Comic books today aren't just child's play

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. (AP) -- The brave Eagle Eye and the evil Lord Phazer are at war, a blind teacher and her former student-turned-villain at odds over a science experiment gone wrong.

What happens next is up to Mitchell Reiner's fourth- and fifth-grade students at Eagle Ridge Elementary.

Reiner, who says he identifies with Spider-Man, is leading about 40 students at his Coral Springs school through the creation of a comic book, or graphic novel.

Every Friday, Superhero Club students gather for two hours after school, crafting their story lines, drawing comic book panels and inking drawings. They ponder whether Phazer should rob a bank after discovering one of his superpowers -- electric bolts shoot from his fingers. They debate story lines to explain how Eagle Eye lost her sight.

"You get to create whatever you want. You get to tell your whole life story, but super," said Taylor Kron, 10.

For the past two years, Reiner has turned his love of comic book superheroes into class assignments. This year he won a $4,000 grant for a school-wide project.

The money is from the creator of Airborne, an immune-system booster designed to help the body fight germs and viruses. Airborne creator Victoria Knight-McDowell is a former second-grade teacher who recently founded the Airborne Teacher Trust Fund to supplement dwindling resources for art and music education in public schools.

Reiner coined the names for the superhero and villain and chose the setting -- the school and neighboring Coral Springs. He said there would be no killing, blood or cursing.

The rest was up to the kids.

Eagle Eye emerged as a blind, female Eagle Ridge teacher who, when transformed to superheroine status, can touch a patch on her clothing that gives her telescopic, night and x-ray vision.

Lord Phazer, one of Eagle Eye's students, came to life as an electric eel with telekinesis powers and the ability to go through solid objects. He became a villain after a chemistry experiment at school went awry.

From there, Reiner split fourth- and fifth-grade students who wanted to participate into four teams, each creating their own version of the story. The best one will be published by the end of the school year.

"I think he should rob a bank," said fifth-grader Arielle Brice, 10.

Some students, including fifth-graders Eddy Valenz and Josh Sanchez, are gifted artists who helped bring the heroine and her arch-nemesis to life. But Reiner is focused on developing students' writing and storytelling skills.

"The story that is the best is the one that will represent the school," Reiner said. "The artwork is just a part of it."

So as Reiner goes over their sketches and dialogue, he sprinkles each critique with pointers about punctuation and spelling.

He's also hoping the kids learn teamwork and leadership -- every team has a captain -- along with multitasking and concentration.

Jared Notkin was carefully studying drawings of biceps as he crafted his team's comic book cover.

"It's harder to make than you think," said 11-year-old Jared, a fifth-grader.

"But it's fun to believe in your imagination," Arielle said.

"To really go wild in it," added Johnny Padilla, 10.

Some of the stories involve Lord Phazer -- who was a just a regular kid named Larry Phazer before that science lab mishap in one story -- capturing school Principal Marina Rashid.

None of the endings are worked out quite yet.

"Lord Phazer is going to jail," said Timothy Bang, 9, Titus' twin brother. "Or, he escapes, and then there can be another."

Ever since Reiner started watching Saturday morning cartoons, he has been fascinated by superheroes and their stories.

Superheroes X-Men, Captain America and The Wasp are splashed on the walls in Reiner's classroom, Spider-Man's trademark red-webbed face dominates. There aren't just plain old rules, but a superhero code of ethics.

"Spider-Man had to learn that with great power comes great responsibility," Reiner said.

He believes his power, as a teacher, carries the same weight: "I don't want anybody to fail on my watch. I want them to be better people."

Reiner is reassured by observing his Superhero Club in action.

"I just enjoy seeing the spark," Reiner said -- and not just the ones coming from Phazer's fingers.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)