Character Quote by Mark Millar
“In the U.S., Superman or Batman or something, the law-enforcement people, are the most famous comic characters. Americans have a respect, I think, for badges and a respect for uniforms. I think that's, in some ways, quite a nice thing, but it can be dangerous, too, because it can obviously be abused.”
About This Quote
Source Comic Book: The Authority, 1999, by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch
Superheroes symbolize societal trust in authority, but that trust can be misused if unchecked
In simple terms: Heroes reflect respect for badges, yet power can be abused
Key Takeaway
Beware blind reverence for authority
Themes
trust
power
responsibility
Mood
cautious
critical
Type
observational
analytical
When to use this quote
- law enforcement
- community leadership
- media representation
- political discourse
Key Concepts
symbolism
social contract
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we balance respect for authority with critical oversight?
- What safeguards prevent abuse of power?
A Different Perspective
Authority can become oppressive without accountability
![“Shorn of intimacy and seen from a considerable distance, we are all comic characters, farcical buffoons who bumble through our lives, making fine messes as we go, but when you get close, the ridiculous quickly fades into the sordid or the tragic or the merely sad. [p. 73]” quote by Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/330/siri-hustvedt-860_comedy_shorn-of-intimacy-and-seen-from-a-consid_522206.jpg)
![“We [Native Americans] respect being human beings, but also the natural and spiritual world and I thought that came across wonderfully and I hope a lot of people get a sense of that; not to take away that we also have that warrior spirit.” quote by Adam Beach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6a2/adam-beach-18451_being-human_we-native-americans-respect-being-human_2547472.jpg)
![“He [Stuart Immonen] and I have known each other over email for 18, 19 years or something, so to finally work with him is like kissing the girl that you always wanted to kiss.” quote by Mark Millar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/810/mark-millar-4714_email_he-stuart-immonen-and-i-have-known-each_154995.jpg)
![“I think exactly the same qualities as men [women role model needs], exactly the same, which is kindness, courage and intelligence.” quote by Mark Millar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/193/mark-millar-4714_courage_i-think-exactly-the-same-qualities-as-me_246886.jpg)
