Sylvan Learning Systems: Spider-Man Battles Ignorance (1992)

For those who aren’t in the know, Diwali is a real holiday; the largest and most important in India and one that may become part of the American tradition.

Diwali celebrates victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. It is a five-day festival of lights usually celebrated in the fall.

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) has introduced a bill – Deepavali Day Act (H.R. 5904) for Diwali to be recognized nationally as a federal holiday. Currently the bill to recognize the Hindu new year has over 30 sponsors.

Diwali has been celebrated for more than 2,500 years.

To celebrate, we’re offering up a Sylvan Learning Systems sponsored spin on battling ignorance – hence the title.

After our hero has his mind wiped by the Mad Thinker, he finds help at a Sylvan Learning Center. Spidey is served a heaping helping of propaganda from students and teacher as they restore his memory enough to tackle the second-rate villain.

Using what he’s learned at the center, Spider-Man is able to defeat the Thinker and return his missing memory. A final farewell and thank you to those who helped him, Spidey swings into the sunset.

This $1.25-valued comic book giveaway featured a self-aggrandizing learning franchise as written by George Caragonne with illustrations by Alan Kupperberg. Sylvan Learning began in 1979 focusing on corporate supplemental learning centers focusing on personalized instruction in reading, writing, math skills, study habits, homework support and test preparation.