Presidential Material: John McCain # 1 - -

It's hard not read the comic book biography of Presumptive Presidential Candidate, Arizona Republican Senator John Mccain and not feel something. To either empathize with him over his experiences or to feel that this is just strcitly a gimmick or propaganda tool.
 
This is not Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Dave or The American President. This isn't the story of Steve Rogers becoming Captain America; or something out of Geoff Johns current run on Green Lantern where Hal Jordan is an Edwards' Air Force Base pilot. This isn't J*A*G or NCIS. 

The Andy Helfer-Stephen Thompson story is pretty smooth, slick and easy to follow. I kept resisting the urge to form a Democrat-Republican opinion. I wanted to be objective toward this book and to his biography. But, is that really possible? The material can be viewed as either skewed for or against him. McCain either comes off as a aimless slacker trying to find the right fit, or an opportunist. Depending on your own perspective, whether your glasses are tinted red or blue, you can apply that same appeal to Captain America, Green Lantern or even Iron Man. I kept asking myself if the material was written with a bias or presented objectively. Does McCain get objective unbiased coverage by the media? Does Obama get the same or does he have an unfair advantage over McCain? If this weren't an election year, and these two weren't running for the highest office in the land, would their stories be as compelling?  

At first, I really had no interest in reading either this or the Barak Obama comic. I think over the long months of campaigning, we've pretty much gotten to know the candidates. Or have we? We've gotten to know the stories they themselves share and the stories that the opponents tell. I'd seen the Biography DVDs in the store, and had no interest in that. It was pretty much on a lark that I wanted to see if the titles were available the day they were released. There was absolutely no interest, so my local comic book shop didn't order either one. The McCain issue came in first on back order. I'm still waiting for the Obama issue. I guess I could get the two-pack at the book store, but I'd rather give my business to the local comic book shop. The guy behind the counter is a pretty good friend of mine.

Here, there are parts of McCain's story that are touching. There are some parts that are almost unbelievable. My cynicism makes me wonder how he managed to rise above it all and keep going. I guess you just do. One foot in front of the other, one step at a time.

We'll see on November 5th, how that all works out.