Atheism in Comcs: An Introduction at best

Atheism in Comics: When Mr. Terrific can be famous

This is purely an introduction to a bit of atheism, and its not something I have enough to go on in comics to really sit down with, unfortunately.

Atheism in comics is an interesting thing. Now, I’m an atheist myself, and I’m quite open about it (and though I see religion as largely irrational, I do see its merits, hence these articles), so despite my attempts at impartiality in comics, there may be some flitters of my bias within.

Of the many possible questions, one primary thing that Atheism in comic books forces is the question of why these characters are moral. Now, when you’re an atheist, the only thing you truly are is without god. Depending on your definition, Atheism can be dogmatic (Communism), or without dogma (humanism, nihilism). I’m going to go into humanism primarily, because it is the philosophy that demands the most respect for humanity, and wish to help them. Thus, it is the most heroic.

I’ll start with Humanism and Mr. Terrific. While I’ll admit that my awareness of the character is limited, I have found him to be an intriguing character thus far in what I know of him. The impression I get of his atheism, and why he commits acts of heroism is because he feels that humans must help one another, because there is no god to do so for them, and that this is only fair play to those who he tries to save. This is a positive thing. He has morality without god. The basis of humanism is to develop personal ethics based upon respect and compassion for the rest of humanity. Mr. Terrific basis himself around fair play; something he does not see possible from this god being. I’ll write another article on him, though, to go further into his beliefs.

Nihilism is the popular standpoint of villains without explicitly stated religions, by my summation. That’s not to say it is every villain, but it is many of them. Plenty do have explicitly stated religions, or at least dogmatic moral codes (Deathstroke), which keeps them from Nihilism. Many are also non-religious; evading the question. Neither stances are probably conscious. Rather, these philosophies are de-facto, since many probably don’t think of the consequences of their actions pertaining to a god-head, or simply deny a god-head for the convenience of their crimes not having any bearing, since they obviously wouldn’t be humanists for lack of respect for their fellow humans.

This is something that’s hard to blog on, though, since Atheism is uncommon in comics, outside of Communism, which I hesitate to add to this blog, since it is a dogmatic belief system, and more of a cult of personality. The word Cult helps distinguish it from being atheist, since not being a religion keeps you from being a cult, for our purposes at least.

Atheism is rare in comics, and it’s understandable. For the most part, writing someone as an atheist in a world of magic and some very explicit religious figures (the Spectre, Wonder Woman, Thor, etc.), it seems almost ignorant of the world around them. I can easily see that argument in comics, but I would be one to raise you “show me this divine makers order in all of that, then”. The best argument for atheism in comics is, ironically, the retcons and crises of the creators, since most religions promulgate some divine order. Would you honestly believe in god if you were able to go and meet Zeus, Odin, the Spectre, Vishnu, Buddha, the Phantom Stranger, Jonah Hex, the Monitor, and other such beings? Without order, or better editorial, it becomes a fallacy; and apparently a bad quip.

I’m editorializing now, and I acknowledge that, so I’ll end here before I get on a soap box about atheism and religion. I’m trying to keep these articles as secular as I can, so again, its best I end before this becomes more of a typical Arrogant Atheist blog where I talk about irrational things, like George Bush… STOP ME ALLI!

Next time: Agnosticism: Doubting god when you deal with so much evil. And eventually! Raven: Demonolatry and the influence of evil. Which will bleed into Billy Batson and the Child as a Lump of Clay!

Peace, Justice, and the Jewish Superhero: The concepts of Judaism

So here we are, the second in my continuing look at the religiosity of heroism, and morality of heroes. Today’s article will, obviously, focus upon Judaism. To represent Judaism I’m choosing four characters: The Ragman of the Shadowpact, his adversary the Golem, the Thing of the Fantastic Four, and the Spectre entity. Each will illuminate different things about Judaism, Jewish Mythology, Judaism in society, and the Jewish Lord. (Out of respect for Jewish practice, I shall not use the name of G-d, other than the title, let’s see if I succeed!).

Ragman, Rory Regan, is one of the most overt Jewish characters since his revitalization in the ‘90s Vertigo revamp of the character. His powers, which were once limited to three corrupt souls who tried to rob his shop, were vastly expanded, and made into a kind of Sheol, the Judaic hell. He absorbs souls and gives them a path to redemption, thereby not killing them so that they may have a better afterlife. It is a resting place, not Gehenna, the Judaic hell, nor is it Heaven. Interestingly enough, in Gehenna, you are only condemned for at most a year’s time, while in Ragman’s suit you are condemned for as long as it takes your sins to absolve. Ragman holds his faith dear, and seems to be at least convicted in it, as evidence by Infinite Crisis and his noteworthy conversation with Mr. Terrific. I would personally find spiritual interaction between he and the equally faithful Blue Devil, a Catholic, interesting due to their deep ties to their religions, but that’s just me.

Also, Ragman’s 1991 miniseries is noteworthy for its emphasis on community, a common theme in Jewish mythology and Biblically. Judaism is a religion based more upon works then upon a personal relationship with its Lord, unlike Christianity. In the story, Ragman’s flight from Batman, who would not approve of his actions for depriving people of life on this plane, causes the Jewish ghetto in Gotham to protect Ragman from Batman. An interesting twist, I think.

The Golem is another Jewish themed character. For a time it was Ragman’s villain, his only way to defeat it being to wipe the Hebrew for “Truth” from it. This is inaccurate, because the Jewish word for “Truth” is “Emet”, and by erasing the part of it to make “Met”, the Hebrew word for Death, it is deactivated. There have been a number of Golems throughout comicdom, including Monolith, and the Thing. I bring all of this up, though, to highlight Judaism expansive, yet oft forgotten mythology. In the Talmud, Adam is first considered a Golem, until later becoming fully human. This is all part of a concept known as “Midrash”, or completion of things. It is where we get Lilith, the castes of Angels, Leviathan, Behemoth and many other Judaic creatures from; this is all more so a side note, something to help you better understand Judaism, the religion’s beliefs, and concepts. Midrash was done because of the tendency of the Biblical writers to bring up characters, names, and concepts and then drops them completely after a single mention.

The Thing is a Golem, he’s a large being of rock, though he lacks a name of the Lord, or Emet, as previously mentioned. He is an interesting character when you take him out of the comic, because like so many Jewish people in the time he was created, including his creators, and many comic creators, was not known to be Jewish. The Thing is an example of a Jewish character whose Judaism is more of a footnote, informs the character, and does not change them. He is a prominent Jewish character, like Kitty Pride, yet it’s not something that comes up terribly often, nor does it seem to affect him too much. The Thing is based on Jack Kirby, who saw him as an alter-ego of sorts, but this was not known until 2002, saying something about the view of Judaism in society.

Now, though, we’ll look at a more interesting concept in comics: The Spectre. He’s not a Jewish character, per say, but even though it is arguable his past three anchors (Jim Corrigan, Hal Jordan, and Crispus Allen) were not Jewish, and probably Christian (okay, Hal’s debatable, but that’s another article), this section of the article is about the Spectre entity. The Spectre is not a compassionate being, and is an important being in DC comics. John Ostrander, a man who had been in seminary to become a Catholic priest (but left), revealed him to be a fallen angel named Aztar, who repented and became this being. He was the slayer of the first born of Egypt, and succeeded Eclipso.

The question is, though, why am I considering him Jewish? This is because we know of the Jewish Lord to be a more vengeful one then Christ. That may sound negative, but the whole concept of Christ’s death was to say that things like the death of all of the first born would not happen again until time’s end, which is pounded in by the Midrash of Christianity. Also I take into account the creator of the character, Jerry Siegel, a Jew himself. I’ll probably have another article on the Spectre itself, as well as its hosts.

That’s all I’ve got on this one. As always, if you think I missed anything, just tell me, and I’ll work on a follow up article. The next one I’m working on is about Lex Luthor’s concept of Religion and God. Here’s a hint: Nietzche will be in it. As well as Nihilism.