Bringing Comics to the Classroom is still the vital asset Stan Lee espoused
Publisher McFarland recently published an intriguing book, The Philosophies of Stan Lee: Essays on a Comics Mastermind,that may have escaped your attention
The book, aimed at undergraduate university students in First and Second year philosophy and / or comics studies, is edited by Jeff McLaughlin, a philosophy professor at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops BC, Canada. He’s a longtime researcher into Stan Lee’s life and legacy – you may have also read Stan Lee: Conversations, published back in 2007 by the University of Mississippi, or read his tribute to Stan to mark his passing back in 2018
Celebrating the significant contributions made by Stan Lee as, as Jeff has previously described him “one of the most influential individuals in 20th century popular culture”, The Philosophies of Stan Lee is a collection of essays intended for academic study purpose and written for university level courses
One the contributors, Nancy Silberkleit, co-CEO Archie Comics, tells downthetubes sees the book as an excellent recy
Known for shaping an expansive fictional universe filled with complex characters, Stan Lee, co-creator of characters such as the Fantastic Four and Spider-man, also used his work to address real-world issues. “The ongoing struggles of the characters in the Marvel Universe remain relevant to readers across generations,” note publisher McFarland, “as Lee’s subtle commentary on the complexities, contradictions, and imperfections of human society continue to resonate.”
This collection of new essays explores Lee’s storytelling choices, from character development to thematic emphasis, and how they come together to reflect a coherent set of philosophical ideas
“His language, tone, and narrative framing provide insight into his worldview, revealing his belief in the inherent dignity and worth of every individual. Through allegory, metaphor, or editorial commentary, Lee consistently advocated for empathy and the recognition of difference as alectual lens, the essays illuminate the moral and philosophical foundations that have defined Marvel’s enduring cultural impact.”
The Philosophies of Stan Lee: Essays on a Comics Mastermindis available now through bookshops and online retailers. Other contributors among the eleven featured include Marco Favaro, author of Falling for The Joker, with the essay, “Marvels or Freaks, Monsters or Heroes?”, and Greek comics scholar, communications expert, and researcher Dr. Lida Tsene, with her contribution “Superhero Teams in Stan Lee’s Diverse and Inclusive Universe.”
Jeff McLaughlin is a professor of philosophy at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, Canada, where he also serves as chair for the department of Philosophy, History and Politics. He was also editor of the groundbreaking Comics as Philosophy as well as Graphic Novels as Philosophy and Stan Lee: Conversations, all His teaching and research interests include applied ethics, critical thinking, popular culture, and the Holocaust
Introducing comic books to academia is something McLaughlin, who grew up reading a wide range of comics, has done since he was a student himself
“They entered my academic life in my first year of university,” he told Bridges magazine back in 2020. “I was taking an Introduction to Philosophy class and at one point we were discussing such things as ethics and jurisprudence. I submitted my term paper on an Uncanny X-Men comic book that had just come out called the Dark Phoenix Saga,” he recalls
Nancy Silberkleit’s essay, “(Comics + People) = (Reading + Knowledge)” reflects on Stan’s enthusiasm for comics in education, noting the value he placed on them as a teaching tool, seen in her own education-related initiatives. Just like Stan, Nancy sees meeting and talking to fans, in print and in person, as a way not just to promote comics, but to connect to your audience on a deeper level
She will be in the UK later this month to speak on the power of graphics, shared, I’m sure, by many downthetubes readers, that utilising visuals helps students process complex information
“After 15 years speaking at schools, I now find myself on the Oxford and Cambridge campuses. That’s a ‘Zam, Wham, Wow!’ for me,” she enthuses. (Stan Lee says “Excelsior!”, Nancy says “Zam, Wham, Wow!”). “I was honoured to be chosen to be on this project.”
Nancy is daughter-in-law of Louis H. Silberkleit, one of the founders of Archie Comics Publications, who stepped into her role as Co-CEO of the company in 2009 with a vision that the comic book as a graphic novel is a valuable tool for developing literacy among first-time readers and instilling a love of reading for everyone
“Having this book published during the US historical milestone [the 250th anniversary of independence], where there is national reflection going on is exactly a nice time for us to reflect on a Stan Lee moment,” Nancy, reflects
“A long time ago before this project, Stan and I would email back and forth, and we met in person a few times), but he never mentioned he had connected with schools and spoke with teachers,” she tells us. “But he did love what I was doing… going into schools and promoting comic books as a way to engage student’s minds. He was very supportive. When Jeff McLaughlin contacted me to be part of this book I was honoured, but what I did not know was the process involved to do an essay. That included providing me with a stack of transcribed Stan Lee speeches.
“As I read them, I could hear Stan’s voice in my head,” she reveals. “It was so real and it was there that I learned Stan would speak to teachers at schools. He was explaining to teachers exactly what I’ve been saying, or I’ve been doing what Stan did… Encouraging the teachers to engage the students in wanting to be in school , read comics, connect your lessons to comics and then you have them hooked!”
• The Philosophies of Stan Lee: Essays on a Comics Mastermindis available now through bookshops and online retailers | ISBN: 978-1476698847 | AmazonUK Affiliate Link | UKBookshop.org Affiliate Link
Our thanks to Nancy Silberkleit for the news tip!
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John Freeman
John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who MagazineandOverkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood
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Categories: Comics, Comics Education News, Comics Studies, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, US Comics
Tags: Archie Comics, Comic Studies, downthetubes News, Jeff McLaughlin, Nancy Silberkleit, Stan Lee
