When learning a new so-called “hard” skill - whether it’s coding, hardware, networking, or something even more esoteric - guidance is often plentiful and straightforward. There are docs, forums, videos, bootcamps, and more.

But when it comes to building our career in tech - including the way we navigate day to day interactions and challenges - things are rarely so simple. We’re left struggling to find a how-to on surviving a rough day; a guide to become a good team member; or a primer on overcoming impostor syndrome?

But it turns out those lessons appear in lots of places, if you know where to look. Including comic books.

Whether they’re leaping from the pages in a single bound or soaring off the screen like a bird or a plane, superhero stories have always contained deeper themes and more nuanced insights than one might expect given their spandex-and-cape-clad trappings.

If we take the time to really listen, we discover relevant and compelling examples of how to handle all types of real-world challenges, including the ones we face in tech.

In this talk, I’ll unmask tech problems masquerading as two-dimensional comic book villains; unlock the x-ray vision to analyze their true nature; and unleash the inner strength needed to defeat them.

Developer Relations Advocate, Itinerant I.T. tale-spinner

Leon Adato is a Developer Relations Advocate and has held multiple industry certifications over his 33 years in IT including Cisco, Microsoft,