SuperPEBO

Spider-Man fan Barack Obama has become one of the few real-life people to be featured in a major comic book series.

In a growing world of Barack Obama collectibles, one item soon may be swinging above the rest. 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.’ “

The White House transition team did not respond to a question about the extent of Obama’s comic-book geekiness, but Obama did mention Spider-Man during the campaign, primarily at children-oriented events. And during an Entertainment Weekly pop culture survey, Obama said Batman and Spider-Man were his top superheroes because of their “inner turmoil.” (John McCain picked Batman.)

The issue is expected to sell out and become a collectible, but it probably won’t be super valuable except for the lucky few whose copies Obama may sign. Many presidents have appeared in comics before, most notably when DC Comics was embarrassed when their issue featuring JFK hit the stands one week after his assassination.