Obama’s Superhero Status
by Ramon Shiloh
Economic woes, an impending depression and an ongoing war with no foreseeable end are certainly ingredients for a disastrous future. If we lived in the world of comic books, a superhero who possesses great courage, strength and a will to succeed would swoop in and save us all.
Literary heroes can be found in every era. For our generation, President Barack Obama just may be it. His journey to the White House has offered a glimmer of hope for humanity. And, like all true superheroes, the nation’s new president seems to possess a strong moral code and a deep compassion for the human condition.
The nation’s high hopes for Obama to lead us through these difficult times prompted Marvel Comics to honor the occasion on January 14 by having Obama grace the cover of a special issue of Amazing Spider-Man #583. Inside the comic are five pages of Spider-Man and Obama teaming to fight the terrors of our nation. In the end, Spider-Man successfully stops the Chameleon from spoiling Obama’s swearing in ceremony.
Obama is not the first president to be honored in comic books. During World War II, Franklin D. Roosevelt cheered as superheroes fought against Hitler and in 1963, John F. Kennedy appeared in Action Comics #309 to help protect Clark Kent’s secret identity. “If I can’t trust the president of the United States, who can I trust?” Superman asks Kennedy. In 1972, Richard Nixon had cameos in The Fantastic Four and The Incredible Hulk.
“Superheroes are a part of hope,” explains Clifton Alvin Robertson, owner of Secret Fortress Comics, pointing out that Obama’s presidency is all about the need for hope in the United States. “Acting on his promises will save lives.”
Obama revealed on the campaign trail last year that he is an avid collector of Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian comics because he identifies with the “inner turmoil” the characters experience. Obama may see little of himself in Peter Parker, the shy, studious loner who is devoted to his Aunt May, but, through his alter-ego, selflessly gives to those who are in need.
Comic Books Address Social Issues
One reason comic books have sustained such immense popularity is that they are able to easily reach the masses. Because comics are created for every age group and every educational background, their simplicity allows anyone to relate to the messages.
The first African American comic book character appeared in a two-issue series in 1965. Lobo, created by D.J. Arneson and Tony Tallarico, was a wealthy, gun-slinging, crime-fighting cowboy whose calling card was a gold coin imprinted with a wolf and the letter L. Two years later, Marvel introduced its first African American character – Joe “Robbie” Robertson – in the Amazing Spider-Man. As J. Johan Jameson’s voice of reason, Robbie is still in the storyline 40 later, now serving as the editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle.
Comic books in Mexico date back to the 1600s, but gained rapid popularity in the early 20th century. During the 1940s, adventure stories became especially popular, as did the pulp fiction plots of the historieta, which were based on the balance between good evil. In historietas, evil is typically represented by easy-to-understand symbols that represent the conflict.
Because of its effectiveness in communicating with the masses, the monito has a long historical use in politics. It has been utilized to promote social programs, such as health, education and public administration, as well as political agendas. The historieta continues to surpass other printed comics in Mexico, as well as throughout a substantial part of Central America and the southern part of the United States.
The social issues that comic books address ensure the genre will always have an audience. Stereotypes of all shapes, colors and sizes have played out before us. Gender, sexual preference, race and religious beliefs are explored, offering an outlet for those trying to assimilate with good intentions. Comic books are not only a tool in pointing out discrepancies of our past, present and future issues, but they also question the purpose of life beyond the need for survival.
The X-Men, Marvel’s beloved comic books-turned-Hollywood films, have been praised by hard core fans and non-comic readers alike. A study on the storyline describes analogies of racism between mutants and humans. The characters portray a variety of nationalities, including African, Vietnamese, Native American, Irish and Japanese, and they express a wide diversity of religious views and sexual preferences.
The tale of the X-Men serves as a bridge to unify humans and mutants who have opposing views with each other. In line with the realities of today’s society, the X-Men serve as metaphors for the nature of the outsider to assimilate in an effort to overcome the barriers of bigotry.
Can Obama Be Our Superhero?
As the nation’s first African American president, it’s easy to see why Obama connects with his comic books. Behind the adulation is a man who stands alone, navigating his way through unknown territory. This means his presidency will come with some bumps and bruises. His youthful appearance, age, experience and race have been repeatedly questioned and he certainly faces an uphill challenge as he deals with the residual effects of former President Bush’s Administration.
“Obama’s carrying a lot of weight on his shoulders. It’s like being the only Black guy in an all-White high school yearbook. If you mess up, we know where to find you,” says one Seattle comic book store owner. “Obama is a man I want to succeed. He’s reminds me of a superhero. This country needs a superhero and Obama’s presidency is a great beginning, but compared to the massive debt our former administration left behind, we have a lot of work to do.”
“Presidential campaigns aren’t ultimately about candidates’ job histories. Campaigns themselves are a gauntlet in which you get tested. People get to see how you handle pressure and how you react to complicated questions,” said Obama’s Political Strategist David Axelrod in an interview with USA Today last January. “It’s an imperfect and sometimes maddening system, but at the end of the day it works, because you have to be tough and smart and skilled to survive that process.”
With the United States divided between a dwindling economy and a lengthy war abroad, Obama’s stature just may begin to take on mythic qualities if he succeeds in conquering the challenges ahead. This is comic book folklore.
© 2/7/2009
by Ramon Shiloh
Economic woes, an impending depression and an ongoing war with no foreseeable end are certainly ingredients for a disastrous future. If we lived in the world of comic books, a superhero who possesses great courage, strength and a will to succeed would swoop in and save us all.
Literary heroes can be found in every era. For our generation, President Barack Obama just may be it. His journey to the White House has offered a glimmer of hope for humanity. And, like all true superheroes, the nation’s new president seems to possess a strong moral code and a deep compassion for the human condition.
The nation’s high hopes for Obama to lead us through these difficult times prompted Marvel Comics to honor the occasion on January 14 by having Obama grace the cover of a special issue of Amazing Spider-Man #583. Inside the comic are five pages of Spider-Man and Obama teaming to fight the terrors of our nation. In the end, Spider-Man successfully stops the Chameleon from spoiling Obama’s swearing in ceremony.
Obama is not the first president to be honored in comic books. During World War II, Franklin D. Roosevelt cheered as superheroes fought against Hitler and in 1963, John F. Kennedy appeared in Action Comics #309 to help protect Clark Kent’s secret identity. “If I can’t trust the president of the United States, who can I trust?” Superman asks Kennedy. In 1972, Richard Nixon had cameos in The Fantastic Four and The Incredible Hulk.
“Superheroes are a part of hope,” explains Clifton Alvin Robertson, owner of Secret Fortress Comics, pointing out that Obama’s presidency is all about the need for hope in the United States. “Acting on his promises will save lives.”
Obama revealed on the campaign trail last year that he is an avid collector of Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian comics because he identifies with the “inner turmoil” the characters experience. Obama may see little of himself in Peter Parker, the shy, studious loner who is devoted to his Aunt May, but, through his alter-ego, selflessly gives to those who are in need.
Comic Books Address Social Issues
One reason comic books have sustained such immense popularity is that they are able to easily reach the masses. Because comics are created for every age group and every educational background, their simplicity allows anyone to relate to the messages.
The first African American comic book character appeared in a two-issue series in 1965. Lobo, created by D.J. Arneson and Tony Tallarico, was a wealthy, gun-slinging, crime-fighting cowboy whose calling card was a gold coin imprinted with a wolf and the letter L. Two years later, Marvel introduced its first African American character – Joe “Robbie” Robertson – in the Amazing Spider-Man. As J. Johan Jameson’s voice of reason, Robbie is still in the storyline 40 later, now serving as the editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle.
Comic books in Mexico date back to the 1600s, but gained rapid popularity in the early 20th century. During the 1940s, adventure stories became especially popular, as did the pulp fiction plots of the historieta, which were based on the balance between good evil. In historietas, evil is typically represented by easy-to-understand symbols that represent the conflict.
Because of its effectiveness in communicating with the masses, the monito has a long historical use in politics. It has been utilized to promote social programs, such as health, education and public administration, as well as political agendas. The historieta continues to surpass other printed comics in Mexico, as well as throughout a substantial part of Central America and the southern part of the United States.
The social issues that comic books address ensure the genre will always have an audience. Stereotypes of all shapes, colors and sizes have played out before us. Gender, sexual preference, race and religious beliefs are explored, offering an outlet for those trying to assimilate with good intentions. Comic books are not only a tool in pointing out discrepancies of our past, present and future issues, but they also question the purpose of life beyond the need for survival.
The X-Men, Marvel’s beloved comic books-turned-Hollywood films, have been praised by hard core fans and non-comic readers alike. A study on the storyline describes analogies of racism between mutants and humans. The characters portray a variety of nationalities, including African, Vietnamese, Native American, Irish and Japanese, and they express a wide diversity of religious views and sexual preferences.
The tale of the X-Men serves as a bridge to unify humans and mutants who have opposing views with each other. In line with the realities of today’s society, the X-Men serve as metaphors for the nature of the outsider to assimilate in an effort to overcome the barriers of bigotry.
Can Obama Be Our Superhero?
As the nation’s first African American president, it’s easy to see why Obama connects with his comic books. Behind the adulation is a man who stands alone, navigating his way through unknown territory. This means his presidency will come with some bumps and bruises. His youthful appearance, age, experience and race have been repeatedly questioned and he certainly faces an uphill challenge as he deals with the residual effects of former President Bush’s Administration.
“Obama’s carrying a lot of weight on his shoulders. It’s like being the only Black guy in an all-White high school yearbook. If you mess up, we know where to find you,” says one Seattle comic book store owner. “Obama is a man I want to succeed. He’s reminds me of a superhero. This country needs a superhero and Obama’s presidency is a great beginning, but compared to the massive debt our former administration left behind, we have a lot of work to do.”
“Presidential campaigns aren’t ultimately about candidates’ job histories. Campaigns themselves are a gauntlet in which you get tested. People get to see how you handle pressure and how you react to complicated questions,” said Obama’s Political Strategist David Axelrod in an interview with USA Today last January. “It’s an imperfect and sometimes maddening system, but at the end of the day it works, because you have to be tough and smart and skilled to survive that process.”
With the United States divided between a dwindling economy and a lengthy war abroad, Obama’s stature just may begin to take on mythic qualities if he succeeds in conquering the challenges ahead. This is comic book folklore.
© 2/7/2009
I'm waiting for Mr. Shiloh's comic book publication! Bring it on dude!
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