President Barack Obama's comics appearances (updated)

This is the one everybody wants a date with.

At least that's the case right now with The Amazing Spider-Man #583. After speaking with three different comic store associates yesterday, I got the impression there will be plenty of copies for readers who aren't concerned with having a first printing of the issue; they just want one as a keepsake.

But that second printing is probably going to move fast too so...

Amazing #583 is going into its third printing so Marvel Comics can meet the overwhelming demand and make sure a copy gets into the hands of just about anyone who wants one. For collectors and fans there's a local signing by some creators who worked on Amazing #583 tomorrow in Manhattan Beach you may wish to attend.
 






For those who didn't know, Erik Larsen's Savage Dragon placed President Barack Obama front and center before Spidey did. Recall that cover where there was an endorsement by the "Dragon?"And now there will be a story with a guest appearance by the President that will push the main character back into active police duty.

More details about issue #145 of Savage Dragon can be read here. And while there will be many who won't care about what goes on behind the scenes in the comics business -- they just want their comics -- there are the happy few who may want to know about the little dustup between Dragon creator Erik Larsen and a Marvel editor over who had their account of the Obama story first. Read the piece in the Robot 6 blog.



I have not read much about this or even the actual comic yet, but Rob Liefeld, creator of Youngblood, is releasing his own segment featuring the 44th President in a six-page story that will appear in Youngblood #8 written and drawn by Liefeld himself.

Liefeld is taking a bit of a beating in the Newsarama comments section for releasing his own Obama guest appearance comic but if other savvy creators are doing it to boost sales and interest then why not get in there? (President Obama even made the cover of Ms. magazine for goodness sakes!) This is part of a Youngblood tradition according to a press release reproduced in part on Newsarama -- apparently former President George W. Bush has appeared in the Youngblood universe as well.






Quietly sticking around (at least when I saw it on the shelves of one retailer) is the IDW published bio-comic Ryan Riley reviewed about Barack Obama written by Jeff Mariotte with art by Tom Morgan.

There was a John McCain comic issued by the same publishers during the election and both were pretty well done. No major super-powered villains, just stories of two human beings leading very incredible and inspiring lives.

One comic store owner told me that President Obama's IDW biography is the best read of this comic book bunch so far.

See 12 pages from Presidential Material: Barack Obama by clicking here.






I have learned that noted artist and writer Kyle Baker will be pulled off his current assignment to work on a biography graphic novel about the 44th President. Baker worked on Truth: Red, White & Black the story about the unknown African American Captain America  -- so this comic will be something to see.

Anything I missed? Drop me a line when you can and we'll put it up here.