- Title: USA: Spider-man saves inauguration day for Obama in comic
- Date: 10th January 2009
- Summary: COMIC BOOKSTORE CUSTOMER BERNHARD WAGNER READING SPIDERMAN OBAMA COMIC
- Embargoed: 25th January 2009 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Usa
- Country: USA
- Topics: Entertainment,Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA8PGPIRTJYDPU8E65JQJBO26KM
- Story Text: Spider-Man saves the day for president-elect Barack Obama in upcoming comic. The story takes place on inauguration day.
As a testament to the mass appeal of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama, his face will soon be gracing the cover of yet another magazine. This time it's a Spider-Man comic.
The special edition of the weekly "Spider-Man" comic features a six-page story about the superhero Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Joe Quesada said the idea for the "Spidey meets the President!" edition came from a statement from Obama's campaign that revealed their boss was once a Spider-Man fan.
"When President Obama's people put that information out there we just figured you know, he gave us a shout-out, let's give him a shout back. It would be a fun thing to do" he told Reuters on Thursday (January 8).
It is far from the first time that a prominent figure has been featured in a Marvel comic, he said. Had McCain announced that he was a Spider-Man fan and had he won the election, he would have been on the cover, he told Reuters.
The story is set on Jan. 20 in Washington D.C., where Spidey's alter ego Peter Parker is on assignment as a photographer covering Inauguration Day.
"For those of you who don't know, who might be very few, but Peter Parker is a photographer for the Daily Bugle. So he's on assignment at the inauguration - to take some pictures at the inauguration - when some bad stuff happens and Spider-Man's got to step in and try to help president-elect Obama," said Quesada.
The "bad stuff" that happens is an imposter shows up who tries to take Obama's place as president. No one can discern who the real Obama is and Spider-Man has to save the day.
Excitement about Obama's election has already fueled a boom in memorabilia, from posters to front pages of Nov. 5 newspapers announcing his victory. The "Spider-Man" edition, likely to become an instant collectors' item, features Obama on the cover, smiling and giving a thumbs-up.
Several comic book fans at Midtown Comics in New York said they thought it was a marketing tactic but they still would buy the comic because they thought it was cool.
"Well, I was just looking at work, I just saw that on the website and it was shocking. I didn't think he would be on a comic book but then again it's pretty much a good thing. This way people of all ages can see the President Elect and basically get a little more familiar with him. I haven't seen the story or anything but I think it's pretty good," said Amador Rivera.
Samad Rizvi, the floor manager at Midtown comics said "We've had people calling and asking us if we have the issue in already. I mean it doesn't even come out until next week but people are already starting to get excited about it and it just looks like they just want to get their hands on it as quickly as possible."
But not everyone was intoxicated by the idea. Austrian tourist Bernhard Wagner, who was given an advance copy of the comic to read, said in his country, politicians don't appear in comics. " I don't think there is a role for politics in comics. That's my opinion."
Obama told Entertainment Weekly magazine last August that his favorite superheroes were Spider-Man and Batman because "they have some inner turmoil."
Quesada has his own theory.
"Well you know I think one of the reasons Obama would be a huge Spider-Man fan, probably more so than any other heroes because of the mantra by which he lives, which has become pretty world-renowned at this point, which is quite simply 'with great power, there must also come great responsibility'," he said.
Quesada declined to say how many copies of the Obama issue would be printed, but said it was probably slightly higher than usual. It is due to hit newsstands next Wednesday (January 14). - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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