Marvel Hero Tales helps kids learn to read by creating comic books

Video game developer Kuato Studios has unveiled Marvel Hero Tales, a new literacy app that taps Marvel's most popular superheros to help kids learn to read. The app was created by Kuato Studios and Marvel Entertainment, which are targeting kids ages 7 to 11. The app's content will be updated regularly, according to the developer, with new storylines and characters.

Learning is more fun than ever thanks to the increasing available of apps that 'gamify' the learning experience. Some of these apps reward players for learning new skills and achievements. Others, including the new Marvel Hero Tales, introduces a fun environment in which kids naturally learn as they progress through the app.

Marvel Hero Tales, as its name suggests, revolves around Marvel stories featuring popular characters from the Marvel universe, including Spiderman and Ms. Marvel. Kids will get to create their own comic books through the app, which encourages the users to personalize the experience through a Narrative Action System.

Players will need to complete activities, including demonstrating their comprehension of words and collecting new words. The words are ultimately used to 'co-author' a story through the building of sentences that result in comic book panels. The words the child chooses will be used to influence the outcome of each mission.

Over time, the child will eventually be given their own co-authored comic book for reading and sharing with others, the entire work highlighting their learning achievements over the course of the adventure. The app adapts stories to make sure they're suitable for the user's age, leaving more complex language for older users.

The Marvel Hero Tales app is available to download on iOS and Android.