Health care workers are on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, with many working superhuman hours to care for patients afflicted with the illness. To shine a light on these heroes, Marvel is teaming with Allegheny Health Network (AHN) to tell stories about real healthcare workers.
Developed with advertising agency Doner, The True Nurse Stories will present real stories that nurses have shared. Each character and story stems from actual experiences that have occurred in AHN’s 13 hospitals in Western Pennsylvania.
“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been in awe of the courage and resourcefulness of our nurses, who put their own health at risk to care for these vulnerable patients,” Claire Zangerle, DNP, Chief Nurse Executive, AHN, said. “We are so proud of them, and we want to make sure they know how much we appreciate their exceptional work. We hope that in seeing themselves as real Marvel Comics superheroes, they can take a moment to look back in pride on their exceptional work and compassion during an exceptionally difficult time for our communities.”
“At Marvel, we tell stories about heroes every day. But this story is special. It tells a story about our everyday heroes – the nurses and healthcare professionals working tirelessly and courageously to save lives,” Dan Buckley, President of Marvel Entertainment, said. “Along with AHN, we are honored to help tell these stories, which we dedicate to the real heroes who are saving the world.”
The comics will be distributed in AHN hospitals and recruiting events, as well as via an e-reader at Marvel.com. As part of the comic campaign’s launch, a video was created to show kids of AHN nurses talking about their parents before getting to see the book for themselves.
“In our work with AHN, Doner has had a true insider’s view into the world of first responders,” David DeMuth, CEO of Doner, said. “We’ve been continually inspired by the heroism and selflessness of the nurses we’ve met. Through this collaboration with Marvel, we’ve found a powerful and accurate way to bring to life the stories of these real life heroes.”
