Pope Benedict XVI has left the Eterna and is off in France, doing all the usual Papal things — which means that he’s in the press almost constantly. Thus, we’ve got popes on our minds.
While we in the Eterna are growing used to Benedict and his Germanic ways, there’s still a lingering nostalgia for Pope John Paul II, the charismatic pope who led the Catholic church for almost 25 years. Thus, having spotted a young friend perusing a John Paul II comic book a few days ago, we decided to undertake a brief survey of cartoony Papal paraphernalia. In the process, we found some fine items!
Winning votes all across the eCool office is the Marvel Comics’ Life of Pope John Paul II. Published in 1982, it’s an oldie but goodie, available for purchase only on used book sites and on eBay. The cover reads, “The Entire Story! From His Childhood in Poland to the Assassination Attempt.” What this means, of course, is that events after 1982 aren’t covered in this comic — no spoilers here, though! We’re not telling you what happens after ‘82.
If you want to know the rest of JP II’s story, you’ll have to turn to The Life of John Paul II in Comics, written by Alessandro Mainardi, illustrated by Werner Maresta, and published in 2006. Aimed at kids in grades 6-10, the book draws from John Paul II’s writings and dialogues.
Finally, if reading about a Pope just isn’t enough and you’d rather play with a Pope instead, we highly recommend the John Paul II Paper Dolls (IN FULL COLOR! – who wants a black & white Pontiff?) by Dover Publications. We’ll admit to keeping a set of those around the eCool office and putting them into action whenever we feel the need to pontificate.
