LONDON, ENGLAND -- (Marketwire) -- 11/16/12 --

Editors Note: There is a photo associated with this press release.

Spider-Man has added another power to his arsenal of superhuman abilities. A recent study showed that the webbed wonder is responsible for helping people across the world learn English.

Research by Kaplan International Colleges, a leading provider of English courses, revealed that over half of people surveyed said they improved their knowledge of the English language by reading comic books and that Peter Parker's alter ego was the most popular superhero.

Marvel's flagship character beat off competition from DC Comics rivals Superman and Batman by helping 15% of people in their English learning journey while the Man of Steel could only assist 10% and the Dark Knight 6%.

Kaplan's global 'How to Learn English' study showed that 55% of respondents picked up some English language skills from following the adventures of their favorite superheroes in comics such as Spider-Man, The X-Men and The Fantastic Four.

Junko Kobayashi, President of The Stan Lee Foundation, said: "The Stan Lee Foundation also believes that superheroes have a role in education by promoting learning. We are pleased that Spidey, such a well-known character, has played a major part in helping students study English."

Kaplan asked hundreds of their past and present language school students whether watching television shows, listening to music, reading comics or playing video games helped them to understand and study English.

The results have been turned into Kaplan's How to Learn English Infographic, which was created by graphic designer Sergio Fernandez Gallardo.

About Kaplan International Colleges

Kaplan International Colleges is part of Kaplan, Inc., an international education services provider offering higher education, professional training, and test preparation. Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE:WPO). http://www.kaplaninternational.com

About The Stan Lee Foundation

The Stan Lee Foundation is a 501c(3) non-profit organization founded to provide access to literacy, education, and the arts throughout the nation. Created in 2009 on behalf of Comics Legend Stan Lee, considered the father of the modern day comic book and co-creator of Spider-Man®, The Incredible Hulk®, Fantastic Four®, Iron Man®, Thor ®and thousands of other comic book characters, The Stan Lee Foundation promotes literacy for children and adults, creates and distributes innovative educational programs for students and teachers, and provides access to the arts in underserved communities. www.stanleefoundation.org

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