Ecumenicals For Justice!

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RichardGarfinkle

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Of all the tropes in modern writing, Superhero teams may be the most ecumenical.

Consider the JSA which has had aliens, scientists, the Angel of Vengeance, a Lord of Order, and several magicians all working together.

Or the Avengers which has had gods from multiple pantheons, a witch, a batch of scientists, and an android, again all cooperating for a common good.

Indeed, it is usually by drawing upon these multiple perspectives and the capabilities that come from them that the common goals of these groups are achieved.

So hidden beneath the flashy costumes (and costumey Flash), is there a fundamental attitude of unity from diversity?
 

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Of all the tropes in modern writing, Superhero teams may be the most ecumenical.

Consider the JSA which has had aliens, scientists, the Angel of Vengeance, a Lord of Order, and several magicians all working together.

Or the Avengers which has had gods from multiple pantheons, a witch, a batch of scientists, and an android, again all cooperating for a common good.

Indeed, it is usually by drawing upon these multiple perspectives and the capabilities that come from them that the common goals of these groups are achieved.

So hidden beneath the flashy costumes (and costumey Flash), is there a fundamental attitude of unity from diversity?

Cooperating for a common good, or having a common goal, is that the same as achieving unity? Sure, for a particular goal, different people can unite to avert danger, and perhaps their differences can be instrumental in doing that, but once the crisis is over, then what? Thor and Iron Man can unite to defeat Loki, but how much of that unity would remain if they got into a shouting match about, say, the natural rights of Asgardians over humankind.

Another question; was there ever a superhero team that operated or derived their strength from, say, racial purity or dogmatics?
 

RichardGarfinkle

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Oh wait... April fools day, Richard?

I was inspired by this year's theme, but I'm kind of serious about the topic.

Superheroes have the same inconsistency of origins and attitudes that we find in real life, but more exaggerated. They come from disparate backgrounds, are who they are because of their varied experiences, and face the challenges of the world with their own unique perspectives and abilities.

In that sense superheroes, along with everything else they are, are allegories of individuality, of this personhood writ large. While that often leads to MarySueDom when they are acting alone, it brings forth a radically different dynamic in the superteam.

In that context, it is the ability to employ their disparate abilities and POVs together that determines success or failure. Indeed, it is necessary, not that they set aside their differences, but that they synergize them if the team's goal of Justice is to be reached.

I would argue that it is that attempt at mutual aid and enlightenment that ecumenical thinking aims for.
 
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