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Ah, the comic book. A timeless source of entertainment, relaxation and escape from reality for so many people. Much like a novel or a classic film, comic books are a form of storytelling that can, and often do, reflect the human experience and evoke strong, familiar emotions in readers.
Though many comics appear to function as temporary escapes from reality, these works are powerful tools that impact humans as much as any other art form. And like any other work, there are many lessons to be found in comics of all kinds. Here are a few from the Biowars saga we think are important to live by each and every day.
1. Greed will cost you
Wanting to change the world is a good thing. Wanting to change the world to benefit only yourself, at the expense of others, is most certainly a bad thing. Since comics first became popular in the mid-twentieth century, we’ve seen the rise of fearsome villains, often starting with the greatest of intentions before spiraling into shells of what they once were.
In the Biowars world, we learn the backstory of Dr. Ernst Kelso, the accomplished scientific entrepreneur and business partner of Marcus Hawking. The two worked side by side for many years not only in the lab but in their personal lives as friends and confidants. Dr. Kelso, however, gradually becomes corrupt by his own desire to create a genetically superior human race. This greed costs Dr. Kelso not only his friend and his credibility, but his own soul.
2. Take nothing for granted
Despite living in a world of comfort and luxury, it’s easy to look to those around us and want more, not recognizing the inherent value in our own lives, situations, positions and more. In the Biowars saga, we see at least two examples of the perils in taking things for granted.
At the start of the series, we meet Alex Hawking, Marcus Hawking’s son and a young student who has ignored his potential by running away from both his family and his destiny. After ignoring his father’s wishes for so long, he finds himself in an incredibly uncomfortable situation when the Combine and Dr. Kelso seek to use Alex as a way of bringing down the rest of the world.
Inside of Alex’s body, we encounter the BioWarrior Nero, an important messenger cell and friend of Sensurian’s. Despite his pivotal role in relaying key battle movements and intel to the Council of the Mind, Nero craves the glory and perils of battle that many of the other BioWarriors face constantly. Blastor, recognizing Nero’s unhappiness, frequently urges him to see the bigger picture, to recognize how important a part he plays in the survival of the BioCosmos. However, Nero’s lack of appreciation for his role paired with some unfortunate decisions leads him to become a greater threat to the BioCosmos, and to himself, than anyone could have imagined.
3. Teamwork will solve anything
We know from classic comic book hero-sidekick duos that teamwork is a necessity for success – no one should ever stand completely alone in their journey through life. For the prime example here, we need only to look inside ourselves at our own genetic makeup. As we see in the BioCosmos, the entire process of keeping our bodies running smoothly day in and day out is thanks to the teamwork going on between our cells. We see it in Blastor communicating with Sensurian, who then communicates with the Council of the Mind and so forth.
Externally, we encounter Alex and Janice Lee working together to figure out exactly why the Combine is planning and to stop them from radically changing humanity as we know it. As we see repeatedly throughout the Biowars comics, Alex would be unable to survive without the assistance of Janice and a number of others who help him in saving the world.
4. One person (or cell!) can make all the difference in the world
As we see from Alex, it can be incredibly difficult to recognize our own important and necessary role in the world. Certainly we see the same from Nero before his radical choice to defy his own destiny, leading him to become an incredible agent of evil within the BioCosmos. Beyond that, it can also often feel that the destiny of one person cannot possibly impact change on a grand and wide scale – but it does. Whether a cell, a superhero, or a mere man, our choices impact everything. Had Alex chosen to succumb to the Combine’s infection, the Biowars world as we know it would have been radically different. Accept your destiny and trust your worth.
These few lessons are those that you can find in literature, film, other comics, and in day to day situations. They are not ones to be ignored, and can impact your life and interactions with others. To learn more about these lessons, check out our comics and start reading today!
