200811120213This 50 facts about Obama article has spurred considerable hopes that the incoming US president might, at last, be the one to truly represent a long-oppressed minority in the White House. Eight simple words that spell hope for the world:

He collects Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian comics.


Note the use of the present tense. While it’s a well known fact that young Barack was an avid comic book reader, and certainly no stranger to superhero imagery on the campaign trail, this one verb would have us believe that he still keeps a long box, or perhaps some trendy graphic novels, in his reading pile. Something like, CONAN: BORN ON THE BATTLEFIELD by Kurt Busiek and Greg Ruth, maybe? Or maybe he’s more of a Bendis fan?

We’ll leave the parsing of this particular truth to others. What with administrative transitions, and global recession and nukes in Iran, he’s got a lot on his plate, and to expect him to weigh in on the Clone Saga is just a bit much. Frankly we found this factoid just as interesting.

He has read every Harry Potter book


Maybe the president-elect is just, you know, kind of a nerd.

Developing?

1 COMMENT

  1. He has read every Harry Potter book

    According to an interview with Mrs. Obama, he read them to his daughters.

  2. The librarian/bookseller inside is jumping up and down and clapping his hands in joy! It is never too early to read to your child, toddler, or baby.
    My inner fanboy? It’s cool. Clinton was a comicbook reader as well. Reagan was a fan of comic strips. Eisenhower hosted the National Cartoonist Society.
    But if you see a gang of Klingons at San Diego wearing earpieces, and one is a bit skinny for a Klingon…

  6. “Maybe the president-elect is just, you know, kind of a nerd.”

    From Newsweek’s recent multi-part “Secrets Of The 2008 Campaign” (
    http://www.newsweek.com/id/167581):

    “That’s an interesting belt buckle,” he said to Michelle, mischievously. She feigned offense and said, “I am interesting, next to you. Surprise, surprise, a blue suit, a white shirt and a tie.” Obama grinned and bent down until he was almost at eye level with her waist. He jabbed a playful finger toward her belt buckle, and let loose his inner nerd. “The lithium crystals! Beam me up, Scotty!” Obama squeaked, laughing at his own lame joke as Michelle rolled her eyes.

  9. Yeah, in the half-hour infomercial, Michelle mentioned that Barack read all seven HP books to Malia… but that was still awesome because it was like “yeah we’re telling the whole country we read those satan witch evil demon books to our kids, and we’re still going to win.”

  12. Well, I wouldn’t be surprised if he read Potter to be a good dad. It’s still fine, but it’s less compelling.
    That said,
    The thought of a long box of his own stuff in the White House bedroom, though… that’s just a little too badass. Wouldn’t it be great if Secret Service agents showed up at Big Planet – Georgetown every Wednesday?
    @Charles Skaggs. The “repeal Brand New Day” joke was pretty sweet.

  14. He collects Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian comics…. He has read every Harry Potter book.

    ?? ONE OF US! ONE OF US!! ONE OF US!!!

    But I’d like to know what’s the President-Elect’s position on the ‘Squid/No Squid’ WATCHMEN imbroglio…

    And if he prefers STAR TREK over STAR WARS…

    And if he was cool in making “Starbucks” a girl…

    And if he thought they should bring back Lex Luthor AGAIN as the bad guy for the next SUPERMAN film…

    And does he read ANY Warren Ellis…

    And which was his favorite DOCTOR…

    And: EVERQUEST or WORLD OF WARCRAFT…

    Etc. etc. etc. ;)

  15. If I were President, I would have the Library of Congress deliver the various copyright deposits each week, along with selected items from the collection (which includes visual and sound recordings).

    As President, he is able to screen movies before they are released, thanks to the Motion Picture Association of America. (Before he was head of the MPAA, Jack Valenti was a special assistant to LBJ.)

    As for storing long boxes, the Third Floor residence has space. The Solarium (and outside Promenade) are nice places to relax with a book, with a fantastic view of the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial.

    If curious, whitehousemuseum dot org has lots of floor plans and photos of the entire complex. (Pretty nice digs… bowling alley, movie theater, basketball, tennis court, putting green…)

  17. >

    Clinton was a comics reader as a kid, in a speach he made reference to having to sell his comics collection as a kid. I don’t think he was reading them while he was in office, at least I’ve never seen any reference to him doing so.

    Reagan’s favorate comic strip was Spider-Man, believe it or not, he said in more then one interview that the first thing he did in the morning was read that days installment of Spidey, he even wrote Stan a fan letter, (how frigging cool is that), Stan mentioned it in an interview sometime in the 80’s. No word on wheter he ever read the comics.

    FDR was also a fan of the comics, there are pictures of him reading comic strips to kids, and one picture of him holding a Superman comic with a big smile on his face. A famous story has FDR calling a newspaper to find out how Dick Tracy was going to escape from the bad guys latest and greatest deathtrap because he simply couldn’t wait till the next installment. (Talk about being a fanboy).

    The president elect is just the latest in a line of comics reading presidents and yes that is freaking cool.

  18. It all finally comes together: Barack Obama ran for President so he could get access to the original art to AMAZING FANTASY #15 that is now in the possession of the Library of Congress.

    Or maybe he was the “anonymous donor”???