Friday 16 April 2010

Prez #4. A Vampire in the White House.

Prez #4, Dracula
Some things defy all critical analysis. Prez has to be a perfect example of that, a comic from the early 1970s built around the adventures of America's first teenage president. It only lasted four issues.

But what a four issues.

In this, Prez #4, the USA finds itself at war with Transylvania and, after a legless Dracula's attempt to assassinate Prez fails, the Transylvanians hatch a plot to release a plane load of rabid vampire bats over the US.

Clearly something has to be done.

Happily, Prez's chief of security, a teenage American Indian who lives in a teepee (!) has just the answer.

It involves pigeons.

The thing was written and created by Joe Simon who, in the 1940s, had a hand in the creation of Captain America and was thus, presumably, well past his teenage years by the time he was doing this.

Prez #4, Ibsen, Dracula flies in
So, is Prez comedy?

Dunno.

Is it drama?

Dunno.

Is it good? Is it bad?

Don't ask me.

All I know is it's a law unto itself and that I had all four issues as a kid.

I also know that, having once again got my hands, almost by accident, on issue #4, I have the strange urge to buy the other three issues as well - not to mention the final issue of Supergirl's 1970s' run, in which she teams up with our hero.

All of which suggests that, in some strange way beyond human comprehension, a strip beyond human comprehension is nagging at my pleasure centres whether I realise it or not.

2 comments:

Booksteve said...

PREZ was a trip. I reread 'em recently for the 1st time in decades! He even guest-starred with Supergirl as if he were the real US president in the DCU!

BTW--credit where credit is due--Joe Simon had more than a "hand" in the creation of Cap, he CREATED him! Then he had partner Kirby join in on the art when they sold him to Timely. In his book, Simon reproduces his earliest Cap solo drawings.

Steve W. said...

Fair enough. Not that I'm a complete coward but I'm always a bit wary of publicly declaring that anyone created anyone because of all the long-standing rows between various people about who did and who didn't create what. Therefore, I try to hedge my bets on such matters.