Discovering morality in comic books

Can comic-book characters have good morals? Sure, the Religion News Service discovers when it talks to the unlikely trio of Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, The Simpsons comics writer Chris Yambar and Who Needs a Superhero? author H. Michael Brewer:

"Batman has a choice when his parents are killed," Brewer said. "He can be crippled for life or deal with tragedy in a way that makes the world a better place. Superman loses everything - his world, his family, his home. Instead of remaining a stranger, he decides to adopt Earthlings as his own."

Another example can be found in the pages of the Green Arrow comic. Green Arrow has recently taken on a sidekick named Mia, who was once a teenage runaway. During her days on the street, she contracted HIV.

"Having faced the trouble in her life," Brewer said, "she wants to make a difference in the world. I can't think of a more heroic thing to do."