Comic #4931: modern-epic

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Panel 1: Person 1: It's become a cliché that superhero movies are modern epics.
Person 2: Sure.
Person 1: That's a huge insight about us!

Panel 2: Person 2: Fundamentally, epics aren't just about tough guys fighting evil. Epics are about culture heroes who strive to live according to the ideals of the societies they live in.
Person 2: Arjuna conquers only after receiving the spiritual vision of Krishna. Beowulf kills monsters and dragons to bring wealth and peace to his men. Achilles avenges Patroclus, achieving lasting fame and glory.

Panel 3: Person 1: And what do our modern superheroes do? They sit around waiting for a bad thing to happen, form solidarity just long enough to kill it, and then they go back to running businesses or having middle-class jobs.
Person 3 (off-panel): Huh.

Panel 4: Person 2: Our highest ideal is someone who fights for justice in spare moments, but shows up for work at 8 AM the next morning! And we're so embedded in our own culture that we don't find it weird!
Person 1: It's like having the 47 Ronin lattes at Starbucks every morning, but then use sick days and weekends to restore honor to their…

Panel 5: Person 2: I mean, it'd be a shame to let your personal life mess up someone else's morning.
Person 3 (off-panel): Perhaps we are all heroes now.

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This transcription captures all the dialogue and context from the comic.