Tag Archives: vice president

Gore, Pelosi Step Into The Spotlight In Two New Comic Book Biogrpahy

Nancy PelosiAl Gore

Former Vice President Al Gore and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, two of the more polarizing figures on the modern political stage, will be the featured subjects of a pair of upcoming issues of Bluewater Productions’ biography comic series.

Political Power: Al Gore Female Force: Nancy Pelosi, both scheduled for release in January, highlight the careers of two influential political figures that are shaping the debate on some of the most important issues of the day.

Gore’s story follows his rise as a privileged Senator’s son to his failed bid for the White House to his ascendancy as a prime mover in the climate change and global warming debate.

“What is fascinating about Al Gore is he is a contrast of opposites,” noted the issue’s author Scott Davis, “He’s a cagey politician, but given to sophomoric exaggerations. He’s the embodiment of Big Government and the idealistic conscience of the country.”

Similarly, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, according to writer Dan Rafter, evokes a “love her or hate her” reaction. “She is arguably the most powerful woman in government.”

Like Gore, Pelosi, who represents California’s 8th district (San Francisco), comes from a political family, which includes two mayors of Baltimore. However, forging her own political fortunes, she has risen through the ranks of the Democratic Party to become the first woman in American history to lead a major party in the U.S. Congress.

“What I find most intriguing about her, though, is the amount of anger she seems to inspire from her critics. In this biography, I was hoping to figure out, at least somewhat, why so many people delight in hating Nancy Pelosi.” Said Rafter.

The issues are illustrated by Aldo Giordanelli Corbellini (Gore) Andrew Yerrakadu (Pelosi) and cover art is provided by Patricio Carbajal and Jim McDermott.

Both the Female Force and Political Power biography comic book series strive to present even-handed stories of prominent individuals responsible for shaping the political and cultural landscape. Both series launched in 2009.

Spider-Man Saves Barack Obama

Following in the steep tradition Marvel comics on January 14th brings the team up of Spider-man and President-elect Barack Obama in Amazing Spider-man #583.  According to USA Today:

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.’

We do our best to be completely non-partisan and treat presidents with respect,” Quesada told USA Today. “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.

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.

The issue will retail for $3.99, with a 50/50 split of covers.

EC Comics Goes Political

It what is shaping up to be one of the more overt political years in comic books, controversial publisher EC Comics has decided to get in on the action.  The publisher of such series as Tales From the Crypt has decided to depict Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin on an issue cover for the series.  Issue #8 shows the candidate wielding a hockey stick asking “Didn’t we get rid of you guys in the 1950s?”

In an interior editorial Cathy Gaines Mifsud writes “Tales from the Crypt is not endorsing any political candidates…nor are we attacking any candidates, but Tales does care about freedom and censorship.”

EC Comics and it’s original publisher William Gaines (who also founded Mad Magazine) are not new to politics.  It was EC’s publishing of horror comics that lead to Senate hearings on the comic book industry and it’s “corrupting” influence on the youth.  You can find out more about that part in American history in the book, The Ten-Cent Plague.