Posted in: Comics, Recent Updates | Tagged: ayn rand, Comics, entertainment, jupiter's circle, Mark Millar, savage dragon

The Joys Of Jupiter's Circle, The Savage Dragon, Mark Millar And Ayn Rand

The new issue of Jupiter's Circle by Mark Millar, Chris Sprouse, Karl Story, Walden Wong and Ive Svorcina came out yesterday. In which 

Well I know someone who has. Over in this week's Savage Dragon by Erik Larsen….

He's not the only one wanting super powered children to make a "better" world, either. Back in Jupiter's Circle, John Rockefeller wants a word…

But back to Ayn Rand…. who has a few observations to make, about superheroes and the Superman archetype standing in front of her.

Rand's objectivism would value certain aspects of the classic superhero, the powerful vigilante acting independently, unrestrained by the state, though it may question the motivation of the "do gooder", of self-sacrifice, acting outside of the individual's self interest, and not being paid as a lawmaker by the state.

I think I got that right.

Oh shut up, Ayn Rand. That's the thing, reaction against Ayn Rand can often be as just powerful as those who subscribe to her beliefs.

But what is Millar's relationship with Ayn Rand? He has said very little about her in print. He is generally a left-leaning personality, with a conservative streak in moralising and nationalism. He has ideals that must be lived up to, even if himself falters – which may make for sympathies to Rand the person, if not the philosophies.

But there are occasional signs. While his characters may often live in a grey moral universe, he often dreams of something more. The man who said "I think people want to see our characters being heroes again. Clear cut heroes"

There is an Atlas Shrugged poster in Kick Ass' bedroom – but just in the movie. The Lex Luthor heroic character in Red Son seen as an Ayn Rand figure, acting out of self interest by taking down an invasive Communist threat. And much of the Secret Sevice/Kingsman seen as the most Randian of them all. Even as the villain performs an Atlas Shrugged-style collection of artists and scientists, the message of the film has been described as "pull yourself up by your bootstraps, oik, and you too can be worthy of Saville Row tailoring" and specifically "Ayn Rand by way of The Man From U.N.C.L.E." And his most famous work, Civil War, pits certain aspects of Objectivism against the other, the idea of government being there to keep the law, against people acting in their own self interest in a fashion that would benefit humanity.

Or is it just a way to get publicity?

In which case… it worked.

Any chance of a Further Adventures Of Ayn Rand, Mark?

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