FREE SEL Superhero Comic: Building Social Emotional Intelligence

Title: "The Ubuntu League: Rise of Empathy Girl and Ohana Girl"

Dedicated to my amazing wonderful friend Barry Lane, the founder of the Ubuntu League.

In a world where kindness sometimes feels lost, two extraordinary girls discovered they had the power to change everything. Meet Empathy Girl and Ohana Girl, the founding members of the Ubuntu League!

Empathy Girl, also known as E-Girl, was once a shy student named Emma. One day, while defending a classmate from bullies, she felt a strange surge within her. Suddenly, she could sense everyone's emotions! Emma realized she had the amazing ability to channel empathy from others and direct it towards those who needed it most.

E-Girl's power has five incredible levels:

1. Local: She can gather empathy from her neighborhood.

2. City: She can tap into the feelings of an entire city!

3. State: Her power can reach across a whole state.

4. Country: She can channel empathy from an entire nation.

5. World: At her strongest, E-Girl can harness the empathy of the whole world!

But with great power comes great responsibility. Using too much mpathy can be overwhelming for those who receive it, especially if they're not used to caring about others. E-Girl must learn to use her gift wisely.

Meanwhile, in another part of town, a girl named Lilo discovered her own special ability during a family reunion. As she hugged her cousins, aunts, and uncles, she felt a warm, glowing sensation. Lilo could spread the feeling of deep family love to everyone around her! She became Ohana Girl, named after the Hawaiian word for family.

Like E-Girl, Ohana Girl's power has different levels:

1. Local: San spread family love to her immediate surroundings.

2. City: Her love can envelop an entire city in warmth.

3. State: She can make a whole state feel like one big family.

4. Country: Ohana Girl can unite a country with the power of love.

5. World: At her peak, she can make the world feel like one big ohana!

Together, Empathy Girl and Ohana Girl formed the Ubuntu League. Ubuntu is a Zulu word that means "I am because we are." It reminds us that we're all connected, like one big family.

Their mission? To create a powerful force field of goodness around every child who is hurting. They use their amazing abilities to help bullies understand the pain they cause and to help lonely kids feel loved and supported.

As the Ubuntu League grows, E-Girl and Ohana Girl face many challenges. Can they help a group of arguing classmates understand each other? Will they be able to change the heart of the meanest kid in school? And what happens when they discover a villain who wants to steal all the empathy and love from the world?

Join Empathy Girl and Ohana Girl on their incredible journey as they learn to use their powers, make new friends, and discover that the greatest superpower of all is the ability to understand and care for others. Together, they'll show the world that when we treat each other like family and truly understand one another, we can overcome anything!

Remember, you don't need superpowers to be part of the Ubuntu League. Every time you show kindness or try to understand how someone else feels, you're making the world a better place. Are you ready to join the mission and spread empathy and love to everyone around you?

10 kid-friendly, heartfelt ideas for the first 10 comic books in the Ubuntu League series, including new members joining the group:

1. "The Bully's Tears" - E-Girl and Ohana Girl help the school bully understand the pain he's causing, leading to a surprising friendship.

Here's a 6-page comic script for "The Bully's Tears":

Page 1 (4 panels):

Panel 1:

Art prompt: Aerial view of a school playground during recess. Kids playing, but one group stands out - a girl with a haughty expression (BELLA) surrounded by a few others, looking at a lonely girl on a bench.

Exposition: Millennial Elementary School, where not everyone feels welcome.

Panel 2:

Art prompt: Close-up of Bella pointing aggressively at the lonely girl (LILY).

Bella: "You can't sit with us, Lily. Nobody wants to be your friend!"

Lily (thought bubble): "Why is she so mean?"

Panel 3:

Art prompt: Two girls watching from afar - EMMA (E-Girl) and LILO (Ohana Girl) in their civilian clothes, looking concerned.

Emma: "There she goes again. We need to do something, Lilo."

Lilo: "Agreed. It's Ubuntu time!"

Panel 4:

Art prompt: Emma and Lilo sneaking behind a tree, starting to transform into their superhero outfits.

SFX: Whoosh!

Page 2 (5 panels):

Panel 1:

Art prompt: E-Girl and Ohana Girl emerging from behind the tree in full costume.

E-Girl: "Ready to spread some empathy?"

Ohana Girl: "And some family love!"

Panel 2:

Art prompt: Bella now confronting another group of girls, looking angry.

Bella: "I told you, you can't be friends with each other! Only I decide who's friends here!"

Panel 3:

Art prompt: Close-up of E-Girl, her eyes glowing as she focuses her power.

E-Girl (thought bubble): "Let's see what's really going on with Bella..."

Panel 4:

Art prompt: E-Girl's perspective - a swirl of emotions around Bella, mainly showing fear and insecurity.

E-Girl: "Oh wow, Ohana Girl. There's so much fear inside her."

Panel 5:

Art prompt: Ohana Girl nodding, her hands starting to glow with a warm light.

Ohana Girl: "Then let's show her what true friendship feels like."

Page 3 (6 panels):

Panel 1:

Art prompt: E-Girl and Ohana Girl approaching Bella and her group.

E-Girl: "Hi there! Mind if we join you?"

Panel 2:

Art prompt: Bella looking surprised and a bit defensive.

Bella: "Who are you? We don't need any more people in our group."

Panel 3:

Art prompt: Ohana Girl smiling warmly, her hands subtly glowing.

Ohana Girl: "We're not here to join. We're here to understand."

Panel 4:

Art prompt: E-Girl gently placing a hand on Bella's shoulder, both of them glowing slightly.

E-Girl: "Bella, can you tell us why you don't want others to be friends?"

Panel 5:

Art prompt: Close-up of Bella's face, looking confused and emotional.

Bella: "I... I don't know. I just don't want to be left out."

Panel 6:

Art prompt: Wide shot of the playground, a subtle glow emanating from where E-Girl, Ohana Girl, and Bella are standing.

Exposition: And so, the healing begins...

Page 4 (4 panels):

Panel 1:

Art prompt: Bella sitting on a bench with E-Girl and Ohana Girl, looking vulnerable.

Bella: "Everyone always leaves me. If I control who's friends, I won't get hurt."

Panel 2:

Art prompt: E-Girl creating a small empathy bubble between her hands.

E-Girl: "But by pushing others away, you're hurting them... and yourself."

Panel 3:

Art prompt: The empathy bubble floating towards Bella, showing images of sad classmates.

Bella (teary-eyed): "I... I never realized. I didn't mean to..."

Panel 4:

Art prompt: Ohana Girl hugging Bella, both surrounded by a warm glow.

Ohana Girl: "It's okay. True friendship means supporting each other, not controlling."

Page 5 (5 panels):

Panel 1:

Art prompt: Bella wiping her tears, looking determined.

Bella: "I want to change. But how do I fix this?"

Panel 2:

Art prompt: E-Girl smiling encouragingly.

E-Girl: "By being honest and showing others the real you."

Panel 3:

Art prompt: Bella approaching Lily and the other girls she bullied, looking nervous.

Bella: "Um, hi everyone. I... I'm sorry for how I've been acting."

Panel 4:

Art prompt: The other girls looking surprised but interested.

Lily: "Really? You mean it?"

Panel 5:

Art prompt: Bella nodding, a small smile forming.

Bella: "Yes. I'd like to start over... maybe we could all be friends?"

Page 6 (4 panels):

Panel 1:

Art prompt: The group of girls, including Bella, playing together happily. E-Girl and Ohana Girl watching from afar.

Exposition: A week later...

Panel 2:

Art prompt: Close-up of E-Girl and Ohana Girl smiling.

E-Girl: "Looks like our work here is done."

Ohana Girl: "Ubuntu in action!"

Panel 3:

Art prompt: Bella noticing E-Girl and Ohana Girl, waving at them gratefully.

Bella: "Thank you!"

Panel 4:

Art prompt: E-Girl and Ohana Girl flying/leaping away, the playground in the background filled with happy, playing children.

E-Girl: "Remember, everyone..."

Ohana Girl: "...we're all one big ohana!"

Exposition: Another heart touched by the Ubuntu League!

This script provides a complete storyline for "The Bully's Tears," including detailed art prompts, dialogue, and exposition for each panel. It's ready for a penciler, colorist, and letterer to bring to life.

Here are some discussion questions for "The Bully's Tears" comic book, designed to help students develop understanding of empathy and related concepts. These questions can be used to start a meaningful class meeting:

1. Why do you think Bella was trying to control who could be friends with each other? Have you ever felt afraid of being left out?

2. How do you think Lily and the other girls felt when Bella told them they couldn't be friends? Can you describe a time when someone made you feel excluded?

3. What did E-Girl discover about Bella's true feelings? How can understanding someone's emotions help us respond to their behavior?

4. Ohana Girl used her power to show Bella what true friendship feels like. How would you describe a true friendship?

5. Bella said, "If I control who's friends, I won't get hurt." Do you think trying to control others protects us from getting hurt? Why or why not?

6. How did Bella's attitude change after experiencing empathy from E-Girl and Ohana Girl? Why do you think understanding her own feelings and others' feelings made a difference?

7. What do you think was the hardest part for Bella when she apologized to her classmates? Why is apologizing sometimes difficult?

8. How did the other children react to Bella's apology? Have you ever given or received an apology that changed a relationship?

9. The Ubuntu League believes we're all connected like one big family. How might our school be different if everyone treated each other this way?

10. E-Girl and Ohana Girl have superpowers, but how can we show empathy and kindness in our everyday lives without superpowers?

11. The comic shows how understanding others can lead to surprising friendships. Have you ever become friends with someone you didn't expect to like at first?

12. At the end of the comic, everyone is playing together happily. How can we make sure everyone feels included in our class and school?

13. What does "Ubuntu" mean to you after reading this comic? How can we practice Ubuntu in our classroom?

These questions encourage students to reflect on the themes of empathy, inclusion, friendship, and community presented in the comic. They also prompt students to connect these ideas to their own experiences, fostering a deeper understanding of social-emotional concepts. 

2. "Courage Speaks" - The girls meet Courage Kid, who can give others the bravery to stand up for themselves. They help a shy student find her voice.

3. "The Lonely Playground" - The team creates a welcoming atmosphere for a new student who doesn't speak the local language.

4. "Digital Divide" - They encounter Techno-Touch, a hero who can bring technology to life, and together they help bridge the gap between kids with and without access to computers.

5. "Green Dreams" - Earth Child joins the team, with the power to communicate with nature. They work together to save a local park from destruction.

6. "Invisible Friend" - The League helps a child dealing with the loss of a parent, introducing Hope Weaver, who can create comforting illusions.

7. "The Art of Understanding" - Creative Canvas, a hero who can bring drawings to life, helps the team show a group of arguing friends how their words affect each other.

8. "Melody of Friendship" - Harmony Hum, with the power of soothing music, joins to help resolve a conflict between two rival school clubs.

9. "Beyond Words" - Sign Language Superstar arrives to help the team bridge communication gaps and make their school more inclusive for a deaf student.

10. "Ubuntu United" - The entire League comes together to organize a community festival, teaching everyone about the power of unity and understanding.

Each new member of the Ubuntu League brings a unique power that promotes empathy, understanding, and community in their own special way. These stories would focus on real issues that kids face, using the superheroes' powers as metaphors for emotional intelligence, kindness, and the strength found in diversity and inclusion.

Here are some positive Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) acronyms using the letters in UBUNTU:

1. U - Understanding

B - Belonging

U - Unity

N - Nurturing

T - Together

U - Uplifting



2. U - Uniting

B - Befriending

U - Uplifting

N - Nurturing

T - Trusting

U - Understanding



3. U - Unifying

B - Bonding

U - Upstanding

N - Navigating emotions

T - Teamwork

U - Uniqueness



4. U - Unwavering kindness

B - Building relationships

U - Understanding others

N - Nurturing empathy

T - Thoughtfulness

U - Uniting communities



5. U - Uplifting spirits

B - Building bridges

N - Nurturing growth

T - Teaching compassion

U - Understanding differences


These acronyms emphasize key SEL concepts such as empathy, understanding, community building, emotional awareness, and kindness. They align well with the Ubuntu philosophy of interconnectedness and could be used in the comic series to help young readers remember important social-emotional skills.