{"id":11816,"date":"2026-07-10T07:54:49","date_gmt":"2026-07-10T12:54:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/?p=11816"},"modified":"2026-07-10T09:05:38","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T14:05:38","slug":"zander-cannons-sleep-ethics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/10\/zander-cannons-sleep-ethics\/","title":{"rendered":"Zander Cannon&#8217;s Sleep Ethics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>I just wanted to be GOOD<\/p>\n<span hidden class=\"__iawmlf-post-loop-links\" data-iawmlf-links=\"[{&quot;id&quot;:1067,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/en.wikipedia.org\\\/wiki\\\/Zander_Cannon&quot;,&quot;archived_href&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/web-wp.archive.org\\\/web\\\/20260318235735\\\/https:\\\/\\\/en.wikipedia.org\\\/wiki\\\/Zander_Cannon&quot;,&quot;redirect_href&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;checks&quot;:[{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-07-03 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12:55:49&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:403},&quot;process&quot;:&quot;done&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:885,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/en.wikipedia.org\\\/wiki\\\/Psychodynamics&quot;,&quot;archived_href&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/web-wp.archive.org\\\/web\\\/20260502160125\\\/https:\\\/\\\/en.wikipedia.org\\\/wiki\\\/Psychodynamics&quot;,&quot;redirect_href&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;checks&quot;:[{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-05-25 02:59:06&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:200},{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-06-01 12:54:50&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:200},{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-06-06 10:24:06&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:200},{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-06-12 15:02:03&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:200},{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-06-16 17:33:51&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:200},{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-06-23 12:33:39&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:200},{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08 01:16:41&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:200}],&quot;broken&quot;:false,&quot;last_checked&quot;:{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08 01:16:41&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:200},&quot;process&quot;:&quot;done&quot;}]\"><\/span>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Jon, in Sleep, 2026, by Zander Cannon<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Sleep<\/em> is an 8-issue comic book series written and drawn by <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Zander_Cannon\">Zander Cannon<\/a>, published at <a href=\"https:\/\/imagecomics.com\/comics\/releases\/sleep-tp\">Image Comics<\/a>. It ran from May 2025 to March 2026, with the trade paperback (collecting all 8 issues) published just last week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The series is accurately described by Image as &#8220;an unsettling, slow-burning atmospheric take on the classic werewolf story that explores the fragile boundaries between waking life and dream logic&#8221;. That is a pretty good description. But you could just as easily call it a fast-burning take on the classic gothic horror novel <em><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Strange_Case_of_Dr_Jekyll_and_Mr_Hyde\">Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde<\/a><\/em>, by Scottish author <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Robert_Louis_Stevenson\">Robert Louis Stevenson<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The premise is straightforward &#8211; again according to Image: &#8220;When Jonathan Reason falls asleep, he becomes \u2026 something else. Every night it stalks his quiet town, killing (seemingly) indiscriminately. When he wakes at the start of each chapter, covered in blood, our story begins.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This also aptly describes the series&#8217; narrative structure, taking place roughly over the course of a week (with most issues representing a single day). The slow burn of the opening issues gives rise to an increasingly frenetic pace, as the reader shares in the horror of what the main character experiences &#8211; waking each day to discover the fresh devastation he has unknowingly caused the night before. Significantly, we remain as much in the dark as the main character, seeing events only from his point of view (and so, must similarly piece together the clues strewn all around him). This heightens the horror and suspense for the reader, not knowing what comes next or why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Sleep<\/em> is different from a lot of the series I review here, as it doesn&#8217;t present differing moral worldviews or normative ethics through its various characters. Instead, it presents a normative ethics <em>problem<\/em> for the protagonist somewhat akin to the zero-sum, no-win scenario of the famous Trolley problem (that I discuss on my <a href=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/ethics-101\/#trolley\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"2554\">Ethics 101<\/a> page here). Namely, what should Jonathan do when he becomes an involuntary killer every time he sleeps? What are his obligations to the townsfolk around him? And what do they owe him in return?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The series&#8217; central ethical question is thus one of <em><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Moral_responsibility\">moral responsibility<\/a> under<\/em> <em>reduced agency<\/em>, which is not so simple to answer. Historically, much of the philosophical work on moral responsibility revolved around free will and determinism (which I describe in some detail in my <a href=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/13\/the-vision-ethics\/#determinism\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"4926\">Vision<\/a> overview). A largely unquestioned assumption in most of that early work was that free will was <em>required<\/em> for moral responsibility &#8211; but as I explain on that page, that is no longer how it is conceived. This series will be an opportunity to explore some of the more modern thinking around moral responsibility and agency, including a role for  collective responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As always, if you would like to know more about the terms I&#8217;m using on this site, please follow the links throughout or check out my <a href=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/ethics-101\/\">Ethics 101<\/a> page or <a href=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/27\/glossary\/\">Glossary of Terms<\/a> post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"intro\">Introduction to the story<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>For this story intro, I will focus on the first issue &#8211; and will reveal key plot points for the series. Afterwards, I will present select pages from the first seven issues, but only to illustrate the ethics themes. I will leave a lot of the mystery unexplained (including the exact ending), as I don&#8217;t want to ruin your enjoyment of the series. I strongly recommend you read the whole series for yourself &#8211; and so will only spoil the elements that I need to here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first issue begins with our protagonist, Jonathan (Jon), sleeping on his couch and being awoken by a call from his best friend, Tabitha (Tabby). Jon has overslept, and Tabby is worried about him &#8211; apparently, some sort of wild animal terrorized the neighborhood near Jon&#8217;s house. Jon realizes his front door is wide open, and his cat is missing. He steps outside to find the dead entrails of a cow strewn across his lawn and doorstep:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/e3c8c298-05ae-4df1-94ab-075e07ac068d.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"width:730px;height:auto\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Welcome to Sunday morning!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The setting appears to be a small American town, around the end of the 20th century. As we will come to learn, Jon has recently lost both his parents, and sleeps on the couch in the former family home. Church plays an oversized role in this community, and Jon quickly meets Tabby there, in time for a sermon by Pastor Stephen:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/ea7bf2f2-559c-4c23-964a-d57598039ae1.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>This sets up several key aspects of the series. First, pay attention to the use of color (in this case, the red accents, as they are very significant). You also need to pay attention to the background conversations &#8211; they are all there for a reason too. The total cast of major characters is small (around a dozen or so), and it&#8217;s important to get to know them &#8211; and their inter-relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We are soon introduced to Jon&#8217;s old friend Hipp, who is the son of Police Chief Nicoli. Hipp apparently had some success as a rock-and-roll musician, before returning to his small town (with his tail between his legs):<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/2a1770bc-07d5-4cb5-bacb-d13a94814d77.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The poor-man&#8217;s Johnny Cash routine above seems to find favor with Jon and Tabby, although I can&#8217;t help noticing the sanctimonious tone of the opening message (especially as we learn more about Hipp). The lyrics also seem to foreshadow what is to come to this town (and why).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jon has apparently always had a strong moral sense, and has lived his life trying to &#8220;be good&#8221; &#8211; and counseling others to do the same:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/c288991e-0016-409a-afa7-bd48b3b24c07.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Note that we never actually see Jon lecture anyone in this series. Despite the banter above, it is clear from the rest of this issue (and subsequent ones) that Jon is quite meek and mild-mannered and gets pushed around a lot by other people (without complaint). Like the local cop he went to school with, Dylan (excuse me, &#8220;Officer Bryson&#8221; as he makes Jon call him). Or his employer at the coffee store, Miss Miller (the former schoolteacher), forcing him to work an opening morning shift because her daughter Kelly is too busy to bother. As she observes about Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/1a81f0e9-9169-4798-bcea-5da8e4fd05c6.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>There are many scenes showing Jon&#8217;s generous and accommodating nature. For example, when he comes across a homeless lady outside the coffee shop:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/a973c83a-cb42-4230-a79c-6b7dbc690cef.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Yes, as we will come to see, the Lawson family tragedy is at the heart of this story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Interesting, Jon also runs into a homeless man (and plans to give him a fiver as well), but changes his mind when he sees the man is obsessed with the graffiti he is spreading with red paint:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/dc106166-75e8-49a6-a760-636041b48a75.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Note the map on the back of the man&#8217;s shirt &#8211; this will become highly significant over the course of the series. Indeed, every issue opens with a map of the small community, overlayed with these labels as this man continues to deface the town. As we will also see, this map aligns with the monster&#8217;s rampages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alright, with that intro out of the way, let&#8217;s dive into the normative ethics of the early issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ethics\">Normative ethics perspectives as the story develops<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>The first issue ends with Jon returning home alone with a take-out dinner. I really love this scene with the fortune cookie:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/5b4e19ed-e1ba-4f5e-8020-d58801c46fa1.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p id=\"virtue\">A very classic <em>virtue ethics<\/em> message! This branch of <a href=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/ethics-101\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"2554\"><em>normative ethics<\/em><\/a> is focused on being the best person you can be, typically by practicing virtues that align with your values and goals (that is, <em>being better<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That message above is not typically associated with <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Confucianism\"><em>Confucianism<\/em><\/a> (as you might expect in a fortune cookie), but rather with ancient Greek virtue ethics &#8211; particularly <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Stoicism\"><em>stoicism<\/em><\/a>. The stoic philosopher <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Epictetus\">Epictetus<\/a> frequently argued that suffering is not <em>caused<\/em> by external events, but rather by our <em>reactions<\/em> to them &#8211; including our judgments, desires, and irrational emotional responses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The core idea of stoicism is that you have to strictly separate things that are within your power (like your thoughts, character, and actions) from things that are outside your control (like luck, health, wealth, or the actions of others). In this way, stoicism informs both the modern self-help movement and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in psychotherapy. Check out my <a href=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/2025\/09\/23\/fml-comix-ethics\/#stoicism\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"7884\">FML comix<\/a> review for a further discussion of <em>stoicism<\/em> (and how it compares to <em>Buddhism<\/em>), and my <a href=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/15\/fantastic-four-ethics\/#ethics\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"6391\">Fantastic Four<\/a> overview for more on <em>Confucianism<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is interesting that Pastor Stephen&#8217;s sermon opened with the word &#8220;virtues&#8221;, and several other characters use the word over the course of the series &#8211; often mockingly, in response to the very superior and moralistic tones of the pastor. No one in this town is actually articulating or modeling a true virtue ethics perspective. And so, I find the early presence of one of the key tenets of stoicism to be very significant for what is to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I also can&#8217;t help noticing that Jon doesn&#8217;t think much of this message at this point in the story &#8211; he quickly scrumples it up and throws it away. But of course, it is hard to get all of the above from a simple fortune cookie if you haven&#8217;t been exposed to virtue ethics thinking and practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And as a reminder, Jon has no awareness of what is to come yet. After searching for (and failing to find) his cat, Jon secures the front door and collapses on his couch &#8211; where we get this interesting zoom-in:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/9e9586ba-8132-4190-8e59-7f617b619953.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Yes, the bloody collar from his missing cat, Mittens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You don&#8217;t have to wait long to find out what happens next &#8211; from the opening page of issue #2:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/4a865a05-0a1e-46c1-a905-e933c6ddb7ba.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Jon awakens on Monday morning to find himself at the scene of a car crash. Pastor Stephen is injured (though still alive), and Jon flees the scene. He makes it to the coffee shop, and is clearly frazzled and worried about what is going on &#8211; and his role in it &#8211; especially as he hears more from the police chief and first responders:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/1306c8f1-759f-4dbb-aafe-16ad2bd6890c.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Eventually, Kelly shows up to relieve him:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/9cbd5a1e-6fbe-4253-97eb-7d1433ee60f9.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The panels above serve to yet again differentiate Jon from the townsfolk. Despite everything he is going through, Jon seeks to serve others and genuinely inquires after them. And yet he is widely mocked as being a &#8220;goody two-shoes&#8221; &#8211; while several characters show disdain (rather than concern) for the injured, highly-moralistic pastor. It is as if the people of this town can&#8217;t recognize the difference between the two &#8211; and enjoy putting Jon down for genuinely trying to be decent and helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"deontology\">These early scenes bring to my mind the branch of normative ethics known as <em>deontology<\/em>, which is concerned with doing your duty to other people, often through the lens of rights or justice. These theories are often principle- or rule-based, and focus on the moral value of the acts themselves (that is, <em>doing the right thing<\/em>). The most common form today is <em><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kantian_ethics\">Kantian ethics<\/a><\/em>, developed by the 18th century German philosopher <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Immanuel_Kant\">Immanuel Kant<\/a> (which I describe in some detail in my <a href=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/01\/superman-ethics\/#kantian\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"10948\">Superman<\/a> ethics overview).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This issue is the closest Jon comes to a Kantian response for his personal monster problem &#8211; in the vein of the classic zero-sum thought experiment known as the Trolley problem (as I <a href=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/ethics-101\/#trolley\">describe in detail here<\/a>). Since moral harms are attached to any action, the Kantian response to the problem is to do nothing in every situation &#8211; simply keep living your life by the categorical imperative. For a Kantian, you are not responsible for the outcome of the Trolley if you take no action &#8211; but if you interfere, you would be responsible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, a Kantian would also need to tell the truth about the situation they are in &#8211; and Jon does try to with Tabby. Jon has been trying to connect with her all morning, and finally does in this interesting scene when he makes it home (which appears to be half-destroyed on the ground level):<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/8ac8fc15-3520-4737-ae25-1456cbbab994.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Tabby seems well-meaning enough, but is also clearly somewhat self-absorbed &#8211; and enamored with Hipp. Jon is on his own at this point. Note the coil of rope he picks up but changes his mind about. We will come back to it in issue #3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The police show up to Jon&#8217;s house, and we see what our graffiti-spewing homeless guy has just painted on Jon&#8217;s house:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/2c92ec29-9460-49fa-b9fd-a70f227e4ccc.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p id=\"consequentialism\">The series now shifts into a clear <em>consequentialist<\/em> mode &#8211; and does so for at the least the next several issues. Consequentialism is seen as the moral opposite of deontology, focusing not on one&#8217;s acts but rather exclusively on their outcomes. These theories typically explore the moral burden of making good decisions (that is, <em>doing the good thing<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The most popular form of consequentialism today is <em><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Utilitarianism\">utilitatianism<\/a><\/em>. Although its roots go back to the ancient Greeks as well (especially <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Epicurus\">Epicurus<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hedonism#Ethical_hedonism\"><em>ethical hedonism<\/em><\/a>), its modern form was developed by the English philosophers <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jeremy_Bentham\">Jeremy Bentham<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/John_Stuart_Mill\">John Stuart Mill<\/a>. By definition all utilitarians are looking to maximize \u201cutility\u201d, which can be defined simply as a form of moral good. Since every action could bring about more good (or more bad) in the world, utilitarianism demands that people focus their attention on producing the most good they possibly can. Check out my <a href=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/27\/x-men-ethics-professor-x-charles-xavier\/#utilitarian\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"4309\">Professor X<\/a> overview to learn more about the two modern forms of utilitarianism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At this point in time, Jon seems to be channeling another consequentialist theory &#8211; <em><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Altruism\">altruism<\/a><\/em>. Altruism puts concern for the life and well-being of others <em>ahead<\/em> of your own personal interests. Specifically, when Dylan (excuse me, Officer Bryson) makes a comment about keeping the town safe from the homeless man&#8217;s graffiti for one night, Jon gets a bright idea &#8211; he asks Dylan to arrest him too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jon is clearly thinking that might keep everyone else in town safe from his unconscious monstrous excursions. Dylan laughs him off &#8211; and further, makes his own disparaging remarks about the townsfolk, including the ones he hopes the monster attacks next. In response, Jon takes a consequentialist action outside of his character:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/2a958d75-2c7e-4b98-b4bd-a8610e10cea8.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>That does the trick! In the back of the cruiser, Jon gets to have a quiet chat with the homeless man whose graffiti is very prophetic:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/38c5776c-65dc-41c4-a97f-16475f7d2b2a.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Although we don&#8217;t know who or what &#8220;it&#8221; is, it&#8217;s clear this man has been tasked somehow with helping make everyone understand the &#8220;shape&#8221; of events unfolding on the town, by identifying landmarks. It&#8217;s unclear if this is also to help the monster target its victims (although that&#8217;s a reasonable supposition as well).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While Jon is in the dark about all of this, it seems to me that Jon is not being targeted for punishment &#8211; rather, he has been tapped to be the <em>instrument<\/em> of punishment in this story. We will come to see one potential reason why later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For now though, Jon is relieved, and he can finally get some sleep, alone in a locked cell.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/9ae9f0b4-9283-450f-bfb5-2b45eba575cd.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Issue #3 begins innocently enough, with Jon waking in his own bed in his childhood bedroom. Until he notices the bedroom door has been ripped off and he is covered in blood! He gets changed and heads out to discover:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/a83edcde-3741-483e-968e-5927e9f05701.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>He makes his way back to the police station (&#8220;Accomplice&#8221; in the map):<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/5545ad83-cbcd-42bc-9533-cf634e6fc8f8.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>In addition to freaking out the homeless man, Jon also finds Dylan&#8217;s dead body &#8211; evidently murdered by his own hands, as the monster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jon finds Tabby and tries to confess to her. But she cuts him off by reasserting how &#8220;good&#8221; he is:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/f4d0cbd1-c9c7-439e-8e55-fe86c09629cc.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>They are then interrupted by Hipp who describes the devastation of the police station, and his plans to assemble a posse of armed men to hunt the monster down. Crestfallen, Jon returns home to gather the rope from the previous issue and leaves a hastily scrawled note that simply says &#8220;sorry&#8221;. The third issue ends with these two last pages:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/a948695b-ceaa-4d8b-8d53-2e8df0e096b2.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/31565d70-141c-46fc-9e41-9c51c71da7e3.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>You could easily argue this is another form of altruistic consequentialism (albeit an extreme one!), as Jon is giving his life for a good outcome &#8211; saving everyone else in town. But Jon&#8217;s preoccupation with <em>being<\/em> good in his final confession above makes me think this is more an attempted act of virtue ethics. You could also argue he is trying to do his duty to other people &#8211; but given the strong prohibition against suicide in Christianity, it seems to me most likely that he is trying to express virtue here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We soon find out how he is rewarded for his selfless act at the start of issue #4:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/a97afeb6-5049-4257-b8e1-15f7c6e8a136.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>It seems Jon cannot die &#8211; he is restored to health whenever he loses consciousness. That evening the monster wiped out Hipp&#8217;s entire hunting party (although Hipp himself escaped).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"modern\">Moral responsibility with reduced agency<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>At this point, the series shifts gears as Jon struggles to find a broader framework to understand his situation &#8211; now that the obvious <em>individual<\/em> solutions he has tried so far have failed him. Ironically, this fits with the modern thinking around moral responsibility when you have reduced agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As I mentioned in my introduction, early philosophers were concerned with the concepts of free will and determinism, as they implicitly assumed that you needed unfettered free will (that is, full agency) in order to be morally responsible for your actions, or their outcomes. I have found a lot of the historical thinking on this flip-flopped between two absolutes poles &#8211; you are responsible for nothing, or for everything. But even in ancient times there was a concept known as <em><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Compatibilism\">compatibilism<\/a><\/em> that allows you to navigate between these two extremes. And as I explained in my <a href=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/13\/the-vision-ethics\/#determinism\">overview of free will and determinism<\/a>, this fits very well with what modern neuroscience has to say about the brain. Basically, moral responsibility comes down to your intention and deliberation &#8211; or consent, free from coercion &#8211; not from any truly free will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In more recent times, philosophers and ethicists have also looked more broadly at the factors that could constrain agency. Here they often focus on a series of inter-related concepts like accountability, attributability, and answerability. At the risk of over-simplifying, attributability typically assesses responsibility according to an agent\u2019s character, accountability according to an agent\u2019s values and their regard for others, and answerability according to an agent\u2019s thought processes and intent. By all these measures, Jon would be considered not morally responsible for the actions of the monster so far &#8211; although he may be judged more harshly for his waking actions depending on the frame adopted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the practice of modern philosophy has generally moved away from abstract, universal systems toward frameworks grounded in lived experience, social context, and power dynamics. There is a parallel here to how feminist theory gave us a novel form of virtue ethics in the 1980s (<em>care ethics<\/em>, as I <a href=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/2025\/10\/09\/can-caring-be-wrong\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"7639\">describe here<\/a>). In addition to feminist theory, today you will commonly find critical theory along with postmodernist, postcolonial, and environmental perspectives informing philosophical thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This has greatly expanded our perceptions of moral responsibility under reduced agency, by considering the role external factors like social context and power dynamics play. Specifically, consideration of institutional hierarchies, structural inequalities, and systemic injustices (with their systems of control) have helped re-frame modern ethics away from earlier discussions of unfettered free will to navigating moral distress brought about by external constraints. These perspectives are typically forward-looking and consider the duty to repair in relationships, and the need to mitigate harms. Often, they are not about assigning or addressing <em>individual<\/em> blame but instead about examining <em>shared<\/em> responsibility, and taking <em>collective<\/em> action to improve the responsible systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This modern systems-level thinking may not seem like an exact match to Jon&#8217;s monster predicament in this series. But it becomes increasingly obvious that the external factors beyond Jon&#8217;s control here have a sense of intentionality and purpose &#8211; there is a reason why this is happening to him and the town (even though he doesn&#8217;t understand it yet). And so, this does fit with the modern ethics framing where there are multiple overlapping responsibilities to consider: Jon to himself and those around him &#8211; but also, critically, others to him and each other. Ultimately, given the complex history and interdependencies here, it is everyone&#8217;s responsibility to try to recognize and address injustices, working collectively to effect meaningful change. In other words, there is a need to shift the perspective from that of individual responsibility to a collective one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But that isn&#8217;t happening &#8211; the townsfolk continue to see the monster&#8217;s arrival as a one-off event and are slow to recognize the danger they are all in (and their potential culpability). They also exhibit a lot of casual cruelty to one another. Meanwhile, having failed in his individual attempts to deal with the situation, Jon turns to Tabby to consider possible broader frameworks. Together they quickly center in on two common institutional ways of understanding the world: religion and science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although both are religious people, Tabby is also a scientist and initially tries to apply deductive reasoning &#8211; very much along the lines of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Arthur_Conan_Doyle\">Sir Arthur Conan Doyle<\/a>&#8216;s famous detective Sherlock Holmes: &#8220;Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.&#8221; (The Sign of Four, 1890). From issue #4:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/379ca2fc-04cd-4c56-a470-b8083f7ef2d8.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>But Jon&#8217;s initial preference is instead to turn toward the church as an answer:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/72b86310-bd32-41e9-a2ef-6c296107dc5d.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.917954146567431;width:549px;height:auto\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Except that doesn&#8217;t work out so well for him. Let&#8217;s start with Pastor Stephen:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/3928a94a-8dce-436a-8521-cda7c65e5a8a.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"width:707px;height:auto\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>There is more than a little hucksterism in the pastor&#8217;s attitude above (especially as we come to learn more of his role in the events that precipitated the monster&#8217;s arrival). But it gets even worse, when Tabby reports on Hipp&#8217;s increasingly militant religious turn:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/b87f4aef-2254-4045-9e28-7bc6f73b4b51.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Jon is horrified by both religious perceptions of God and the devil. These encounters finally lead him to turn away from organized religion when looking for answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So how about Tabby&#8217;s science? This is where the second accent color of blue comes in &#8211; presumably representing cool reason over the monster&#8217;s red emotion. Note how the conference room at Tabby&#8217;s pharmaceutical company looks like a cathedral (only with mundane office furniture!). From issue #5:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/61ff849d-54d4-43d8-a58a-178548e00e9a.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>I would say this styling foreshadows an equally unsuccessful approach to the problem. But in the short-term, it does lead to actionable hypotheses:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/d094678b-09ab-45f2-bd78-f312a22d9a9b.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>They come up with a plan to keep the monster trapped in the mine, and it seems to work at first. From issue #6:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/958e1ca3-6b2e-464d-b23a-db9ff6141d5d.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, Hipp has become increasingly deranged, and assaulted Tabby during the evening that Jon (and the monster) were trapped in the mine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jon confronts Hipp about his treatment of Tabby:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/8af36e80-86b4-4f36-930b-a89e43fc065a.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>It goes downhill from there, and Jon decides to advance on Hipp &#8211; with his arms clearly at his side, showing he is no threat. Of course, Jon knows what Hipp is likely to do, and what the consequence will be in terms of releasing the monster:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/2b6bcd3f-81e4-4cf0-a59f-9c4803e93e12.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Interestingly, the issue doesn&#8217;t end with this closing chapter. Instead, we see Jon wake up in a straitjacket, locked in previously unseen location (presumably at the pharmaceutical company, given Tabby&#8217;s presence and the blue motif):<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/d6420efa-1be8-4361-8026-d1f481e98798.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/c82217ef-669a-4c1f-8015-1282c29680f0.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Presumably, Tabby is asking why he unleashed the monster on Hipp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The next issue is a real corker, as we see Jon repeatedly subjected to scientific experiments &#8211; against his will (and Tabby&#8217;s, as we come to learn). Eventually, one of the lab techs shares an interesting perspective when Jon asks what the monster looks like. From issue #7:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/666719b7-81d6-4e77-82e0-0623d988aafd.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>I will come back to Calie Lawson in a minute. But the lab tech&#8217;s chillingly cold perspective is further reinforced when his supervisor takes over:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/d780463e-2f68-4dba-820d-bb09b87445d9.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The lead scientist confirms Hipp was murdered by the monster and threatens to turn Jon over to the police chief when he&#8217;s done with him. But unbeknownst to the scientist, Jon has figured a creative way out of his cell. I won&#8217;t spoil the solution, but suffice it to say he manages to release the monster while the door is open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After presumably murdering the science team, Jon awakes in the upstairs offices:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/04710190-4440-4584-b781-e3a06a35701b.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/dc9f9d45-aaf7-4a38-92d2-364032f1147a.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>It is interesting how the monster has consistently spared Tabby. Tabby is the only one in this town who has genuinely tried to help Jon &#8211; and the monster clearly knows that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you read the final issue, you will discover that her &#8220;cure&#8221; simply allows Jon to be be mentally awake when the monster takes over &#8211; kind of like lucid dreaming, but Jon is not be able to affect anything the monster does in the early scenes. This is very distressing for Jon, as you can imagine. I will only share a single page from this issue, as it captures the early moral core of Jon well. From issue #8:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/c33b41e7-3233-4ece-8cd1-38e8df52f8d0.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>I won&#8217;t spoil the particulars of the final issue for you &#8211; but it does explain a lot more than I expected (though not everything, of course). In addition to being conscious for the monster&#8217;s final rampage, Jon also seems to be psychically-linked to the monster now &#8211; and he eventually gets visions as to what triggered all of this in the first place (and what all the red highlights represent!). It won&#8217;t surprise readers of the series to discover that it has to do with the dead schoolgirl, Calie Lawson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I will say the clues have all been there from the beginning &#8211; if you were paying attention. These include why Jon may have become the specific instrument of vengeance. You recall that scene from issue #1, when Jon tried to offer money to the homeless Mrs Lawson? On a subsequent encounter in issue #6, Jon corrects himself before saying her name, calling her &#8220;Ma&#8217;am&#8221; instead:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hosting.photobucket.com\/7f94707c-da1b-49ed-9987-8c1a46606668\/c6877b45-4e92-4fb2-b668-d4abac5f009c.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Indeed! Jon and Calie both start out as innocents in this story &#8211; both &#8220;good&#8221; people. Neither deserved what happened to them &#8211; and both had been abused by those around them. And it seems no one came to their aid (at least initially). There is a lot that connects them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But there is one key difference &#8211; while Jon was passively victimized in the beginning, he eventually takes deliberate actions over the course of this series that seem at odds with his initial character. Knowing the repercussions, he <em>chooses<\/em> to unleash the monster twice &#8211; on Hipp and the scientists. And once Jon learns the full history of what has transpired in the town (in the final issue), he seems to become <em>fully in sync<\/em> with the monster &#8211; moving and acting in concert with it for the final events. It seems the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde reference was most apt here, but in reverse &#8211; while they start out being quite different, they eventually become one (for at least a few moments).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The last few pages are particularly revealing. I won&#8217;t describe exactly what happens (read the comic!), but I will note that the very last thing Jon says in this series is &#8220;good&#8221;. He seems satisfied with how this story ends. Does this make him morally responsible now for everything the monster has done? It is an interesting open-ended question. But there is a very specific reunion in the very last panels that strongly implies Jon will find some form of peace and acceptance now. It&#8217;s a beautiful conclusion to this horror story, and one I didn&#8217;t expect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As an aside, I was surprised to read in David Harper&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/sktchd.com\/review\/double-take-sleep\/\">excellent write-up on SKTCHD.com<\/a> that many people apparently interpreted the final panels differently than he and I did. If you want to know what finally happened, check out the link above (and my spoilers in the comment section at the end).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"last\">The last word &#8230; for now<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>This is only the second time I&#8217;ve reviewed the ethics of a series without giving away the ending. And this time I&#8217;ve also avoided fully explaining the inciting event behind the story&#8217;s driving force (aka, the motivation of the monster). Hopefully I&#8217;ve given enough away for you understand the series, without ruining the major reveals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It really is a great comics series, and I strongly encourage you to pick up the trade paperback &#8211; you&#8217;ll likely read it all the way through in one sitting! But this is also a series where you will benefit from a second read-through &#8211; it is easy to miss a lot of subtle details and clues as you get caught up in the propulsive thriller aspects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The series is perfectly enjoyable as a stand-alone werewolf-style horror. And there is a deeply personal story underpinning it all, with our enigmatic protagonist. Why is the orphaned Jon sleeping on the couch in his childhood family home? Why does he tolerate the barbs and jabs of the townsfolk when he is arguably the most generous and selfless among them? And though he seems a hapless victim of the unseen monster through most the of the series, the final pages make you reconsider this &#8211; is it really part of who he is all along? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This latter point makes me think of the <a href=\"https:\/\/marvel.fandom.com\/wiki\/Bruce_Banner_(Earth-616)\">Hulk<\/a> from Marvel comics &#8211; has the force of vengeance here taken over Jon at night, or has it instead unleashed his own pent-up rage? It is clear there is an external intelligence at work (with the mine connection, the maps, etc.), but how much of this may be coming from somewhere deep inside Jon&#8217;s psyche? In other words, what if that fortune cookie was being literal, and not just philosophical?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To put it in old <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Psychodynamics\">psychodynamic theory<\/a> terms, could this the release of Jon&#8217;s <em>id<\/em> (our instinctual needs and desires), long suppressed by his over-bearing <em>superego<\/em> (the internalized rules and morals we learn as children)? If so, the ending could be a happy one if it means his <em>ego<\/em> (the rational mediator between the two, integrating the demands of the outside world) is now more firmly established and in control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In normative ethics terms, Jon does have a moral duty to minimize harm (deontology), to accept accountability for whatever role he is playing (virtue ethics), and to make hard choices despite not being fully in control of his nighttime actions (consequentialism). But moral responsibility shouldn&#8217;t fall solely on his shoulders here &#8211; there is a <em>collective<\/em> failure behind the events that led to this situation. Jon &#8211; like Calie before him &#8211; had been let down by the various systems and institutions intended to protect the vulnerable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I can&#8217;t help but think that <em>collectivist<\/em> failure is the larger message here, along the lines of the current Feminist\/Critical\/Postmodernist theorists&#8217; perspectives of philosophy. There are broader themes of institutional control and abuse throughout the series (like the church and the pharmaceutical company), and we see the failures of the societal systems designed to protect people and help them live well (like the police, schools, etc.). The loss of social norms is clear &#8211; time and again we see poor moral behavior and commentary from the townsfolk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a result, this series seems to me a parable of the breakdown of institutions in modern society, and of our failure to act collectively. And that is far scarier than the actions of any one monster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>See my <a href=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/27\/glossary\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"5118\">Glossary<\/a> post for a list of the key philosophical concepts and related links on this site.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Further Reading<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/13\/the-vision-ethics\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"622\" data-src=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Vision_comic2-1024x622.jpg\" alt=\"Vision: The Complete Collection (Trade Paperback), 2019, by Tom King, Gabriel Hernandez Walta, Jordie Bellaire. Cover art by Michael Del Mundo\" class=\"wp-image-5646 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Vision_comic2-1024x622.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Vision_comic2-300x182.jpg 300w, https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Vision_comic2-768x466.jpg 768w, https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Vision_comic2.jpg 1120w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/622;\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>For more moral responsibility: <a href=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/13\/the-vision-ethics\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"4926\">The Vision<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/2025\/11\/25\/the-power-fantasy-ethics-introduction\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"622\" data-src=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251123_105918-1024x622.jpg\" alt=\"Covers of The Power Fantasy Vol 1, 2025, issues #1 (fourth printing), #2 (second printing), #5, art by Caspar Wijngaard\" class=\"wp-image-9232 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251123_105918-1024x622.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251123_105918-300x182.jpg 300w, https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251123_105918-768x466.jpg 768w, https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251123_105918.jpg 1120w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/622;\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>For superpowers ethics: <a href=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/2025\/11\/25\/the-power-fantasy-ethics-introduction\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"8922\">The Power Fantasy Introduction<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/26\/powers-ethics\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"622\" data-src=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260115_155039-1024x622.jpg\" alt=\"Covers of various issues of Powers over the first two volumes, by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming\" class=\"wp-image-10370 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260115_155039-1024x622.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260115_155039-300x182.jpg 300w, https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260115_155039-768x466.jpg 768w, https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260115_155039.jpg 1120w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/622;\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>For more extreme superpowers: <a href=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/26\/powers-ethics\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"10006\">Powers<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sleep is an 8-issue comic book series written and drawn by Zander Cannon, published at Image Comics. It ran from May 2025 to March 2026, with the trade paperback (collecting all 8 issues) published just last week. The series is accurately described by Image as &#8220;an unsettling, slow-burning atmospheric take &#8230; <\/p>\n<div><a class=\"more-link bs-book_btn\" href=\"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/10\/zander-cannons-sleep-ethics\/\">Read More<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11905,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_wp_rev_ctl_limit":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11816","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-comic"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11816","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11816"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11816\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11922,"href":"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11816\/revisions\/11922"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11905"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11816"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11816"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/comicphilosophy.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11816"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}