New York ( CNN ) -- Five-year-old Anthony Smith did n't think superheroes wore hearing aids , until he became one . His mother , Christina D'Allesandro , says the epic journey began in May , when her superhero-fanatic son , who is deaf in one ear and partially deaf in the other , refused to wear his blue hearing aid because `` superheroes do n't wear hearing aids '' either . Desperate , she decided to consult the experts . She found a general e-mail address on the Marvel Comics website and sent a message `` into the ethers , '' asking if there were any hearing-impaired superheroes . A few weeks later , the mother of two was shocked to get an overwhelming response from Marvel , including comic book art that honored her son . `` When he first saw the comic book cover , he said , 'Oh my God , it 's me , ' `` she told CNN . `` He was very excited . '' `` We decided to make him an honorary Avenger , '' a member of the Marvel Comics superhero crime-fighting team , said Bill Rosemann , a Marvel editor . Two artists , Manny Mederos and Nelson Ribeiro , sent the D'Allesandro family comic book covers featuring their very own versions of honorary Avenger Blue Ear , inspired by Anthony , whose blue earpiece gives him the power to hear a pin drop from the other side of a state . One cover features a younger Anthony and his buddy Hawkeye ready to fight crime . The other shows an older version of Blue Ear perched on a rooftop , tapping into his superpower and listening to a faraway call for help . On Tuesday , the young New Hampshire boy is being welcomed as a special guest at an event at the Center for Hearing and Communication clinic in New York City , where he will get to meet a fellow crime-fighting partner in the Marvel universe , Iron Man . `` The reason why it was so easy for us to respond to this is because our characters , which were invented around the '60s , all have real challenges . '' Rosemann said . He talked about how all the characters `` became superheroes despite of -- or because of -- the challenges they face . '' Under his elastic Spidey skin is a skinny Peter Parker , who constantly gets picked on at school , Rosemann said . As a boy , superhero Daredevil was blinded in an accident that also gave him a radar sense . And Iron Man first created armor to fix his heart , and he then developed the armor into his famous suit . `` We link challenges with their superpowers , '' Rosemann said . `` Our mantra is what ( Marvel Comics chief ) Stan Lee said : With great power there must come great responsibility . Our guys thought , 'If I have the ability to draw , I am going to use it to help someone like Anthony feel comfortable about his hearing aid . ' `` Rosemann and his team collaborated with Phonak , the maker of Anthony 's hearing aid , and came up with a poster to be distributed in doctors ' offices across the country in an effort to destigmatize kids with hearing aids . The poster , to be unveiled at Tuesday 's special event , features none other than fearless Iron Man , whose message is that kids who use hearing aids are just like him because `` they are using technology to be their best self . '' `` It will be an Iron Man and Blue Ear team-up , '' Rosemann said about the event . Closer to home , all the attention has brought excitement and meaning for Anthony and his mother . `` In this house , we are looking forward to meeting Iron Man , '' D'Allesandro said . `` He is a big Avengers fan . '' The experience has given Anthony the confidence and the ability to talk about his disability , she said . `` He goes up to kids and says , 'Hey , I have a little ear and a blue ear . Do you want to play ? ' `` People have reached out to her , and she says her family is grateful that this experience has connected her and her son to a wonderful network of families with special needs children . When asked if there is a comic book series on the horizon featuring Blue Ear , Rosemann said , `` There is nothing planned right now , but with so many people responding to Blue Ear , you never know what 's next ... '' `` People should just stay tuned . ''
Marvel Comics artists make Anthony Smith , 5 , an honorary Avenger . He inspired Blue Ear , who can hear faint sounds from great distances . The challenges they faced made Marvel Comics superheroes what they are , editor says . Anthony will meet fellow crime-fighting partner Iron Man at a special event Tuesday .