Michelle Obama: First Lady of Comic Books

ABC News’ Yunji de Nies reports: Next Wednesday, Michelle Obama will join the ranks of Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin as a featured star in the "Female Force" comic series.  Publisher Bluewater Productions will sell the 22-page comic book for $3.99. The first lady’s comic counterpart has no superpowers. The comic is more of a biography, starting with her childhood in Chicago’s South side, her years at Princeton, and then her husband’s election to the presidency. Malia and Sasha Obama are referenced, but deliberately not drawn. "A big part of that for me was seeing the reaction to the toys. I think kids should be off limits," said Bluewater Editor-in-Chief Darren Davis, referring to the "Marvelous Malia" and "Sweet Sasha" dolls that toymaker Ty, Inc. released earlier this year. Davis said he and his team of comic book creators decided to delve into the political realm after growing frustrated with the coverage during the 2008 presidential election. "We sitting here and getting frustrated with people getting info from headlines and people bashing Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin, even Barack and John McCain, just based on headlines," he said. So the company decided to launch the Female Force series, which Davis says is a-political, as a sort of "Cliff notes version of their life." The Michelle Obama series is the best seller so far, selling four times as many copies as those featuring Clinton or Palin. All 50,000 copies, which hit the shelves on April 29th, have been sold. There’s already a second printing in the works. Later this year, the series will issue editions dedicated to Oprah, Princess Diana, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Caroline Kennedy. Davis says overall comic sales are down, but he feels extremely lucky as these political comics are selling so well. "Comic books are in such a recession right now, these really are our bread and butter," he said. "Lots of people buying them for their daughters. I think it’s important to show a girl she can be anything she wants." The series has some high profile purchasers. Davis says he got a call from a staffer of former President Clinton, asking to send several copies of the Hillary Clinton edition. He personally owns a Palin edition, signed by the Alaska Governor. "I’m framing that," Davis said. In August, the company will launch a spin-off series, entitled "Political Power." The first edition will feature former Secretary of State Colin Powell, followed by President Obama, former President Bill Clinton, Vice President Joe Biden, former President Ronald Reagan, and a host of other political powerhouses. Here is an exclusive sneak peak for the Political Power: Barack Obama edition that’s coming out later this year. — Yunji de Nies Photo Credit: Bluewater Productions