Local comic shop features Spider-Man issue starring Barack Obama

Like a lot of Americans, Steve Anderson is eager to see how President-elect Barack Obama handles the big issues of the day, foremost among them the sagging economy.

But he's also interested in how Mr. Obama interacts with Spider-Man.

Mr. Anderson runs Third Eye Comics in Annapolis, and like many local comic shop owners, he's ordered many times more than his usual allotment of the Amazing Spider-Man issue due out

Wednesday. The comic book, #583, features a special five-page story that involves both the wall crawler and the incoming president. Some issues also will have a unique cover picturing both Spidey and Mr. Obama.

Without giving too much of the plot away, let's just say the web slinger jumps into the Inauguration Day fray when one of his oldest foes attempts to foil the festivities.

Alex Garcia of Edgewater, one of Mr. Anderson's regular customers, said it'd be especially great if Mr. Obama ripped his suit off to reveal he was actually a superhero. "That would be entertaining to me," Mr. Garcia said. "(And) it would explain a lot of stuff."

Regardless of the story line, Mr. Anderson said the mere existence of a Spider-Man/Obama comic is "pretty cool." He's ordered a couple hundred copies and has already had customers stop in to reserve one.

"It shows that there's a huge cultural impact of comics on modern culture," he said.

Marvel didn't consult the president-elect before putting out the issue, and the press office for the Obama transition team didn't return a phone call or an e-mail requesting comment.

The company's decision to publish the special comic was based on recently published reports that Mr. Obama was a fan of Spidey, said Stephen Wacker of Marvel, who served as editor of the project.

Once word got out, Mr. Wacker said, Marvel wanted to do something "short and quick" in time for the inauguration. The entire insert was completed in less than 10 days, which is "incredibly fast for this business," he said.

"I hope they like it," he added, speaking of the incoming Obama administration, "or I'll be taken in for questioning."

Mr. Wacker said the staff was "extra careful" with the plot, taking care not to make any judgments, alienate anyone or involve Mr. Obama in anything questionable. This is the only appearance planned for Mr. Obama in Marvel comics - at least for the moment.

Asked what all this says about the influence of comics, Mr. Wacker replied, "Comics are how I learned to read. Kids that collect comics as youths turn out to be ... readers, and I don't think that's bad for the world."

A Marvel-ous business

John "Bumper" Moyer of Twilight Zone Comics in Glen Burnie hasn't had a lot of requests for the Spider-Man/Obama comic yet, but he's ordered more than 130 copies. Heusually gets 25 or 30 of each Amazing Spider-Man, which comes out three times a month.

"When people start to see it, people will rush through the door," he said.

Mr. Moyer himself is intrigued to see how Marvel works Mr. Obama into the Spidey universe. "It'll be fun," he said. "Sure, for kicks, it'll be interesting how they tie it all together."

He and others are basing their orders partly on Mr. Obama's previous success in comics. This fall, another company, IDW Publishing, put out a comic book biography of Mr. Obama that was extremely popular. (The company also issued one for Sen. John McCain, since the race was still on.)

"It sold really well," said Billy Vogt of Capital Comics in Annapolis.

Mr. Vogt said his shop also will order more Spideys than usual because of the special issue, although as of a few days ago there hadn't much been much buzz from his customers.

Meanwhile, Mr. Moyer's mother, Annapolis Mayor Ellen O. Moyer, has even gotten into the Obama comic craze. Mrs. Moyer got 200 copies of the IDW biography to distribute to children at the Stanton Center and at City Hall during Inauguration Day activities.

(Note to adult comic fans: Mrs. Moyer plans to will keep a few copies around for you, too.)

"It's a good vehicle for young people to learn history," Mrs. Moyer said.

The Spidey issue may not fulfill the same purpose, but it's definitely historic, local comic fans said.

Mr. Anderson, who is a fan of the president-elect, said the past couple weeks leading to both the inauguration and the release of the Spidey comic have been thrilling.

"The fact that (an Obama character) is being involved in this hobby and industry that's been my passion since childhood is by far one of the most exciting experiences for me," he wrote in an e-mail.