Updated below: In late 2001, "Punisher" storyline had threat against President Bush's life.
Spider-Man will swing to the rescue at the Obama inauguration in the Marvel comics universe, USA Today's David Colton reported in a January 8 story for the newspaper's Life section. Colton's story sought to portray the move not merely as a money-maker for Marvel but part of a storied tradition of graphic novel artists of including the commander-in-chief in comic book cameos:
In a growing world of Barack Obama collectibles, one item soon may be swinging above the rest.On Jan. 14, Marvel Comics is releasing a special issue of Amazing Spider-Man #583 with Obama depicted on the cover. Inside are five pages of the two teaming up and even a fist-bump between Spidey and the new president.
Story Continues Below Ad ↓[...]
In the story by Zeb Wells, Todd Nauck and Frank D'Armata, Spider-Man stops the Chameleon from spoiling Obama's swearing-in. At one point, Spider-Man says he mistook Vice President-elect Joe Biden for the Vulture (a vintage Spider-Man villain).
[...]
Presidents have been supporting characters in comics before: During World War II, superheroes fought Hitler as Franklin D. Roosevelt cheered them on. John F. Kennedy appeared in Action Comics #309 in 1963, when he helped protect Clark Kent's secret identity.
"If I can't trust the president of the United States, who can I trust?" Superman tells Kennedy.
Colton later noted that "[p]residents have appeared as more shadowy figures in recent years," but then turned to Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Joe Quesada to protest that he and his artists and writers "do our best to be completely non-partisan and treat presidents with respect."
Update (15:12 ET): An e-mail tipster pointed me to a FrontPageMagazine.com article from May 12, 2004 by Michael Lackner, who noted that in one storyline in late 2001, a Marvel comics character threatened President Bush in the Oval Office:
The Punisher, Marvel Comics’ avenging vigilante, has become a radical. As well as taking out organized crime kingpins and thugs, he’s now taking on U.S. Intelligence and undermining support for the War on Terrorism. The publication of these comic book polemics coincides with the April release of the feature film “The Punisher” starring Thomas Jane and John Travolta.
Leftist propagandizing is not new to Marvel, nor to the author of the Punisher series, Irishman Garth Ennis. Two months after September 11th, the Punisher was featured threatening the life of President George W. Bush. The story portrays the President as a slobbering belching incoherent drunk, gleefully itching to launch nuclear missiles. The Punisher breaks into the Oval Office, tosses a nine-millimeter bullet before the President and warns ominously, “I can get in anywhere …Nine millimeters. I’m never further away than that.” Yes, you’ve got it right – Marvel published a threat to assassinate the President of the United States, only weeks after September 11th. Even viewed as sick humor, the tenor and timing of this piece was inexcusable.
Illustration by Marvel Comics, via USA Today.
—Ken Shepherd is Managing Editor of NewsBusters
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
wow
January 8, 2009 - 13:10 ET by candanceMy love for spiderman has just suffered a major dip.
I'm a typical white person.
Same here. I like Spiderman
January 8, 2009 - 13:20 ET by GameGridSame here. I like Spiderman and I bought a few of the newer comics sometime back but this is just ridiculous and it doesn't make me want to go out and buy up more. Even in the special 9/11 Spiderman I don't recall them giving even one mention of credit of working with Bush.
At least Sam Raimi's
January 8, 2009 - 13:30 ET by NewsbusterbrownAt least Sam Raimi's Spider-Man is not a leftist tool.
I'm old enough to have watched the old "Spider-Man" cartoon on ABC Sunday mornings during the late sixties, BTW. Even had a Spidey Halloween costume, too.
“There are no easy answers' but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.” - Ronald Reagan (1964 Republican Convention)
True. We'll have to see
January 8, 2009 - 13:53 ET by GameGridTrue. We'll have to see with the next movie though.
Just leave politics out of our superhero comics is all we ask.
I'm pretty sure Raimi is a
January 8, 2009 - 13:59 ET by NewsbusterbrownI'm pretty sure Raimi is a Republican, so that helps.
“There are no easy answers' but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.” - Ronald Reagan (1964 Republican Convention)
Raimi's given to Dems and
January 8, 2009 - 14:45 ET by Ken ShepherdRaimi's given to Dems and Republicans. Gave to Arlen Specter in 1996 and Barbara Boxer in 2002.
http://www.newsmeat....
He did give to President
January 8, 2009 - 15:02 ET by NewsbusterbrownHe did give to President Bush in '04, IIRC, so he can't be too far gone, Ken. :-)
“There are no easy answers' but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.” - Ronald Reagan (1964 Republican Convention)
I wrote about a leftist
January 8, 2009 - 14:36 ET by Ken ShepherdI wrote about a leftist movie reviewer's complaints about Spider-Man 3 here.:
Reminiscent of an earlier review of "Spider-Man 3" that complained about the American flag's cameo in the superhero blockbuster, Times of London film critic James Christopher added "Sunday School morality" as a black mark against the action flick.
That's much harsher than critic Leo Lewis, who said it was "disappointing" that director Sam Raimi was unable "to end the romp without a fleeting shot of the American flag."
WOW
January 9, 2009 - 12:10 ET by TheDiplomatYou are not a typical white person. You are a typical idiot but what's new.
Very diplomatic
January 9, 2009 - 12:20 ET by BlondeNOT!
New here? Two little sentences and you've been pegged already.
We need a better class of troll, here.
whoa....
January 9, 2009 - 12:25 ET by MrShyClean up on isle zero.
You're the next contestant on...
THE MESSIAH IS... LEFT !!
Very diplomatic Dips--t
January 9, 2009 - 12:27 ET by cocodrieVery diplomatic Dips--t
Diplomat you say? Where might that be, Hell, perhaps?
January 9, 2009 - 12:46 ET by R D HelmLooks like we have another self-loathing, guilt-ridden whitey troll here, who apparently thinks white people asserting anything even remotely positive about their own race is somehow a criminal offense.
After all, we, the great unwashed of the white persuasion, have been responsible for every ill that has befallen humanity since before the beginning of recorded history, right?
Oh, and welcome to NewsBusters, troll.
-Sheesh, I almost forgot my manners. :-)
-Dave
“Them that’s going get on the wagon. Them that ain’t get out of the way.” -Because enough is enough.
thanks diplomat
January 9, 2009 - 14:21 ET by candanceWhile I'm honored that you spent your first comment on a personal attack toward me, I do wish you and your compadres would think before speaking sometimes. If you don't like my signature you need to take that up with Obama.
I'm a typical white person.
one sided, as usual
January 8, 2009 - 13:12 ET by lotrSo, I take it that in all of the past 8 years, including the period of mourning and anger following 9/11 (when Bush's approval rating was through the roof) we never saw Spidey and W give each other the high-five in combating terrorist scum?
And one by one dropped the revellers in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel, and died each in the despairing posture of his fall. -- Edgar Allan Poe
I can recall the
January 8, 2009 - 13:27 ET by NewsbusterbrownI can recall the Challengers of the Unknown in their eponymous comic book saving Henry Kissinger in the Bermuda Triangle during the mid'70s. Kissinger wasn't even a monster in it, but was given the proper respect he deserved, too.
Comic books have always tilted somewhat to the left, even during the '40s, but I don't know how a conservative can read much of what is out there today. Except for the Batman, of course. :-)
“There are no easy answers' but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.” - Ronald Reagan (1964 Republican Convention)
Well
January 8, 2009 - 13:31 ET by HanoverfistI can understand the Vulture/Biden mix up.
But wouldn't Harry Reid have been a more logical choice?
I know some people at
January 8, 2009 - 13:34 ET by SickofLibsI know some people at Marvel/NYC and lemme tell you, they do not get any more liberal.
I'm just surprised Obama didn't get his own comic book series yet.
Maybe "Obama Girl" will,
January 8, 2009 - 14:34 ET by Ken ShepherdMaybe "Obama Girl" will, though.
Yowza, Batman
January 8, 2009 - 15:22 ET by SickofLibsGreat idea Ken - it could become a keystone of Flynt and Francis' new "initiative!"
SoL,
January 9, 2009 - 12:54 ET by R D Helm"I'm just surprised Obama didn't get his own comic book series yet."
Yeah, they could call it "The Marxist Avenger" and have our hero going around correcting all the "injustices" in the world.
You know, like when somebody gets an actual raise from their employer, Obama can swoop in, take all the money, and brighten the day of some urban-outdoorsman sleeping on a park bench somewhere.
-Dave
“Them that’s going get on the wagon. Them that ain’t get out of the way.” -Because enough is enough.
Comic Book writers have fought over politics many times...
January 8, 2009 - 13:55 ET by Kerry PicketComic Book writers have fought over politics very often, so the same character could be written by various individuals with different politics. This article on Captain America's politics through the years is quite interesting in this respect.
Kerry Picket-Newsbusters
Spiderman &the President-elect
January 8, 2009 - 14:02 ET by east tennessee johnMaybe Spiderman can be appointed Czar of National Security or Chief Security Officer. So what's so bad about 2 comic book heroes appearing together? Both are mythological creations, aren't they?
Marvel's attitude
January 8, 2009 - 14:24 ET by AnotherBrianMarvel has consistently been had a liberal bias in its writing.
Those who follow comics in general and Marvel in particular are familiar with the Civil War crosover event. In that event, the heroes are divided on the issue of registration. One side wanted all heroes to register and the other side said it was a infringement of their right to privacy.
While Marvel denies they were biased, it was pretty clear that they were. The pro-registration side was led by Iron Man while the other side was led by Captain America. In nearly every comic issue, the pro-registration side is consistenly written as the villains (to the point where they actually use villains to help them) while the anti-registration side was written as the good guys.
The Civil War was seen as a proxy for the post-9/11 world and Iron Man was the Bush character.
Then again, Marvel Comics has never been confortable with a hero that is a wealthy businessman (Iron Man's is the alter-ego of Tony Stark, the CEO and Chairman of the Board of Stark Enterprises, a high tech firm). Most villains are businessmen or are hired by businessmen.
So, it's natural that Marvel would be pro-Obama.
First thing I notice is that
January 8, 2009 - 14:39 ET by AeroSpearFirst thing I notice is that the drawing capability is sub-par. I hope it has a good plot ... oh, wait ... not anymore.
More indoctrination of children as the next voting generation
January 8, 2009 - 14:44 ET by UndercoverConservativejust like I *knew* MTV would not be allowed to fail. A ten year old reading Spider Man today will, in eight years, be an indoctrinated voter for the Democrats. As a child he gets Nickelodeon and childrens books at Target stores trumpeting Democrats, they are the first product and viewpoint he sees. A teenager gets Spider Man, and MTV, Democrats giving him easy cop-outs to his emerging adulthood and identity issues and pander to his narcissim and impatience and hormonal imperatives. Comedy Central finishes up to the high school/college crowd into his voting career.
the comic books are just to appeal to the illiterate, the unaware of larger social issues and history, much like ACORN appealed to the homeless, as well as the prison pedo/pimp/pusher crowd.
"to call an illegal immigrant an "undocumented alien" is the same as calling a streetcorner drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmacist".
"You spend your money anyway you want and respect other's rights to do the same"
Gee, Is Your Hero Dr. Frederic Wertham?
January 8, 2009 - 23:22 ET by The7Sticks"the comic books are just to appeal to the illiterate, the unaware of larger social issues and history..."
Gee, is your hero Dr. Frederic Wertham, because he said the same kind of putrid lies that all but destroyed the lives of hundreds of comic book artists and writers back in the 1950s. I recommend you read a book called The Ten Cent Plague by David Hadju. In it, you will learn the history of how the golden age of comic books were halted by crackpot pediatricians, paranoid politicians and fundamentalist Christians (well, private school children who were instructed by their Catholic school teachers to burn comic books in bonfires or they'd go to Hell.) Do you really believe the comics are just for children? Then you're an idiot, as Brad Bird, the director of the Disney/Pixar film The Incredibles, would say. Comics are for adults as well. I mean, The Spirit wasn't exactly a kiddies strip (nor is the film version by Frank Miller, which is pretty good to say the least.) EC Comics printed horror and romance comics, not the treacle kind of stuff you get in, ugh, Blondie.
Before any of you go off spouting cartoons and comics are just for children, why don't you take the advice of Jay Leno and just "Shut Up! Idiot!" Of course you have to memorize the inflections in Leno's voice in order to make sense of it.
-"I am so smart! I am so smart! S-M-R-T-- er, I mean S-M-A-art!"
-Homer Simpson, from The Simpsons
Fabricating again sticks?
January 8, 2009 - 23:43 ET by cocodrieI grew up in the '50s and went to catholic schools. There were no instructions to burn comic books. We even read them in the church sacristy when I was an alter boy.
Comic books were sold in every drug store and newstand. Are you trying to rewrite and distort history or are you what you accuse us of being? - An idiot.
coco
January 9, 2009 - 00:02 ET by choselife3xThe 7 sticks are the ones up his ___.
In order to be pro-choice, one must first be born. Ah, the irony.
chose
January 9, 2009 - 00:09 ET by cocodrieI sure like that yellow sun dress.
You made me remember my first date with my wife. She wore a red sheath dress. Women look so good in dresses.
Cocodrie
January 9, 2009 - 19:39 ET by choselife3xI had to stop wearing them for a while after I indirectly caused two traffic accidents.
One of the perks of having 3 small children with me everywhere I go is I don't get hit on ALL THE TIME anymore. It's pretty obvious I'm taken. :)
I'd actually forgotten about that until I left the girls with my mother-in-law while I went to see about getting some work done on the F-150. I got hit on by three separate men by the time I left the shop! It was hilarious.
In order to be pro-choice, one must first be born. Ah, the irony.
Coco
January 9, 2009 - 00:45 ET by thebutlerdiditMy hubby is 62, and I asked him about the comic book/church issue, and he said that was the best part of church, next to trading baseball cards. He said the priest was young, and would often tease them about their comics and cards.
Good evening butler
January 9, 2009 - 00:58 ET by cocodrieI'm 69 and and had the same experiences.
The problem is, the opinion of one priest or one nun is seen by some as the doctrine of the church. The assistant pastors were always young and took good care of us kids.
7sticks has a huge axe to grind and a lot of hatred in his heart.
God bless.
Unfortunately...
January 9, 2009 - 13:19 ET by BosTarusUnfortunatley, sticks isn't fabricating anything... just because it wasn't your experience, doesn't mean it didn't happen. In fact, the anti-comic craze culminated in senate hearings and legislation in over 40 states to ban or curtail sales of comics. He did say fundamentalist churches... perhaps you were lucky enough not to belong to one of those... but there were hundreds of huge bonfires across the country-sponsored by churches and local governments and whatnot. Books are being written about that period of comic history because the damage was so lasting, that people have long since forgotten that it even happened. 9 out of 10 children read comics (boys AND girls)... now you're lucky if .01% of today's kids read comics.
Comic books were sold in every drug store and newstand, until the mid 50s when it was all but banned... and relegated to specialty stores in the 60s.
Also, they are far from being solely the domain of the illiterate. If you couldn't guess, I'm a huge comic fan... and some of the smartest people I know read comics. Not that all comics are brilliant, but like every art form, there's crap and there's genius.
Good evening Bos
January 9, 2009 - 19:07 ET by cocodrieTo demonize the catholic church and other christians is not right. You cannot condemn an entire organization because of a misguided few. I also am a big fan of comic books but I don't believe in rewriting history.
As far as congress is concerned they will have hearings on amything they believe they can score political points.
Sorry for the delay...
January 11, 2009 - 17:47 ET by BosTarusI was out of town for the weekend... so i wasn't able to respond sooner... sorry if no one even reads this. Anyway, I was far from demonizing the catholic church... I AM Catholic... but it doesn't mean I can ignore what a few misguided catholics Did do in the past. And it wasn't just the catholics either. Pretty much anyone above the age of 30 was liable to jump on board the anti comic train... crusading liberals and conservatives alike. Everyone from socialist groups to church groups condemned comics.
Also, to reiterate... we're not rewriting history... look it up, this all happened... its a very easy thing to research. Hell, just look up Fredric Wertham on wikipedia and you'll get a large chunk of the story.
As far as the whole violent video games and movies issue... well that's much larger. Frankly, as far as I'm concerned, its just an endless cycle of adults disapproving of their children's artforms... It happened with Dickens' serialized novels, dime novels, the pulps, comic books, rock and roll, movies, video games, the internet... there are never any actual substantial claims to be made that these forms actually adversely effect any normal children... but that's a whole 'nother argument. For now lets just stick to acknowledging that the anti-comic craze of the 50s was real and not "re-written history"
Good evening Bos, my apologies
January 11, 2009 - 18:45 ET by cocodrieGood evening Bos, my apologies for lumping you together with Sticks. His drive by rants aimed at christians and conservatives get on my nerves.
The anti-comic book craze must have been different in different parts of the country as we didn't have any of it down here. Soda fountains disappeared from drug stores as well as comic books and I believe it was because of the changing times. When the soda fountains went we didn't frequent the drug atores as much.
The violent video games are a different story and I believe that they do affect children in a negative way.
I do not use Wikipedia. I find it is unreliable and has too much misinformation. Wikipedia is totally at the mercy of anyone with an agenda and an axe to grind. God bless.
okay Bos
January 9, 2009 - 19:26 ET by candanceModern children watch filthy movies, dance provocatively, know more cuss words than I do, and play violent games where they imitate a serial killer.
If comic books have all but been eradicated, it would seem the church won the battle but lost the war.
(As far as books being written to document the horror, maybe they'll all be drafted into Oprah's book club along with A Million Little Pieces...)
I'm a typical white person.
This is a phenomenon ...
January 8, 2009 - 15:20 ET by D. S. Hube... associated usually only with Democrat presidents. (Surprise!) I'm a part-time NB contributor, but on my own blog I've shown how Marvel (and other cos.) show nothing but contempt for conservatives/Republicans. I've written often about such nonsense; for example here where many Marvel writers display their anti-Americanism; here which concentrates on uber-lefty Mark Millar; here, where Spider-Man disses our outgoing president; here where Image's Erik Larsen admits he's an uber-lefty; here for Warren Ellis' hatred of George Bush; and here for the hypocrisy of the industry -- for being pu**ies about Frank Miller's project about Batman going after al Qaeda. Much more here!
Wow DS
January 8, 2009 - 15:32 ET by general companyThis explains my Son lack of intrest in comics anymore. He used to read them often, but now not so much. About 5 years ago, he quit reading them and started writing them. He sells about 20 copies of them at school, some are ok. But this helps me understand why he doesnt read them anymore, as silly as he can be at times he knows how fortunate he is to live in this country.
"Television is a freak show" Bernie Goldberg
After reading your link
January 8, 2009 - 19:44 ET by muh-oonAfter reading your link about Frank Miller's project I am excited to buy the first comic I have bought in almost 20 years. I think the last one I bought was something Frank Miller did. Thank God for Frank Miller, I don't like everything he does, but I think this one will be huge.
President NEE XON
January 8, 2009 - 15:29 ET by upcountrywater"do our best to be completely non-partisan and treat presidents with respect."
Nixon oppps dc comics
Nixon marvel comics
FREEDOM
(D)
Cheadle? Cool!
January 8, 2009 - 16:02 ET by Two DogsI think that it's really cool that Don Cheadle agreed to play Barry for the comicbook, but HERE'S MY TAKE on the whole deal.
Once Todd McFarlane left
January 8, 2009 - 16:09 ET by UtherpendOnce Todd McFarlane left Spiderman I stopped buying the series and dropped all Marvel titles all together. DC was always a more conservative and pro American publisher and most of their titles reflected that. Hence why Batman is so much an Icon today, surpassing anything SpiderMan has been able to do.
"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquillity of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you."
I think it's very fitting
January 8, 2009 - 17:20 ET by pitter43I think it's very fitting that obama is shown teamed with another non existent hero such as himself. He'll do the same good for America as Spiderman has, none.
That is funny.
January 9, 2009 - 09:41 ET by ArelThanks for that I needed a good laugh today!
In what issue of The
January 8, 2009 - 17:54 ET by candidcameracatIn what issue of The Punisher did that happen?
Spidey
January 8, 2009 - 18:08 ET by eugeneromeroNever knew Spidey was a Marxist. Must explain all the red.
And for what it's worth,
January 8, 2009 - 20:38 ET by lotrAnd for what it's worth, it's a pretty poor caricature of what I am guesssing is President-Elect Obama. I mean, he's way too muscular for starters....
I actually don't have a problem with the President-Elect being portayed as a pro-American crime-fighting superhero alongside Spidey. But I do have a problem with the fact that W was never portrayed this way over the entire 8 years of his presidency, in spite of the fact that he was the sitting president during 9/11 (see above post).
And one by one dropped the revellers in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel, and died each in the despairing posture of his fall. -- Edgar Allan Poe
Meh
January 8, 2009 - 21:59 ET by Fist of EtiquetteI actually don't mind this one, as Obama has been elected. Had Marvel done this during the campaign (which I wouldn't have put it past them), that would have been the end of me as a Spidey fan.