ShareThisThe extraordinary 2008 campaign is finally wrapping up, after what seems like 5 million years. It's not just true of the real world; presidential politics have often played important roles in the comics, too.Let's take a look at my top five presidential moments of yesteryear:5) Nixon's the One: One of the subtle storylines in Alan Moore's classic "Watchmen" is how the advent of Dr. Manhattan -- the first superhero with actual superpowers -- changed everything in the Watchmen world. Blimps seem to be a primary venue for air travel, cars work on some sort of non-fossil fuel (as seen by power plugs at street corners instead of gas stations) and Tricky Dick is still president in 1986. That's because Dr. Manhattan won the Vietnam War almost single-handedly, journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein were mysteriously murdered and the 22nd Amendment was repealed. That's something to watch for in the movie, slated to premiere March 9, 2009.Runner-up: The parody of Ronald Reagan as a senile cowboy in "Dark Knight Returns," by Frank Miller.4) Smells Like Teen Spirit: One of the oddest DC Comics of all time is "Prez," about an idealistic teen-age president, elected after the voting age is lowered below 18. He selects his mother as vice president, and Native American Eagle Free as his FBI director, in the course of some goofy adventures. The extremely idiosyncratic (read: awful) "Prez" was canceled after four issues, but the character has continued to appear unexpectedly in various comics, including a cameo in the award-winning "Sandman."3) Star-Spangled Candidate: It seems inevitable that Captain America would run for president, but it didn't happen until 1980, when the New Populist Party invited (the currently deceased) Steve Rogers to be its candidate in "Captain America" No. 250. Then the Democrats and Republicans asked him to be their candidate! Cap searched his soul for the entire issue -- as various Avengers and friends gave advice -- but ultimately turned down the offers. He decided that his job is to represent the American dream, and couldn't give his full attention to maintaining the American reality. This one issue probably told us more about Steve Rogers than all the ones that had appeared in the previous 39 years.Runner-up: Howard the Duck running on the All-Night Party ticket in 1976.2) Mad Scientist Party: Lex Luthor was elected president of the DC Comics superhero universe in 2000, with former Smallvillian Pete Ross as his veep. This was a lot of fun, with Machiavellian battles between President Luthor and industrialist Bruce "Batman" Wayne, various good guys (like Black Lightning) joining the Luthor Cabinet to keep an eye on him, Luthor's arrogant but effective leadership during global crises (like the interstellar invasion by Imperiex) and Clark Kent's reaction to Ross's presence on the ticket (and his marriage to Lana Lang). Eventually, under Batman's leadership, some of Luthor's underhanded dealings came to light (including a devil's bargain with Darkseid of Apokolips) and he was impeached. He also lost LexCorp, and eventually returned to his mad-scientist roots. But it was fun while it lasted.Runner-up: Two Lex-as-president dystopias, perhaps inspired by the comics. In "Smallville," prophetic visions show a future President Luthor blowing up the world. And in "Justice League Unlimited," a President Luthor of a parallel world murders the Flash, inspiring that world's heroes (the Justice Lords) to take over the planet -- and our world's Luthor to run for office.1) In "Action Comics" No. 309 in the early '60s, Superman had a dilemma. The Man of Steel had been shanghaied into a "This Is Your Life" kind of TV show -- and Clark Kent was supposed to appear. Would his secret ID be revealed on national TV? The suspense built as one by one the traditional methods Supes used as cover were eliminated: no robots (Lois and Lana had a robot detector), no Pete Ross or Batman (they were on the show, too) and so forth. But at the climax of the show (and the story), in walked Clark Kent! How could this be? Well, it was President Kennedy in disguise, covering for his good friend Superman.What made this story amazingly poignant, though, was that it shipped sometime in December 1963 -- a little after JFK's assassination, but too late for DC to pull the book back. And that's why I've never forgotten it.(Contact Andrew A. Smith of the Memphis Commercial Appeal at capncomics(at)aol.com or visit www.captaincomics.us.)
Top five presidential moments in comics
Paying taxes unites us. It also divides us. People can pay five and even six times more in state and local taxes than other folks in similar circumstances making similar incomes.
Who's got your number?
In one of the fastest-growing forms of identity theft, crooks are stealing tax refunds by swiping personal information and using it to trick the Internal Revenue Service.
