The story of Jesus serves as the archetypal blueprint for every hero in comics. His story gained strength not because it was necessarily true, but because so many sought a lifeline—a connection in their own villainy and search for something heroic, something greater—whether it be God or whatever word we use to fill the void.

Once a month, I send these pieces to the Pope’s official email address, asking for a place in L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican’s newspaper, where they might spread like ink across the world. But no response yet. Not that I expect one.