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Special Feature   Presidential Material By John Daniels Published: 2008-12-10 A glance back at the candidates in the historic US presidential election of 2008 from IDW.

Editor's note: Mr. Daniels' review copy was a single-book edition that contained both the McCain and Obama comics, not the separate comics that were also sold.

On the eve of the third and final debate between Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill), the economy in the U.S. is in shambles, Wall Street is being saved by the Federal Government and Americans are on the verge of being hit hard by a recession. It is 8:50 PM on October 14^th 2008, and in 10 minutes the debate will start. This debate will be viewed throughout the country and the world. To whom will Americans be drawn, cling to and align with in confidence as the next President of the United States, in hopes that he will secure a solid future for America’s sons and daughters?

I reflect on the stories I read about the personalities and platforms of these extraordinary Americans, Senators McCain and Obama. The contrasts in “character” amaze me:

McCain A P.O.W from the Vietnam War A Navel Cadet A Fighter pilot A Figure who was tied to the Keating five And historically the oldest nominated presidential candidate for the GOP
Obama Raised by a single mother Became the first African-American to be president of the Harvard law review Associated with a known sympathizer First African-American to be nominated for a presidential candidate in modern history

(Can you name the first African American to be nominated by a political party?)

How historic is this moment in American history? The creators of this comic book provide a good perspective for readers in this momentous collectible graphic novel, and both writers’ stories appealed to me. Andy Helfer's story of Senator McCain was informative and caught the quirkiness of the Senator’s snafus in his political and personal life. The story starts out as a serious recount of his time in Vietnam as a prisoner of war, yet one of the most memorable panels comes later and shows McCain dancing on a table with women in a wild soirée.

Obama’s story, written by Jeff Mariotte, begins from the point in Barack's campaign when Hilary Clinton defeated him in the New Jersey primary. It swells to his life as a young kid growing up in Hawaii, then to his struggles with not having money to attend the democratic convention in 2000. The story concludes with the historic acceptance of his party's nomination.

The artwork is a definitive recreation from photos as well as life footnotes by biographers and gives a great visual insight to the candidates. The book is also filled with extras such as biographical resources and black and white drawings of the single-issue covers of each candidate.

This is a well-published and informative book for readers who need a definitive resource about the candidates. This presidential material pleases me because it enlightened me about the two candidates. Those comic enthusiasts who are expecting costumed candidates may be disappointed. There are no hero costumes or powers of prowess; just heroic experiences of two men vying for the role of commander-in- chief of the United States of America.

I applaud IDW. These books are yet another historical footnote to one of the most anticipated and unprecedented presidential races in United States of America history.

I give this book 5 stars for an informative presentation to the American voters.