Journalists in Comics 📰

Jack Ryder. Peter Parker. Clark Kent. What do they all have in common? In their alter egos they all work as journalists. Clark Kent is a reporter for the Daily Planet in Metropolis, Jack Ryder was a talk show host turned investigative reporter in Gotham, and Peter Parker is a freelance photographer for the Daily Bugle in New York. In comic books, journalism and heroes have been hand and hand since the beginning, going all the way back to Action Comics #1 with the Daily Star, before it was renamed the Daily Planet in issue 23. Historically, if we look at the reason why the heroes are linked to news is maybe that comic books originally started as reprints of comic strips of  popular characters you could find in your local newspapers, starting with Famous Funnies #1.

Journalism is often times called the fourth pillar of democracy, a way to hold the government and people responsible for their actions. Maybe that's why so many heroes or people close to heroes are journalists. The hero has to hold the villain responsible for the actions they commit and bring them to justice. Being able to expose or bring to light an issue that needs attention is the most important thing for a journalist, and helps the community they live in. Much like the superhero, people like Lois Lane, Ben Urich, or April O' Neil have been able to look into criminals and bring to light the bad deeds they do to the public, while Superman, Daredevil, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles bring them to justice.      

As of late, journalists and the news has become a hot button topic and issue. Its become politicized and divided. Much like how a superhero should do something when it comes to saving the day. If we look at the Marvel event, Civil War, in which innocent civilians are killed and heroes can either become apart of the Superhero Registration Act with Iron Man or become outlaws with Captain America. A hero can give up their identity and do what they are told or continuing being a hero, and knowing the cost that come with it. Journalism is the same, be called fake and choose sides of conservative or liberal, or do the right thing and act right down the middle, no matter the side. 

SO, why do many heroes decide to pick up the pen and report. Its because they want to fight crime and corruption without the costume on. Superheroes and journalism have both been ridiculed in the past and will be in the future, but their is a bind between them that can never be broken.

   

Comics for Education 📚

Education and comic books often times aren't thought to go hand and hand. A comic book would be out of place in a school. But that has seamlessly changed in the past 15 years or so. Teachers have started to use comics as teaching tools and ways to get students involved in learning. Graphic novels such as Watchmen, Maus, Bone, Batman:The Killing Joke and Batman:The Dark Knight Returns are often times always on an English teachers shelves. They are kept there for a student to read on their down time or for an educational purpose in the school year. School libraries typically have a section of graphic novels, trade paperbacks and manga. Not to mention when the book fair comes, there are always books centered around superheroes.

Scholastic put out an article on comic books in the class room and it talks about how you have to read a comic. "As literature, comics are 'a layering of text, visual and pictoral,' says James Bucky Carter, Ph.D., author of Building Literacy Connections with Graphic Novels: Page by Page, Panel by Panel.  And don’t think you can just skim a comic book. The words and illustrations are meant to be “read” together. “As long as you’re reading comics, you’re using visual literacy skills." They also touched on how comics can be a great way to peak reluctant readers’ interest and challenge those students who are fluent in more traditional literature.

Comic books have always been used to teach serious topics and be great teaching tools. They have taught the topic of drug awareness such as Amazing Spider-Man #96-98 and Green Lantern/Green Arrow #85, the topic of asthma in Captain America meets the Asthma Monster, the topic of deafness in Iron Man: Sound Effects and the introduction of Blue Ear, and the topic of seat belt safety in American Honda presents DC Comics' Supergirl. 


Using comic books in an educational and fun way in schools is a way to get kids interested in comics and can teach them often time complex and interesting things. There are so many benefits to it and I hope more and more teachers and school districts keep incorporating them.




Here is the Scholastic article about comic books written by Samantha Cleaver:
https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/comic-books/

And 10 examples of PSA comic books from DC and Marvel by io9:
https://io9.gizmodo.com/10-educationally-insane-superhero-psa-comics-5981826

What's next for the MCU? [Spoilers Ahead]

Avengers:Endgame has been out for almost two weeks now. Its made almost $2.3 billion dollars at the box office and with Spider-Man:Far from Home coming out in July capping off the 3rd Phase of the MCU, the question is what's next? What happens now with the MCU? Disney and Marvel recently announced the schedule of Phase 4 in a press release and the dates of...

• May 1, 2020
• November 6, 2020
• February 12, 2021
• May 7, 2021
• November 5, 2021
• February 18, 2022
• May 6, 2022
• July 29, 2022

Phase 4 starts in May of next year, but with what movie? We know three movies already casting or in talks. That being the Black Widow prequel film, The Eternals, and Shang-Chi:Master of Kung Fu film. Marvel has many projects lined up for the Disney+ streaming service, including WandaVision, The Falcon and Winter Solider, Loki, and Hawkeye. These are probably being done to tie up loose ends of Avengers:Endgame.

I'm now going to start discussing my thoughts on what I believe Marvel should do moving forward and this is where spoilers from Endgame come in. SO, if you've seen it stick around and if you haven't come back after you have.

In Endgame, we see many ideas established and set up. We see the death of Tony Stark and Steve Rogers become an old man and pass the shield on to Sam Wilson. I don't believe we will see a new Iron Man and in The Falcon and Winter Solider show, I think that is where we will see Sam Wilson grow into his role as Captain America. When it comes to Thor and the Guardians of the Galaxy, and the third awaited movie, I think they will be hunting down the Gamora who is from the past and has entered into the current MCU timeline. When it comes to the Avengers and if we will get more movies, I believe so. The New Avengers and A-Force would be great ways to establish new teams in the MCU and introduce younger heroes into the world.

In some leaked footage from Spider-Man:Far from Home, it is established The Snap ripped holes in the multiverse and to me, this is a great idea. Deadpool is said to be left alone and kept the way he is in how Disney and Marvel want to do the character. That means having Ryan Reynolds continuing to do the part, and this would be a great way to introduced him, Cable, and Domino into the MCU. I think the same could be said for the X-Men and Fantastic Four. 

Avengers:Endgame is a incredible movie and set the stage for Phase 4 of the MCU greatly and hopefully the next phase can give us some great villains, heroes and stories just a memorable as the Infinity Saga!