MAPACA

Mid-Atlantic Popular &
American Culture Association

The Avengers Come to Life: This session will be a comic book story brought to life. The performers will enact a script about how to teach composition using new approaches that involves bringing graphic novels into the classroom. The story will discuss different ways to use comic books to engage young college writers in examining the world around them while enhancing their composing skills. And, to make sure our discussion is theoretically grounded, a narrator, The Watcher, will read the Avengers’ research-based thought bubbles for the audience!

Our Cast of Superheroes This session will feature appearances by Captain America, the Black Panther, the Scarlet Witch, the Black Widow, Iron Man, Captain Marvel, Spider-Man, The Wasp, The Vision, and Peggy Carter, all suited up for battle in full superhero costumes. Yes, you heard us right, we will be wearing our superhero costumes for this live comic book performance.

The Super Villain Every superhero adventure involves battling a powerful super villain, and our story is no different. For this performance, the Avengers will battle one of the universe’s most powerful supervillains, Thanos. This evil villain has used his powers to make students question the value of writing. He has made students call composition class confusing, difficult, useless, outdated, irrelevant, and, gasp, boring. Our heroes will have to fight back to overcome Thanos in order to help students come to understand the true value of learning how to write effectively.

The Adventure In a series of four acts, the Avengers will learn how to teach writing and develop a pedagogy capable of beating Thanos.