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!        

Top 5 Underrated Superhero Movies! 🎥

Superhero movies are everywhere you look these day. They have become apart of our movie theater experiences. But for every Avengers or Wonder Woman, you have a couple of overlooked gems that really need to watched or maybe even rewatched. So here they are my Top 5 Underrated Superhero movies!

5.Mystery Men 

(1999)

Mystery Men stars Ben Stiller, William H.Macy, Geoffrey Rush, and Hank Azaria. It is such a campy but great film. After trying to save Champion City's most successful superhero, Captain Amazing, and it goes less then spectacular, The Mystery Men must become the heroes the city needs and stop Casanova Frankenstein. The best performance of the film is Ben Stiller as he is just over the top as Mr.Furious as he tries to unleash the rage inside him to become the unstoppable hero. It's a must watch.     

4.The Incredible Hulk 

(2008)

The Incredible Hulk stars Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, and William Hurt. The Incredible Hulk is an often overlooked part of the MCU and it shouldn't be. It is the best solo Hulk movie. Edward Norton's portrayal of Bruce Banner is great (behind the scene politics besides) and with elements of the '70s TV show thrown in there, it's great. They don't over use The Hulk either and the build up to him is great, you know what is coming, but the suspense to that moment is perfect. If you haven't watched this MCU movie, I suggest you do and if you have give it a rewatch.  

3.Sky High 

(2005)

Sky High stars Kurt Russell, Kelly Preston, Michael Angarano, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Danielle Panabaker. Sky High is a fun and unique movie. It focuses on how heroes become heroes, sidekicks become sidekicks, and the family life of heroes. Plus the cast is either made up of former superhero alum or people who would later go on and star in superhero projects. Lynda Carter, Kurt Russell, Danielle Panabaker, Bruce Campbell, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. As a kid, I watched this all the time, it is just an enjoyable movie.

2.Zoom

(2006)

Zoom stars Tim Allen, Courtney Cox, Chevy Chase,Spencer Breslin, and Kate Mara. Zoom is a very underrated movie, and I think the reason is the idea of Tim Allen as a superhero. I think it turns a lot of people away. But it's a really good movie, about a washed up hero that has to help a new team of heroes discover their powers and fight something with a connection to Jack Shepard/Captain Zoom. It's really good, seek it out.  

1.The Punisher

(2004)

The Punisher stars Thomas Jane,John Travolta, Will Patton, and Rebecca Romijn. This has to be number one for me. Thomas Jane plays such a good Frank Castle and to me is the best one to play the part and any time John Travolta plays a bad, its going to be good. The stakes were raised so much in this movie and even if you don't like superhero movies, this is just a badass action movie. A must watch for Punisher fans or comic book fans.

Analyzing the Nomad:The Wanderer Finale

A nomad, a person who does not stay long in the same place; a wanderer. That is Jack Monroe. He is a nomad, in his 1990s series, Jack moves from town to town, place to place fighting bad guys and villains others just won't. Sometimes even hitching rides from town to town. What makes Jack Monroe so different is that he isn't based in a single city or place like other heroes. Spider-Man, Iron Man and Daredevil all fight crime in New York. The West Coast Avengers fight crime in San Francisco. Even the Punisher who Jack Monroe is similar to, fights a majority of his criminals in New York City. Nomad is the man without a place, he is a wanted man. And I know, superheroes fight all over the world and fight for the bigger picture. But Jack Monroe fights for the common man. He fights for the smaller guy, the guy no one else focuses on. Even the opening panels in issue one of his second series, sees him stopping a burglary in a small town and then paying for the stuff he gets from the store. Nomad never played much in the bigger picture of Marvel, which is a shame. The only big story he had was Dead Man's Hand with Punisher and Daredevil. He was also a member of the Secret Defenders for two issues. So it goes to show you that Jack Monroe was too busy saving the guys in the small towns while everyone else was saving the universe. I mean, hey someone has to do it!

Analyzing the Nomad

Jack Monroe. He has gone by many names. Bucky. Nomad. Scourge. But he is best known for being the 3rd Nomad and sidekick of Captain America for over a year in the 1980s. But Jack Monroe's story starts 30 years before he became Cap's partner. In 1953-1954, Captain America stories, were published  and written by Stan Lee and illustrated by Mort Lawrence and John Romita, Sr., and supposedly starred Steve Rogers (the original Captain America) and Bucky and were clearly set in the 1950s, with the duo prominently battling communism and a communist Red Skull. However, when the character returned in Avengers #4 (March 1964), it is revealed that the original Captain America has been in a state of suspended animation since a battle he fought near the close of World War II, a battle in which Bucky Barnes perished. So who were the Captain America and Bucky in the 1950s? The 1950s stories were thus considered outside of official canon until in 1972's Captain America #153–156. 

Jack Monroe and William Burnside, who had been operating together for some time as Bucky and Captain America, respectively, were placed in suspended animation. The two superheroes were reawakened decades after being put in said suspended animation. In their delusional state, the man and teenager were the 1950s Captain America and Bucky, and attempted to kill the original Captain America and new partner The Falcon. However they are eventually captured and returned to a state of suspended animation. 

The formula that initially granted the original Captain America (Steve Rogers), his abilities granted Burnside and Monroe their abilities. However, the formula made no mention of the essential Vita-ray exposure portion of the treatment and the absence caused its effects to eventually give them psychotic symptoms.Monroe was subsequently taken into S.H.I.E.L.D. custody and seemingly cured of his psychotic symptoms, but Burnside was not as lucky. Monroe would later become Steve Roger's partner and ally, but would abandon his spandex and become a urban vigilante, going solo, fighting criminals superheroes wouldn't.    



COME BACK NEXT WEDNESDAY FOR PART II OF ANALYZING THE NOMAD! 

Analyzing...

The next character on the Analyzing series is a personal favorite of mine and a very underrated one at that. We will be taking a look at Jack Monroe, the third man to be called Nomad. 

The Marvel hero you've never heard of.

Solarman! A Marvel hero that debuted in 1989 and was a new cosmic hero for the company. Solarman was created by David Oliphant and Deborah Kalman for Pendulum Press in the late '70s in response to the 1970s energy crisis. Solarman only lasted three issue with Pendulum. Years later, Marvel Comics writer/editor Stan Lee and then-Marvel president Jim Galton contacted Oliphant with the suggestion of publishing a Solarman book through Marvel. This version of Solarman debuted in 1989, and lasted only two issues. In 1992, a 22-minute animated Solarman cartoon was also produced, based on the Marvel Comics version. Marvel did have big plans for Solarman, but plans just didn't work out and the character was very similar to Quasar and Captain Mar-Vell, in the sense that Ben Tucker, Solarman's secret identity, could expose the Circlet (which is worn on his wrist like a bracelet and cannot be removed) to sunlight and transform into the golden-haired adult Solarman who possesses superhuman strength, is capable of supersonic flight and survival in deep space and can control light, heat, and other forms of energy. But don't feel to bad for Solarman, the character found new life in 2016 at Scout Comics, with a whole new look and attitude. So if you ever come across Solarman #1 and #2 from Marvel pick them up, they are fun reads. And pretty cheap too.