Comic book to spread word on flu to immigrants, youth

Joker and Batman, meet Maria.

She's the nation's latest comic-book heroine. Her foe is more deadly than any evil genius — it's the microscopic virus that killed more than 50 million people during the 1918 pandemic flu outbreak.

Public Health — Seattle & King County has come up with the novel idea of producing a comic book to teach immigrants and youth about pandemic flu. More than 500,000 copies of the 12-page comic "No Ordinary Flu" will soon be distributed across the state and nation. The comic, written in 12 different languages, will be free.

In addition to describing the devastating events of 1918, the comic gives tips on how to prepare for a possible future pandemic. That includes storing enough food and medical supplies at home to last at least a week and planning ways to work and stay at home for an extended period, if needed.

Seattle artist David Lasky, who illustrated the comic book, has a personal connection: His great-grandmother, a Russian immigrant, lived in New York and died from the flu in 1918, leaving behind six children. The youngest three children — including his grandmother — were then placed in an orphanage.

Lasky said that as a result, his grandmother never went to college, never had anyone encouraging her and never got a chance to live out the American dream.

When Meredith Li-Vollmer, a Public Health risk-communication specialist and lead author of the comic, first contacted Lasky to see if he was interested in illustrating the book, neither at first realized his personal connection. But it was soon clear he was the perfect candidate.

"It became something more than a job. It was a way to connect with my family's past and contribute something to society," Lasky said. "Because it's being translated into a lot of different languages, today's immigrants should have more knowledge of the flu and their health than my immigrant great-grandparents."

The comic took six months to produce and cost $75,000 — which was paid for by the National Association of County & City Health Officials (NACCHO). The state Department of Health is hoping to distribute more than 300,000 copies of the comic at schools statewide. King County officials plan to hand out 78,000 additional copies, while NACCHO has ordered 160,000 copies for national distribution.

Li-Vollmer said the idea is to reach low-literacy folks through an easily accessible medium. She said most experts believe it's not a case of "if" another outbreak strikes — but a matter of "when."

"The main message is that it can potentially be catastrophic, and everyone needs to be prepared," Li-Vollmer said.

Nick Perry: 206-515-5639 or nperry@seattletimes.com