According to this press release, The Elks Club’s Drug Awareness Program, the U.S. Surgeon General and the the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration are teaming up with Marvel to produce a comic book about the dangers of underage drinking:

Hard Choices, a comic book developed by Marvel Entertainment for the Elks National Drug Awareness Program in collaboration with SAMHSA, features the superheroes saving young people from the consequences of alcohol abuse. In October 2007, almost 800,000 copies were sent to elementary and middle schools across the nation.

“We feel the holiday season is a particularly important time to stress the consequences of underage drinking, with school vacations and busy parental schedules,” said Kent Gade, director of the Elks National Drug Awareness Program. “After 25 years of substance-abuse education, the Elks understand how critical it is for young people to lead an alcohol- and drug-free lifestyle. We are fortunate for the opportunity to work with Marvel Entertainment and their popular characters to promote this important message. The Marvel superheroes in Hard Choices empower parents and teachers to discuss a difficult topic in a fun, familiar format that children can identify with.”

You can find samples of the comic here, as well as a teacher’s guide.

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