In a not unprecedented but still unusual piece of political marketing, president-elect Barack Obama and Marvel’s arachnid superhero Spider-Man come face to face in an official crossover, in “Amazing Spider-Man #583“.
Might it not have been more interesting to see the pair pitted against one another?
Marvel’s Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada has this to say:
“When we heard that President-Elect Obama is a collector of Spider-Man comics, we knew that these two historic figures had to meet in our comics’ Marvel Universe.
Historic moments such as this one can be reflected in our comics because the Marvel Universe is set in the real world. A Spider-Man fan moving into the Oval Office is an event that must be commemorated in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man.”
Presumably this fine marketing has presidential blessing, as we hear from Obama last year:
“I was always into the Spider-Man/Batman model. The guys who have too many powers–like Superman–that always made me think they weren’t really earning their superhero status. It’s a little too easy. Whereas Spider-Man and Batman, they have some inner turmoil. They get knocked around a little bit.”
Obama is far from the first president to appear in comics in this fashion: Ronald Reagan appeared in “Batman: The Dark Knight Returns,” Bill Clinton in “Superman: The Man of Steel,” Richard Nixon in “Watchmen” and John F. Kennedy in “Action Comics.”
We even hear of joke president Jimmy Carter on the cover of “Superman vs. Muhammad Ali.”
The comic, “Amazing Spider-Man #583″, is available now.
Shades of Rozen Aso… Sadly he did not appear in Rozen Maiden.
“Biden’s still mad I confused him for the vulture on the train that one time”
I lol’d hard.
More promotional bullshit. Like Charlie Brooker once said:
“The Republican campaign was so nakedly horrible it could only have been orchestrated by Skeletor. Why not just change your name to the Bastard Party and march around in long black capes? Vote for us, we’re openly despicable.”
I mean seriously guys. Seriously.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/nov/10/barack-obama-zombies-running
I have to agree. At least it wasn’t a landslide.
I can’t believe I missed that column! I read the Guardian all the time.
It’s a great column, too, and Anonymous’s point is well made.
Obama DISGUSTS me.
He will probably show his true colors soon enough, and then we can start calling him Hussein instead.
Indeed, what really pissed me off about the election last year was that there was “no choice”.
You could vote for the guy who looks to do more business as usual and seems insane, or you could vote the black guy and be in on a monumental occasion. It really felt like such a forced choice that it damn near made me cry with despair and rage. Lets totally forget about the other FOUR other presidential candidates that the media NEVER covers, I think I view the mass media more treasonous than our politicians and bureaucrats in office.
Wow, two racists on the internet. Your lives must be so rich and fun! :)
On a serious note: You’re both trash.
Good Day.
Yes I am rich, in matters of money, status, education and life. But that is of course nothing some working class Mr. Joe (most likely) like you know anything about. The wine I am drinking now probably costs more than what you are wearing.
Also, someone who calls oneself a racist is no better than the likes of muslims. Racists, nazists, communist, treehuggers and all other kind of protesting fucked up activists belongs to the bottom of society and should all be sent to Gaza and there be napalmed with the rest of the worthlessness.
Have a good day.
Doesn’t matter as long as you stay this mentally poor.
Have a nice day too ~_^
you racist.
As opposed to the good and honest folk like you, who show their fucking stupidity right up and centre.
wtf is up with Spidey’s head in that third panel?
Rob Liefield
I haven’t read new Spider Man comics in a long time but it looks to me like the art has gotten worse.
Spider Man’s head is the most obvious, but Obama looks weird to. He looks like he was cut out of wood.
Its Popeye!
Rozen Maiden is still on hiatus. Aso won’t be making an appearance until Peach-Pit gets better.
seems humouros enough, but I haven’t bought an issue of Amazing Spiderman since issue 375.
I’m just glad we are starting to treat him like the president no more no less, so the media stops kissing his ass like it’s ice cream.
Not meaning to offend or anything, but how is this in any way related to japanese media? Am I missing something here?
Obama is a town in Japan.
Peter Parker is also Ultraman.
Also, I don’t care if it isn’t related to Japanese media. If it is interesting I will feel free to post it for you,
This has Nothing to do with Anime, Japan, Pantsu, or Aya Hirano. Can we avoid ANY and ALL political Bullshit (BOTH sides!) propaganda.
I totally agree with commentors Narcissist and Tingle. Plus, the media is sooo far up Obama’s ass and yet sooo afraid to ‘criticize’ or question ANY action the man does it’s outright sickening!. I’m not on Either side but You Sir Artifact are last person I thought would be wasting my ‘Perverted Time’ with the “Product President”.
I got into Anime and stopped buying comics in 2003 because I was tired of the ‘Political flavor’ and ’social commentary soapbox’ that seeped into everything from DC to Marvel…and it was Always Pro-Lberal, Anti-Capitalist, and Pro-Socialism, and Anti-War
For the love of Evangelion- Please don’t DEFILE this ‘perverted paradise’ with such political drivel! American Comics suck ass compared to the Heroes, Franchises, and Epic Arcs in Japanese Anime…..thank God for Anime and your site Mr. Artefact!
I don’t think much of him or the Democrats, but I am bound by what is popular, not what I think people should be interested in. That is all that determines the site content.
Meh.
I won’t be impressed until he makes a guest appearance on King of the Hill.
Which has been canceled.
Seriously? I didn’t know that.
But it was a good show. I dunno, maybe it’ll get the praise it deserves much later on, like Futurama did.
Its sad to say that this Spider-man issue is actually above average,compared to the recent story lines…
Barack is a magic negro, that’s why this issue is better than the rest. And sadly that’s all he is, and all he will ever be. Such is the life of a career politician.
it’s only me o spiderman is taking photos with his penis in the last panel?
thats batman you dick and thats his utility belt.
I can’t wait until he gets assassinated.
NO U
YES ME
COULDN’T BE
seconded XP
[Phone ringing]
Hello…..
Can you put me through to the Secret Service, please?
right, cause killing ppl is so entertaining eh?
gtfo back to 4chan where u came from jerk.
End yourself.
O RLY?
Now if only they could work Barack Obama into the Kannagi manga..
Everybody gets one…
“Tell him Peter.”
“Uh, apparently everybody gets one.”
“You got it, champ.”
Didn’t Obama also make a cameo-of-sorts in Air Gear? Granted, the character in question was named “John Omaha” but it was pretty clear what Oh! Great was getting at…
As long as he doesn’t appear in Naruto or some shit. Bad enough he got a mention in Air Gear, I’m sure the preteens who read it have a very strong grasp of politics.
Republicans read Sankaku? Didn’t see that one coming.
Republicans? On Sankaku? More common then you think.
P.S. I thought that Bush was a liberal, as was McCain.
You must be not too fond of your lolis then.
Actually McCain is the most ‘Liberal’ Republican short of Ron Paul. He’s even hosted Saturday Night Live. Even the Republicans can barely stand him. I would’ve voted if Guliani was the nominee. I pick the Man & his Methods - NOT the Party!
Who cares about Obama- He sold his soul to ACORN to have voter registrations fixed in his favor- so I don’t think he’s really President- it’s who ever controls ACORN that pulls Obama’s strings which is probably George Soros
***Don’t like ‘Political Debate?- Don’t post Political Shit!…Right???
GO BARACK!! oh yeah oh! graets the shit for puting him in air gear
can’t wait for him to get shot. will be an awesome issue.
It looks nothing like him except for the cover. The artist makes a lot of other weird mistakes as well.
Were you expecting Mccain on the cover?
you mean McLoser? >_>
I don’t even know what that’s supposed to mean.
whats with all the tards hoping for this guy to get shot and shit? Don’t you guys have anything better to do?
No. If the tards had something better to do, he’d be shot already.
+1 Thumb Up
it’s called trolling
At first, I had a hard time understanding that comic strip. The speech made very little sense and left me mildly confused.
That is of course, when I realized I was reading it the wrong way.. Oops..
>_>
lol, was about to post the same >_<
there is actually a Spider-Man manga whose artwork done by Crying Freeman’s Ryoichi Ikegami.
‘Everybody gets ONE’
New season series?
Tut, I’m all for mister black president, but stay out of our world!
this is first time that i’ve heard that Obama is a comic fan and a Spider-man at that
lol am I the only one that read that like it was manga?
Completely read that backwards from the way American comics are read, I was really confused for a couple minutes o_o;
I did too…
Happened to me as well. This is what happens when you read too much manga in the “correct” way, that it becomes disorienting when you have to read the American ones “backwards”. ^^;
I have no problem with politicians making a couple of cameos here and there but when it’s like, “OMGZ IMMA IN YO FACE THIS WHOLE THING BE POLITICS CRAP” (forgive me for that >_>) it just pisses me off.
Not like it really matters though since no one really reads mainstream Marvel or DC anymore.
tl;dr
Yeah, I clearly see the point of this.
Politics and comics shouldn’t mix! >.<
We will witness one of the most important inaguration of history and its a finale of a great campaign.
If we look it closely it resembls mix of top brands. have a look http://controversial-affairs.blogspot.com/2009/01/obama-on-20th-jan-campaign.html