Spider-Man forced to side with Obama

I wasn't sure at first just what side Marvel's leftists would take, but now, it looks like any questions about their support for the president-elect have been answered:

On Jan. 14, Marvel Comics is releasing a special issue of Amazing Spider-Man #583 with Obama depicted on the cover. Inside are five pages of the two teaming up and even a fist-bump between Spidey and the new president.

"It was a natural after we learned the new president is a Spider-Man fan," says Marvel editor in chief Joe Quesada about reports that Obama once collected Spider-Man comics. "We thought, 'Fantastic! We have a comic-book geek in the White House.'"

Honestly, I think all those claims about Obama being a comic book devotee are greatly exaggerated; from what I read in past news item, it sounded as though he just collects them for their percieved monetary value. As for that fist-bump, don't get me started on how ludicrous it really is.

In the story by Zeb Wells, Todd Nauck and Frank D'Armata, Spider-Man stops the Chameleon from spoiling Obama's swearing-in. At one point, Spider-Man says he mistook Vice President-elect Joe Biden for the Vulture (a vintage Spider-Man villain).

Oh please, this is so dumb, including whatever jokes they're trying to make involving Biden.

"We do our best to be completely non-partisan and treat presidents with respect," Quesada says.

Suuuurrrrre they do. Garth Ennis certainly didn't do that when he wrote the Punisher several years ago.

"This is not so much a pro-Obama statement but a tip of the hat to having a Spider-Man fan in the White House."

Oh, do tell us all about it, Quesada. I wonder what conservatives the Chameleon is intended to serve as a metaphor for here? Back in the day, the Chameleon was usually depicted as a commie agent. Now, I won't be surprised if they've completely changed that.

They end the article with the following question:

Would McCain have gotten a special issue had he won?

Says Quesada: "If McCain was a Spider-Man fan, I'm sure he would."

I'm afraid I've got my doubts about that.

Here's USA Today's special gallery page, featuring a few panels from the issue. The artwork is terrible, particularly in the third sample, which is disturbing.

More on the subject at Hot Air.