Action Philosophers! # 7: It’s All Greek to You!
Writer: Fred Van Lente; Pencils and Inks: Ryan Dunlavey
Yet again, Van Lente and Dunlavey produce a spectacular issue, maintaining this book’s place as my favorite current comic book series. This issue covers the Pre-Socratics and Aristotle.
The material demands that the reader pay attention, but it’s an easy task with Dunlavey’s art. The topic may be serious, but that’s no reason that it can’t be done with a little fun. The Aristotle story produces some of the most amusing art as the philosopher attempts to teach a young, disinterested, and troublemaking Alexander the Great. Fun stuff that makes otherwise dull material interesting.
Previous issues worked well because we saw a human side to people we might otherwise experience as no more than philosophizing machines. This issue still maintains that goodness, but works even better because we move to Aristotle’s philosophy through the foundations of the Pre-Socratic predecessors. While not all of AP’s issues can move so linearly, it’s a nice and appreciated touch when they can.
And that cover makes me very hungry.