Chemistry professor whittles subject down to comic book size

Superman he's not. But Stanford professor Craig Criddle has helped pull off a herculean task: Explaining complex chemistry topics in a comic-book format.

Criddle, or at least his alter-ego, is also the action star in the newly released "The Cartoon Guide to Chemistry," shrinking to the size of an atom; making explosive flares out of bat guano; and burning seaweed to make soap with the help of a young female sidekick.