State agency, Oregon's Dark Horse Comics release new comic in series about emergency readiness

Adam Duvernay, Register-Guard
·2 min read
The Oregon Office of Emergency Management and Dark Horse Comics have released the third comic in the "Without Warning!" series. The most recent edition is focused on wildfire response and preparedness.
The Oregon Office of Emergency Management and Dark Horse Comics have released the third comic in the "Without Warning!" series. The most recent edition is focused on wildfire response and preparedness.

A new comic book in a series designed to inform teens what they should during natural disasters and emergencies was released this month, this one focused on wildfires.

The Oregon Office of Emergency Management and Dark Horse Comics, the publisher of titles such as "Hellboy," have released the third comic in the "Without Warning!" series. The comic was about earthquakes in the 2014 edition and tsunamis in the 2016 edition.

"Without Waring!: Wildfire" features its characters hiking and camping in a Pacific Northwest wilderness area who are forced to flee for their lives to escape a quickly moving wildfire, according to an announcement about the book's release. The comic is supposed to teach readers how to protect themselves, their loved ones and wildlands when wildfires break out.

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“The 'Without Warning!' comic book series began because we found that many public education publications struggled to resonate with younger audiences,” said Althea Rizzo, OEM Geologic Hazards Program coordinator. "The series has been a huge hit."

The comic book series originated with OEM’s Geologic Hazards program, which works with partners to create tools and programs to make Oregon more resilient to disasters, according to the release. The series has distributed around the Pacific Northwest and has been adapted for other regions to promote readiness across the United States.

The latest issue was produced in collaboration with OEM, the Oregon Department of Forestry, Dark Horse Comics, Clackamas Community College and Keep Oregon Green.

“Smokey Bear offers a variety of educational options for young children, but it’s been challenging to find engaging and creative resources to talk with teens and young adults about wildfire prevention,” Kristin Babbs, president and CEO of the Keep Oregon Green Association, said in a news release. “This comic book fills that important gap.”

Where to get it

"Without Warning! Wildfire" is available to read for free at Dark Horse Digital, OEM’s website and on iOS and Android apps. It is also available on Kindle, Comixology, Google Play and Apple Books.

County emergency management offices, Clackamas Community College and Keep Oregon Green offer the comic's print edition in English and Spanish.

Contact reporter Adam Duvernay at aduvernay@registerguard.com. Follow on Twitter @DuvernayOR.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: 'Without Warning!': Oregon comic book highlights emergency readiness