Comic books are not just for kids - or at least that's the word that author and Tufts graduate David Nurenberg (MA '00) is trying to spread.
The former Daily columnist and Grad Rag editor from Northampton, Mass. is currently teaching high school English while accomplishing his dream of becoming a published author.
A lover of comic books and science fiction, Nurenberg says he was taught how to "create his own realities" through the world of comics. The realization of his dreams has come in the form of "The Fragile Light," a novel that is only the first installment of his planned "Herotown" trilogy.
The novel is, however, only a fraction of his written work: "I've been writing since my early teenage years - this is far from the first novel manuscript I've written, and, in particular, I've always been a fan of comic books," Nurenberg said.
"But superheroes - and
traditionally comic-book heroes in general - tend to be revered by the populace as the image of Superman or Spiderman," he added. "I wanted to take a look at things in a world where heroes were kind of relegated to second-class citizens."
Accordingly, "The Fragile Light" approaches superheroes in a manner more akin to that of "The Incredibles" than to that of traditional superhero movies and literature.
"The book takes place in a world that is still recovering from a terrorist attack," Nurenberg said of his timely first novel. "A superhero-turned-bad has destroyed a nuclear power plant and killed thousands of people, and the State is still recovering, so you've got a very real fear among the populace. And they have responded by supporting some very draconian measures against all heroes."
The novel uses "heroes" as a paradigm for racial and ethnic minorities who have been persecuted throughout American history. In the novel, Twister, a terrorist with superpowers, wreaks nuclear havoc upon the State. In the wake of Twister's attack, all superheroes - including Gayle Fellman (Gal
Friday) - are sent to a ghetto called Herotown.
According to Nurenberg, these exiled heroes want to gain legitimacy as "real heroes" in a world that has treated them like animals.
"The plot is an attempt to get legitimacy for Gayle's hero career and her team, the 'Friday Knights,'" Nurenberg said. "They take on this case that looks like it's small potatoes but turns out to be a big international conspiracy. She has to save the world, even though the world has screwed her over."
As one might expect, Nurenberg does not seem to be a big fan of President Bush's policies and was inspired by "recent events in our nation,
including the recent losses in civil liberties and this climate of paranoia and fear."
While Nurenberg's novel is extremely apt during such a time of political upheaval in the U.S. and the Middle East, he was forced to self-publish the book, after most editors at publishing houses turned it down.
"I tried the traditional routes first," Nurenberg said. "I got an agent, and the editors liked the book too, so I knew the quality wasn't the issue. But the editors didn't feel that it had that
mass-market appeal. They wanted something that could make Oprah's book list."
As a result, Nurenberg invested money and self-published, which has been a "blessing" in disguise, allowing him the freedom to edit and market the book on his own terms.
"I've already written the second book, but I'm holding off on publishing until I see how the first book does," said Nurenberg, adding that he hopes
to spread the word through Internet buzz.
While Nurenberg's passions are writing and comics, he also loves his students and teaching. The author has learned a lot from the teaching profession and his fellow faculty members, and "hopes to be training the next generation of world-savers each time the bell rings."
More information about Nurenberg and "The Fragile Light" is available at his website, www.fragilelight.com.
