BAM! ZAP! POW!: TEACHING MICROECONOMIC CONCEPTS WITH COMIC BOOK SUPERHEROES

Authors

  • Brian O’Roark
  • Clair Smith

Keywords:

Economic Education, Comics, Markets, Superheroes, Entrepreneurship, Enterprise

Abstract

One part of the unwritten superhero code is that heroes should not charge for their services; however, this runs contrary to the entrepreneurial spirit. Some heroes are leaving money on the table by adhering to this code. Other heroes try to get involved in a business, but their superpowers do not include basic economic knowledge. In this paper we examine some fundamental microeconomic issues by examining why comic book superheroes do not earn a higher income. We provide specific references (and links) to comics and movie clips, as well as teaching tips and questions for instructors interested in teaching about markets and business decisions using a creative, non-textbook method.

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Published

2025-04-14