English instructor contributes a superhero team-up story to a COVID-19 graphic novel

HFC English instructor Dr. Mike Hill is one of several local writers and artists who contributed to the graphic novel anthology The Things They Did, which occurs in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Dearborn Press & Guide editor Dave Herndon sent out a call to his friends to see if anyone wanted to tell a story about their experiences early in quarantine. He then asked people to pair up and produce or – for some like me – paired people up with a writer or artist. The creators then submitted their work to Dave, and the book went through editing and production,” said Hill, of Redford.

Ridding the house of deadly virus spores

There are eight comic stories and two prose stories in the anthology. In Hill’s case, he wrote the foreword and contributed the story called “Sorcery, the Distancing.” Artist Alex McCorristin illustrated Hill’s story.

“I was trying to add a young-adult-focused graphic story to the anthology because, in my house, the kid experience of quarantine was more important than the adult experience. I was also inspired by my love of superhero team-up stories. In this case, DC Comics’ the Atom and the Flash,” explained Hill, who has three children and grew up reading DC and Marvel Comics. “The plot of the story focuses on two brothers who develop superpowers and work to clean the house of deadly virus spores.”

A wide range of unique voices

Hill and cover artist Misty Bondy have donated autographed copies of the anthology to the Caroline Kennedy Library and the John F. Kennedy, Jr. Library, both of which are in Dearborn Heights.

“I enjoyed doing the signing, but it was really more of a presentation,” said Hill. “The audience was fairly limited, but the presentation allowed me to focus more on thinking about creation in response to current events.”

The anthology is available for sale at Green Brain Comics in Dearborn, which is co-owned by HFC alumni Dan and Katie Merritt.

“The thing I love the most about the book is the wide range of artistry and voices in the stories,” said Hill. “The book accomplishes what Dave was going for – an examination of lives and experiences during the quarantine. I am proud and honored that he chose to include me.”