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Comic fans enthralled by Pope's life

The Pope
The Papal comic sold out in a week  

From CNN Rome bureau chief Gayle Young

ROME, Italy -- Fighting evil, wearing a cape and being a role model to the young is not the only thing Batman and The Pope have in common.

For now Pope John Paul II is joining the likes of Batman, Superman and Asterix as Italy's latest comic book hero.

A religious publisher in Italy has secured the Vatican's consent to produce a comic serialising the papal life story.

The first issue, which is aimed at children and young readers, tells the story of the Pope's childhood, when he was called Karol Wojtyla, in pre-war Poland.

The comic strip shows him playing football and acting in a theatre group.

The Italian-language comic book has become so successful it sold out in a week and the publisher is planning further editions in more languages.

Author Alberto Bobbio says John Paul II, who celebrated his 80th birthday this year, has specifically reached out to young Catholics during his pontificate.

He told CNN: "The life of John Paul II is exceptional, an example to all of those who follow him."

In his 21 years as head of the Roman Catholic Church, the Pope has become a cultural icon, instantly recognisable and extremely popular with his fans.

Last year his recording of religious hymns and prayers was a best-seller and went platinum, topping the charts along with pop stars a quarter of his age.

He was recently made an honorary Harlem Globe Trotter by members of the U.S. basketball team.

In October, John Paul, a soccer player in his youth, returned to the pitch to tell the sporting world not to lose its soul in the search for records and glory.

A 70,000 crowd in Rome's Olympic Stadium greeted the Pope, once known as "God's Athlete" because of the pace of his papacy, with a huge roar as he entered the stadium.

It was a nostalgic moment for the Pope, who played in goal in a mixed Catholic-Jewish team in his hometown of Wadowice, Poland, before World War II.

In August Pope John Paul II demonstrated his appeal to young people by drawing a crowd of more than two million to listen to his message of morality and non-violence.

Rome's largest crowd in recent memory gathered to see the Pope tell them he realised it was not easy for young people to be true to their Christian faith.

"I am thinking of how difficult it is in today's world for engaged couples to be faithful to purity before marriage. I think of how the mutual fidelity of young married couples is put to the test," he said.



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CNN
Biography
Pope John Paul II

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Pope John Paul II

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