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Now that Michael Uslan had completed all of the preliminary steps, his last obstacle was convincing a panel consisting of an academic dean and various professors on the educational value of his proposal. It became obvious to Uslan as soon as he stepped into the room, however, that it would be an uphill battle – the dean looked and him and snarled, “So you’re the fellow who wants to teach a course on funny books at my university?”

Uslan began to outline his proposal but cut off by the dean after only a few minutes. “Oh come on!” he exclaimed. “Comic books as mythology? Superheroes as folklore? Really, Mr. Uslan, give me a break. What comic books are… are cheap, maybe lurid entertainment for kids. Nothing more, nothing less. I read comic books when I was a kid. I read every issue of Superman I could get my hands on. But it’s nothing but kid’s stuff, and I reject your premise.”

Michael Uslan wasn’t willing to concede defeat. He asked the dean two questions, the first being to summarize the story of Moses. The dean explained how an Egyptian Pharaoh had ordered that the first born of any Hebrew be put to death. To protect their child, Moses’ parents placed him in a wicker basket and sent it adrift on the Nile River. An Egyptian couple then found the basket and raised the child as their own. Moses eventually learned about his actual heritage and went on to become a hero to the Hebrews.

Uslan then asked if the dean could recite the origins of Superman. “The planet Krypton was about to explode,” the dean began. “A scientist and his wife placed their infant son into a little rocket ship and sent him to Earth where he was found by the Kents, who raised him as their own son. When he grew up and learned of his true…” At that point the dean simply stopped and stared at Michael Uslan for a few moments before declaring, “Mr. Uslan, your course is accredited.”