Re "Putting the Caped Crusader on the Couch" (Op-Ed, Sept. 21):
The Mental Health Association of New York City applauds the forensic psychiatrists H. Eric Bender, Praveen R. Kambam and Vasilis K. Pozios on their article calling for DC Comics to include more accurate depictions of mental illnesses in the coming revamp of their many series.

As a longtime advocate for people with mental illness, we recognize that combating stigma is a fundamental step in connecting those in need to comprehensive, compassionate treatment. Referring to villains as "lunatics" or "psychos" unjustifiably attributes violent impulses to every person with mental illness. As a result, a reader with depression may not feel comfortable seeking help for fear of the stigma of becoming the next Joker.

Marvel Comics demonstrated earlier this year how comic books can promote mental health instead of stigma when it featured the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in the limited-edition series "I Am an Avenger." In the story, a male teenager suffers a series of emotional setbacks and winds up teetering on the edge of a building ledge before an encounter with Captain America motivates him to call the lifeline for help.

For the benefit of its impressionable readers worldwide, we hope that DC Comics will use its reach and influence to become a leading voice in the fight to change the view of people with mental illness.

GISELLE STOLPER
President and Chief Executive
Mental Health Association
of New York City
New York, Sept. 26, 2011

This letter is also available online.