Here’s a thinker: how do you turn one of the greatest philosophers in history into a graphic novel? If you’re Tassos Apostolidis and Alecos Papadatos, you create Aristotle: A Graphic Biography, which is now in stores everywhere from Abrams ComicArts.
“Despite the fact that Aristotle lived in the 4th century BC in Athens and was influenced by the values of his time, his theories were accepted by many different people, cultures, religions and are always relevant,” Apostolidis told Comic Book Club over email, “thanks to his amazing ability to turn the experience of the average person and the assumptions of the common mind into a philosophical theory.”
To find out more about the book, and get a sneak peek at some of the pages inside, read on.
Comic Book Club: Not to start with a big question, but there’s a point in the book where Aristotle talks about the importance of teaching, and sharing ideas. Was that a part of the impetus for this book? What lessons are you looking to impart on the reader?
Tassos Apostolidis: Aristotle believed that all humans have an innate desire for knowledge and aspired to understand the world and then teach it, aiming to guide human intelligence to knowledge and righteous actions.
Philosophy, as a theory, seeks the truth through knowledge and, as a practice, is a “life guide”.
For the reader: Every day we are faced with problems. Philosophy comes to give answers, to propose solutions, so that we can successfully deal with impasses, become better people and more effective conscious citizens.
When Aristotle talks about “bliss” (which is the ultimate goal of all human actions) and about a “virtuous life”, he does not mean living an ascetic life, without the necessary goods or without any pleasures!… He means living in MODERATION!
What’s interesting to you about Aristotle? Why him?
Apostolidis: We focused on Aristotle the man. We were fascinated by his captivating intellectual efficiency and his equally absorbing life.
A great incentive for us was that, nowadays, thousands of thinkers all over the world are involved with the philosopher’s work and “Aristotelian studies” are provided by the world’s top universities.
Despite the fact that Aristotle lived in the 4th century BC in Athens and was influenced by the values of his time, his theories were accepted by many different people, cultures, religions and are always relevant thanks to his amazing ability to turn the experience of the average person and the assumptions of the common mind into a philosophical theory.
At least a bit of this frames his story as a love story and shows the import Pythias. Why was it important to center her in this story?
Apostolidis: Pythias has been recorded, in the history of science, as the first female biologist. She was not only Aristotle’s wife, but also his partner, fellow traveler and his support in difficult times.
Aristotle loved her very much! He even named their daughter after her! And when she left prematurely and suddenly, she became a guide in his visions, where the flame that burned inside him split into small sparks that scattered and illuminated the earth.
You’re somewhat inventing whole cloth history for a man who we don’t have great records for… What do you feel your responsibility is, in terms of representing him and his life in this form?
Apostolidis: The modern approach of philosophy is looking for ways to make it simpler and more accessible to the public. Graphic novels can present in a pleasant way topics of popularized philosophy, as well as history, psychology, social matters etc.
This project (research, script writing, illustration) took seven years to complete. We knew enough about Aristotle to support our fiction: the adventures, the threats, the self-exiles he had suffered as a Macedonian living in Athens, his travels, his relationship, as a teacher, with Alexander the Great, the founding of the Lyceum, the Philosophical School that operated until 86 BC and of course his research, teaching and philosophical work.
In our case, apart from the bibliography, the guidance and apt observations of Mrs. Sfendoni Mentzou, Professor of the Philosophy and President of the Interdisciplinary Center for Aristotelian Studies, at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece), were very valuable. Also the suggestions of Mr. Vassilis Kalfa, professor of philosophy at the same University, as well as the scholarly review of Mrs. Katerina Ierodiakonou, professor of philosophy at the Universities of Athens and Geneva.
What was it like collaborating with Tassos on this? What changed in your process, with the team-up?
Alecos Papadatos: I first met Tassos back in the early 1980s, when we collaborated on comic strips for a Greek newspaper. At that time, though, my real passion was animation, which led me to move to France to pursue professional training in the field. My experience in animation proved invaluable – it really enhanced my drawing skills and taught me a lot about connecting with audiences. This influence is quite evident in Aristotle, which has a more animated, cartoonish style compared to my earlier comic work, something that paired perfectly with Tassos’s creative vision.
Now that you’ve tackled Aristotle, are there other philosophers you’d like to try a similar approach with?
Apostolidis: I am already writing a script about Socrates and Plato. Aristotle was a student of Plato and Plato was a student of Socrates. I am going on a three-stop journey using graphic novels as my medium, after all, this medium has the ability to offer us memorable experiences.
Aristotle: A Graphic Biography is now in stores everywhere from Abrams ComicArts.
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