If you collected Spider-Man comics as a kid, being featured in an issue is probably one of the coolest things that could happen to you, even if you happen to be the President Elect of the United States. Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Joe Quesada told the Associated Press that the company wanted to pay tribute to Obama for publicly admitting to being a comic book fan. The former senator will appear in a bonus story in Marvel Comic’s Amazing Spider-Man #583, available in comic book shops nationwide on Jan. 14. The issue is expected to sell out as half of the covers will prominently feature Obama.
‘The commander in chief to be is actually a nerd in chief,’ Quesada says in the article. ‘It was really, really cool to see that we had a geek in the White House. We’re all thrilled with that.’
In the comic, Peter Parker is taking photographs at the inauguration when he notices that there are two identical Obamas. The young photojournalist springs into action as Spider-Man and uses basketball to identify the real Obama, then punches out the impostor. In return for his heroic deed, Spidey gets a fist bump from the President Elect.
Obama’s Senate website once featured a photo of him posing in front of a Superman statue. Other presidents have been featured in walk-on roles in Marvel Comics, but none have been given such a favorable treatment in ink. Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report has also been drawn into a Spider-Man issue, even making the cover. He used a copy signed by Stan Lee to entice Obama to be on his show.
