Smithsonian Teams With Stan Lee, Michael Uslan To Offer Free Rise of Superheroes Online Course

Washington, DC – Buoyed by the worldwide success of its inaugural event in 2015, The Smithsonian Institution once again unites with fanboy legends Stan Lee and Michael Uslan to present “The Rise of Superheroes and Their Impact on Pop Culture,” a free six-week online course that covers the history, evolution, societal acceptance, global impression and various creative/career applications of the world’s best-loved comic book characters.

Registration opens May 2, 2016 for the latest edition of this monumentally popular course, which last year drew more than 60,000 participants from 160 countries. The once-a-week course (1-2 hours, five consecutive weeks), which starts May 17, is run through the Smithsonian’s online education partner edX (at edx.org). Interested students can register now here!

The course is offered free of charge courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History.

“The Rise of Superheroes and Their Impact on Pop Culture” features comic book icon Stan Lee, creator of the modern superhero template, Batman film franchise producer Michael Uslan, international film producer David Uslan and Professor Christopher Robichaud from Harvard, guiding students on an in-depth look into the evolution of superhero storytelling – from the mythology of Egyptian, Greek and Roman times and the folklore within various cultures and religions through today’s adventures of Batman, Superman, the Avengers and their unending roster of colleagues and rivals. Along the journey, students will not only learn the cultural ramifications of these characters and their societal importance, but will also create their own characters and stories to share with the fanboy universe today.

Beyond an unparalleled educational experience taught by some of the most respected minds in the comic book and superhero community, participants completing the course (with a passing grade) will also be eligible to receive a verified Certificate of Achievement (signed by all of the instructors) credential – an invaluable asset in seeking entry as an employee or intern within the comic book industry. The verified certificate will come with digital art by award-winning comic book artist Dennis Calero, created exclusively for this course.

Michael Uslan and Stan Lee