Move Over Superman: This Comic Celebrates Nurse Heroes
Comic book superheroes come in all shapes and have a slew of special powers but now there are new kids on the block. And they wear scrubs not capes. That’s because Marvel Comics and Allegheny Health Network (AHN) have developed a new comic book starring healthcare workers.
The True Nurse Stories comic book that was developed with the help of the advertising agency Donner is a new Marvel comic that shows the heroism of the frontline nurses fighting the coronavirus pandemic according to a press release.
Each character and story in the comic book come from the experiences of the people who provide healthcare in one of AHN’s 13 hospitals located in Western Pennsylvania. Each character is an amalgam of the many nurses who shared their stories for the publication.
“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been in awe of the courage and resourcefulness of our nurses, who put their own health at risk to care for these vulnerable patients,” said Claire Zangerle, DNP, Chief Nurse Executive, AHN.
“We are so proud of them, and we want to make sure they know how much we appreciate their exceptional work. We hope that in seeing themselves as real Marvel Comics Superheroes, they can take a moment to look back in pride on their exceptional work and compassion during an exceptionally difficult time for our communities.”
The project was a total surprise to all the nurses when it was unveiled to them in late November 2020 according to CNN. The comic book is a tribute to the work they do. Many of whom spend long times away from their family.
In a video clip shown on CNN’s affiliate KDKA, the nurse’s children talk about how much they miss their parents because they are working and how afraid they are that their parents’ might catch Covid-19.
Jessi Showalter, one of the featured nurses told KDKA, “I think that, ‘why me? I’m not anything special.’ I kind of just come here and do what I love every day and try to help my patients. If that makes me a hero, I guess that makes me a hero.”
According to the press release, the comic books will be distributed at AHN hospitals, at recruiting events, and with an e-reader for digital distribution on Marvel.com. Some of the additional campaign components include social media and an online video.
“At Marvel, we tell stories about heroes every day. But this story is special. It tells a story about our everyday heroes — the nurses and healthcare professionals working tirelessly and courageously to save lives,” Dan Buckley, president of Marvel Entertainment said in the press release. “Along with AHN, we are honored to help tell these stories, which we dedicate to the real heroes who are saving the world.”
Showing appreciation for the people who have dedicated their lives to saving others during the pandemic is not just confined to AHN. From people clapping for hospital workers on their balconies in Italy, New York City, and other locations around the globe, to donating care packages for nurses, and feeding or housing workers who cannot go home, people are saying thank you.
