Barack Obama has appeared as a character incomic books published by a number of publishing companies, sometimes appearing as a realistic fictionalized version of himself and sometimes as a spoof.
Obama made his first appearance as a comic book character in July 2007 inLicensable BearTM No. 4 byNat Gertler and Lonny Chant, where he appeared as aU.S. Senator. The comic only had a print-run of 1,050 issues. A year later, in September 2008, Obama appeared inErik Larsen’sSavage Dragon No. 137.[1] This issue featured a variant cover which showed Obama with the Savage Dragon, who proclaims that he is endorsing him for president.[2] The issue sold out four print runs.[1] A month later, the comic was followed up byPresidential Material: Barack Obama byJeff Mariotte and in November 2008 withObama: The Comic Book by Rod Espinosa.
In November 2008, two things led to an explosion in popularity of the Obama comic book character. One of Obama's advisers gave an interview to journalist Jon Swaine ofThe Daily Telegraph titled, "Barack Obama: The 50 facts you might not know." In the interview, it emerged that Obama collects "Spider-Man andConan the Barbarian."[3] Then later that month, on November 4, 2008, Obama became the first African-American to be elected President of the United States.
WhenMarvel Comics discovered the president-elect was an avid collector ofSpider-Man comics, they decided to have Obama the comic book character be put on the cover of theirThe Amazing Spider-Man No. 583 (January 2009), for the story "Spidey Meets the President!" written byZeb Wells. This particular release proved extremely popular and sold out in a matter of minutes.[4] A day after the release, the edition was sold for $300 oneBay. Prior to the Spider-Man story, the president-elect was featured inSecret Invasion #8; this is the first appearance of president-elect Barack Obama in a Marvel comic.
Obama the comic book character has been put on the cover and pages of many other comics includingSavage Dragon No. 145 (February 2008) by Erik Larsen andYoungblood No. 8 (February 2008) byRob Liefeld. TheSavage Dragon No. 145 had a special edition variant only offered at the WonderCon 2009 in San Francisco in March 2009 (only 1,500 were produced). On the cover, Barack Obama can be seen holding an American flag and punching Osama Bin Laden in the face.
Barack Obama appears as a major character in the sixth volume ofBomb Queen byJimmie Robinson, tentatively entitledBomb Queen vs. Obama (later asOh-BOMB-Ah! andTime Bomb),[5] following his cameo in theepilogue of the previous miniseriesThe Divine Comedy (Bombastic),[6] seeing thesupervillain come to odds with the President who "would not stand for a place like Bomb Queen's city";[7] Robinson would note that "I personally support the President, I'm glad he's in office, I voted for him. However, I have to write for my character – and she hates Obama. Just likeStephen King orClive Barker, who write horrific characters and do not identify with them, so do I, or any writer worth their salt. So this volume was another test for me as a writer to go outside of my personal beliefs and script a story from a villain's perspective,"[8] "fighting him on the public front".[9]
Barack Obama is the subject of graphic novelBarack Hussein Obama bySteven Weissman. In this, President Obama and his cast of characters (SecretaryClinton,VPJoe Biden,his family) experience life in a parallel universe.[10]
Barack Obama has also appeared inArchie Comics Veronica #199, and Archie #616 and #617.[11][12]
President Obama was in theFlashpoint Storyline of DC comics of 2011. He discusses the earth members of The Green Lantern Corp withAmanda Waller.
^CBR Staff (August 20, 2009)."Robinson talks 20 Issues of "Bomb Queen"".Comic Book Resources. RetrievedAugust 20, 2009.You look at[Barack] Obama and the guy is shaft of light in the darkness. Doesn't matter that he's still apolitician, alawyer, and talking rhetoric that can never be fulfilled – all the things people normally hate – but he represents a new direction and people respond to that. Even the criminals of society.Bomb Queen will have a rough time if her city decides to tilt away from supporting her. She is only as powerful as her reign and only considered aQueen /ruler' if the people allow it.