word “iconic,” as defined in the previously-mentioned Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud. As the various characters in Action Philosophers! are stripped down to the very basic traits that differentiate themselves from one another, there is enough lack of definition that our personality inhabits the character and gets us more interested on a subconscious level. Philosophy is an inherently personal thing, and as such this iconic style communicates the message much easier than a superficial glance would have you think. Plus, it certainly helps convey the more comedic moments (Aristotle strangling Alexander the Great comes to mind).
My only complaint about Action Philosophers! is that Van Lente occasionally bit off more than he could chew. For the most part, he and Dunlavey stuck with three philosophers per issue, but every now and then the two would do an issue with more than that. These issues would often be a bit too condensed for my liking, though still enjoyable. Overall, I would recommend Action Philosophers! not only to comic readers who are looking for something a bit different than the adventure-based comics that flood the market, but to anyone who wants to learn a bit about philosophy. After all, I used it as my study guide for my Philosophy 201 midterm and aced the test.
(Note: I had an interest in philosophy long before my 201 course. Your test scores may vary.)
Also, if you enjoy Action Philosophers! then I strongly recommend Comic Book Comics, a non-fiction history of the comic industry by the same creative team. Issue #5 comes out in February, so that’s plenty of time to hunt down the other four and get caught up!
Action Philosophers! can either be found in three individual paperbacks or one comprehensive, more-than-complete volume.
