Portal:Anarchism/Selected article/18

(Anarky is) a philosophical action hero, an Aristotle in tights, rising above mere "crime-fighter" status into the realm of incisive social commentary. In fact, Anarky exists primarily to challenge the status quo of hierarchical power, and he may be the first mainstream comics hero of his type to do it consistently and with such rational intelligence.

Norm Breyfogle, Batman: Anarky introduction, June 1998.

Batman: Anarky is a 1999 trade paperback published by DC Comics. The book collects prominent appearances of Anarky, a comic book character created by Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle. Although all of the collected stories were written by Alan Grant, various artists contributed to individual stories. Dual introductions were written by the creators—both of whom introduce the character and give insight into their role in Anarky's creation and development.

Featured as an antagonist in

non-voting are the dual focuses of "Anarky: Tomorrow Belongs to Us", while economic exploitation, environmental issues, and political corruption are also repeatedly referenced. In "Metamorphosis", new emphasis was placed on previously unexplored themes, including the mind, consciousness, bicameral mentality, and the ethical value of honesty. Anarky's characterization was also expanded to present him as an atheist and rationalist, while determinism and free will became key elements in the character's discourse on the nature of evil. Literary references are also utilized throughout the collected stories to stress the philosophical foundations of the character. (read more...

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