Sure, they're entertaining, but can comic book superheroes and cartoon characters teach us anything useful in the real world? A trio of professors discuss how they're using fictional characters to introduce students to nonfictional subjects. Dr.
Travis Langley (
Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight) and Dr.
E. Paul Zehr (
Becoming Batman, Inventing Iron Man) explore the psychology and biology of Gotham's Dark Knight, his allies, and his many foes. Dr.
Karma Waltonen (
The Simpsons in the Classroom) explains how instructors can use comics as a jumping-off point to introduce concepts in literature, composition, linguistics, cultural studies, gender studies, and media appreciation.
http://www.comic-con.org/wc/wc_search_results.php?strShow=32&strRec=3879