Which superhero is the best? If they really existed, which of them deserve to be looked up to? Is Superman TOO good? These and many other questions are what drive author Travis Smith, Harvard University graduate and current Professor of Political Science at Concordia University.

What Smith does with his work of superhero comparison and criticism is to take arguments that may have begun on the average schoolyard and elevate them to the level of ethical exploration. Questions like Who is cooler, Spider-Man or Batman? are way too commonplace. Smith seeks not only to pit 10 of comic books’ most famous superheroes against each other, but to decide which of them are needed most today in the modern real world in which we live.

Through these well-known fictional heroes, we are able to further examine the human condition. Currently, superheroes are more popular than ever. The Marvel Universe and, to a lesser extent, the DC Universe have found global success on the big screen. Is this indicative of the fact that we live in a flawed world and are desperate for true heroes? Maybe, maybe not. But it's really cool to imagine, and it makes someone like Stan Lee and his many creations come across like a modern-day Cervantes or Shakespeare.

"I urge any fan of superheroes or those who prefer their philosophical debates a bit more lighthearted to pick up SUPERHERO ETHICS and prepare for a read that is out of this world."

Through five chapters that pit various superheroes against each other, Smith is able to delve deeper into the essence of what it means to be a hero and the responsibility each has to all of mankind. The first battle is between Wolverine and the Hulk. Whereas the Hulk appeals to us on a visceral level and man's desire to just smash away everything that threatens us, it is Wolverine who come out victorious. Wolverine separates himself from the Hulk through his desire to push himself to a higher state of being and noble purpose, against the temptation to fall prey to circumstances.

Next up, it’s DC's Green Lantern versus Marvel's Iron Man. Both are less popular since their comic inceptions, but each has found greater purpose through their abilities to be natural leaders.

Especially thrilling for me was the section in which my two personal favorites --- Spider-Man and Batman --- square off. It’s tough to choose as each follows noble pursuits and succeeds just as well solo as he does in pairs or groups. Smith asks us to decide in whose version of New York City we would rather exist --- Spider-Man's Queens and Manhattan or Batman's Gotham City. These pages were so satisfying and made me realize something about Spider-Man/Peter Parker that I did not know --- he is Jewish! This brings a religious perspective to the conversation as Batman/Bruce Wayne comes from a very Roman Catholic family, even if he is what now could be considered a “lapsed Catholic.”

The next two chapters see Captain America facing off with Mister Fantastic of the Fantastic Four, and Superman versus Thor. The Sentinel of Liberty won the first of those battles, while the First Son of Asgard was triumphant over the Last Son of Krypton. The latter might sound like a shocker, but Superman is seen as the superhuman expression of the noblest aspirations of man, while Thor is more down to earth and is quoted in The Dark World as stating, “I would rather be a good man than a great king.”

Smith wraps things up by choosing the one superhero who above all others best represents the ideal hero we need most now. I will not give that one away, but I urge any fan of superheroes or those who prefer their philosophical debates a bit more lighthearted to pick up SUPERHERO ETHICS and prepare for a read that is out of this world.