Let’s say you’re a small comics publisher and you see that another publisher is getting a lot of mileage out of its upcoming biographies of the presidential candidates. What do you do? What do you do?
If you’re Bluewater Productions, you “[break] new ground” with a comic-book biography of a former presidential hopeful — one Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
“John McCain and Barack Obama have all of the spotlight,” Publisher Darren G. Davis says in the press release. “Our goal is to show the historical impact that maybe underrated from by those who are too facetted on the candidates to fully understand the historical impact of being a few votes show [sic] for the 1st female president. Many people are daunted by the endless stream of articles on the candidates. A visual medium provides perspective that is not only accessible but more relatable to the average person without loosing [sic] any of the information involved.”
“Too facetted”?
The comic, called Female Force: Hillary Clinton, features a woman on the cover who doesn’t much resemble the senator. At all.
But I’m hoping the Female Force of the title is a super-team whose ranks include Barbara Boxer, Carol Moseley Braun, Dianne Feinstein, Claire McCaskill, Barbara Mikulski and Nancy Pelosi. Fingers crossed!
The issue is due out in time for Inauguration Day, with a side of salt and lemon to help soothe Clinton’s wounds.
Update: Holy cow! I just took another look at the covers for IDW’s Presidential Material comics — you can see them after the break — and compared them to the cover for Bluewater’s Female Force: They sport the same scroll at the top, same font for the title, similarly tilted flags, similar photo backgrounds, and similar poses.
That’s … What’s the word I’m looking for?
September 24th, 2008 at 9:55 am
“What’s the word I’m looking for?”
Outsourced?
September 24th, 2008 at 10:25 am
“Hillary Clinton, features a woman on the cover who doesn’t much resemble the senator. At all.”
Indeed - the drawing is passably attractive.
“with a side of salt and lemon to help soothe Clinton’s wounds.”
Unless they’re ingredients in a margarita, those are not items commonly used to _soothe_ wounds.
Maybe I’m just getting too facetted on the details.
September 24th, 2008 at 10:33 am
“… those are not items commonly used to _soothe_ wounds.”
Neither is a comic, released just before Inauguration Day, that recounts how you almost became your party’s presidential candidate.
September 24th, 2008 at 10:43 am
Ahhh…fantastic, and what’s with Obama’s determined frown and McCain’s Lex Luther evil smile look…priceless…at least we got Hillary’s pant suit…he…he
September 24th, 2008 at 10:59 am
Ugh. Stop already. And the wrod you’re looking for:
Dried up comic company plagiarizing IDW - Well 6 words.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:10 am
What I meant by “Outsourced” is that I wonder if IDW had this book ready, but when Clinton didn’t get the ticket, the book went into the “can’t sell this” bin, and Bluewater picked it up from them for a song in order to make some sort of a buck.
September 24th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Kinda weird how Bluewater’s flat out copying the IDW covers. Even the artist (who isn’t J. Scott Campbell) signs his name almost the same…
September 24th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
Why is the flag reversed for the Democrats? (I know, I know, it points left for them, but still…) Hrm. Let’s look in that bottom background…Obama? Blue. McCain? Red. Clinton? Uh…yellow?
September 27th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
I don’t see this as plagiarism because it is obvious this design was planned to look the same like the two covers from IDW. The press release made this clear by the way. This are no superheroes owned by a company but real life politicians so I think it is obvious this cover should fit the style of the other political comics from IDW. I think that’s a great idea from Bluewater because everyone who isn’t reading comics but picking up this ’special’ comic trio will appreciate the same cover design. The only question I have: Why didn’t IDW do the Hillary book?
… oh and of course: Why are the IDW covers look like the candidates are super villains?
October 1st, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Have you guys sawn the new cover over on there site?