Marvel Entertainment announced on Thursday that it would release seven variant comic-book covers in recognition of National Bullying Prevention Month this October. Created in partnership with STOMP Out Bullying™, the covers will be available only at comic book shops and are intended to bring attention to the issue of bullying across the nation.
Though using comics in classrooms isn’t totally mainstream yet, there’s certainly an opportunity for using the medium to teach about social justice. Comics and graphic novels can also help reluctant students get interested in reading, and given that several of these special editions focus on characters from the summer hit “Guardians of the Galaxy,” many students would likely pick these comics up with enthusiasm.
The contents of these issues have yet to be announced, so it’s unclear as to whether or not the anti-bullying theme will continue inside each comic. Even so, the covers themselves are fairly powerful. (At least one teacher in the comments on the announcement has already requested posters of the images.)
Anti-bullying initiatives have gained more attention recently, but there’s always room for more resources that teachers can use to talk to their students about the problem. After all, even the legendary Star-Lord has to deal with bullies.
For the rest of the covers and the full list of variant editions, see Marvel’s announcement.
Images from Marvel Entertainment