Student essay lands him comic book role

NEW YORK, June 17 (UPI) -- A New York City special education student and his vision-impaired teacher have been honored by roles in a new Superman comic book.

Hakeem Bennett, 13, won a national essay contest by writing about Matthew Brown, his teacher at Public School 36 in the borough of Brooklyn, the New York Daily News reports.

On Tuesday, Hakeem got to see "The Kid Who Saved Superman" for the first time. His verdict: "Wow, nice drawings, nice work."

In the story, Superman is working to save a group of students trapped in a mountain after an earthquake when he is weakened by kryptonite. Hakeem comes to the rescue, and Brown is also a character in the story.

The assignment for the contest run by Stone Arch Books was to write about a real-life hero. Hakeem picked Brown, who has no vision in one eye and tunnel vision in the other.

Brown said he is prouder of the essay than he is of the comic book.

"I was so surprised and honored that a student would write about me," he said. "Reaching kids to that point, to try and help them gain their education and better their lives, that's really what it's all about."