Would the X-Men's Scott Summers qualify for workplace protection under the Americans with Disabilities Act? (Probably). Is it illegal to attempt to reveal a superhero's secret identity? Likely, as the courts have held that a right to privacy includes "emotional solitude." Just how hard would it be to get insurance against the super-villains who keep knocking your house over?  These are just a few of the questions asked and answered on the blog, "Law and the Multiverse," which explores the legal ramifications the presence of superheroes would have in the real world.

Today through Sunday, tens of thousands of people will descend upon San Diego for the 41st annual Comic-Con International Convention. The largest such convention in the world, Comic-Con has gone from attracting a small handful of comic book enthusiasts to serving as one of the premier pop culture events in the world, with stars like Tim Burton, Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie stopping by to present their latest projects.

Comic book writer Harvey Pekar, best known for his series "American Splendor," died yesterday at the age of 70. According to reports, Pekar's wife, Joyce Brabner, discovered Pekar's body in their home in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Pekar became an unofficial poster boy for the city of Cleveland with his "Everyman" comic tales, mostly consisting of living a mundane, unglamorous life.

This week, thousands of book industry retailers, agents, authors, and hangers-on have been gathering in New York for the annual BookExpo America conference.

Patrik Henry Bass, senior editor of Essence magazine, is among those attending the show. And what he’s noticed is that the enormous popularity of graphic novels is continuing to grow even bigger.

He explains why graphic novels are so huge right now, and walks us through some of his favorite titles from the past year.