With Barack Obama in the Amazing Spider-Man #583 as well as future Image books. It made me thing of political figures and their uses in other works. Such as books, comic books, their image of posters and shirts. All this happens without a politicians permission, and they don’t get a cut of the profit on how they are marketed. Or who makes money off of their use.

This use of a political person is interesting, and to some degree I don’t thing it’s fair. I also wonder exactly what are the limits a political person can be used in other media? And what exactly is off limits?

For example I heard some guy is planning to use a Sarah Palin look alike in a porn video. Is that not crossing the line? Or is it anything goes?

But as the Palin video shows, their does not seem much that is off limits in how a politician can be portrayed. And that doesn’t seem quite right.

As for what this has to do with comic books? Well with Barack Obama in Spider-Man, as well as in the Savage Dragon book. Don’t be afraid to use him in your comics as well. I just hope he’ll be portrayed in a respectful manner.