Sunday Funnies

Marvel Comics this week announced it will produce a special comic "for the troops":

Comic books and soldiers have been allies since the earliest days of World War II, when Superman and Captain America sold war bonds, promoted paper drives and battled Nazis at home and abroad.

Now superheroes are going back to the front.

On Thursday at the Pentagon, Marvel Comics will unveil a custom comic book to be distributed free in May to U.S. forces in Iraq and around the world. Featuring the Avengers, Fantastic Four, Spider-Man and other Marvel heroes, the comic will have a mammoth print run of 1 million copies. The first 150,000 will go to soldiers in the Middle East.

"We're not going to sell them. These are for the troops," says Jeff Klein, a Marvel spokesman.

Both DC Comics and Marvel have published special issues before on topics such as drug abuse, land mines and the heroes of 9/11.

This latest effort dwarfs those in size, and is in partnership with "America Supports You," a Defense Department campaign that encourages private citizens, communities and businesses to reach out to troops and their families, "especially those serving in harm's way."

The comics will be available free at military exchanges.

And Brian Bendis, writer and creator of the book, adds this::

"I have received signed plaques and framed copies of Ultimate Spider-Man that have been flown over Afghanistan and sent to me just to show their appreciation," Mr. Bendis said, "and the whole time I'm thinking, I should be sending you something, not the other way around. So finally I have the opportunity."

Mr. Bendis said he approached the project as "the equivalent to a USO trip - a nice present for the troops." He says it was fun to sell Marvel on the idea for a new standalone issue with the cast of the New Avengers group of superheroes: "No politics, no message other than 'We're thinking of you.' Just Marvel fun."

Most folks recognize this sort of story for what it is - a brief human interest item. My first response was 'cool.' And I might even pick up a copy if I see them in the Exchange.

But for every hero story, there's a villain. And although Dr Doom as yet has no comment, the Washington Post has weighed in:

Either Marvel Comics is really hard up for readers and needs an ultra-dynamic, Pentagon-heavy publicity gimmick to boost its sales, or Rumsfeld is finally ready to admit that only a superhero can extricate us from Iraq.

The official explanation for this partnership (The Titanic Three? The Terrific Trio?) is this: Marvel Comics has created a custom "Support Our Troops" comic book starring the New Avengers and the Fantastic Four for "America Supports You," a Defense Department campaign. One million copies will be distributed to service members in the United States and overseas. But as any friend of the Avengers can tell you, the official explanation sometimes can't be trusted.

From the military's perspective the benefits of the collaboration are obvious. According to a Marvel executive, soldiers in Iraq have written letters to Marvel complaining they can't get enough comic books. It makes a certain sense: If you are a soldier in Sadr City it must be soothing to dream that Spider-Man will swing down from a nearby rooftop and ensnare your unseen attackers in his web.

Or that you yourself are endowed with some superpowers. How useful would it be to gulp down some of that Super-Soldier serum that makes Captain America a master of hand-to-hand combat, able to lift 800 pounds and duck at the speed of lightning? Or to be able to stretch yourself into a thin-walled square like Mr. Fantastic does, should the Green Zone fail you?

Hanna Rosin, author of the WaPo coverage, certainly is quick on the draw with her comic book inspired quips, and if I were involved in planning the next Spiderman movie I'd want her writing dialogue for the bad guy. But what seems more ironic to me from reading her "barbs" is that although he's not part of the "Marvel Universe" Superman's choice of alter ego, Daily Planet reporter Clark Kent, now seems to be an even more effective way to disguise a hero. After all, who in this day would suspect a reporter of being in favor of simple truth, justice, or the American way?