Keeping on yesterday’s topic, take a look at this interesting story:  

In a time when it can be difficult to find appropriate role models, some parents are using the actions and credos of Batman, Spidey and other comic book heroes to teach their children. Parents also use comics and superheroes to teach social skills and reading and help broach social and political issues in addition to talking about right and wrong. …

For decades, comics have also included story lines that deal more with real-life issues than they do with fighting supervillains or defending the earth from alien invasion. One of the most famous is Iron Man’s “Demon In a Bottle” story line that covered alcoholism in 1979. Story lines in the last few years in “Superman,” “Astonishing X-Men” and other mainstream comics also have dealt with politics, homosexuality and war, topics parents want to talk about with their kids.

“Traditional hero comics find areas to explore values and morals,” said Omaha comics fan Greg Jaxies, 27. “Superhero comics have been tackling these topics in allegorical ways for years, but now they’re tackling them in literal ways.”

Seems like a good development.