Prez (4 issues 1973/74) (DC Comics)
Joe Simon (w) Jerry Grandenetti (a)
The announcement that Prez was to be "rebooted" and relaunched as part of the post Convergence story-line prompted me to go out and obtain copies of the original series which I had never read or actually even remember seeing at the time of their original release.
My local comic shop had all four issues at very reasonable prices so I decided to pick 'em all up to see what this title was all about.
As 18 year olds get the vote, why not a teenage President? The stuff comics for kids were made of you'd think except it didn't last very long and I have to be honest I appreciate the story more as an adult than I think I would as a schoolboy which I was at the time of their release.
A generational war begins as Congress passes a law giving teen the right to vote and corporate criminal "Boss Smiley" decides to run a teen for President that he can control.
Enter Prez Rickard, whose claim to fame is to get all the clocks in his home time to tell the correct time. Doesn't sound like any teenager I know or recall from my youth. Never on time me!
He doesn't count on the good old American honesty and grit of Young Prez who becomes President and sees Boss Smiley off...for now.
Oh and with a little help from teenage Indian boy Eagle Free and his menagerie of animals. Not sure why he has a gorilla but DC has always had "a thing about gorillas" so just go with the flow.
In the second issue memories of the "Cold War" are relived as America and Russia compete over chess. The US entrant is a money grabbing creep called Robby Fish Head and his pernicious opponent is the gorgeous but deadly Queen Errant. Needless to say chess related mayhem ensues.
The third issues sees Prez take on the gun lobby by having to fight a descendant which ends in hand to hand combat.
The final issue sees Prez upset the Transylvanians and a crippled Dracula ends up attacking him in the White House. This issue also contains the sole letter page and is full of praise...except that's it. Prez never caught on.
The new Prez 12 issue limited series starts on June 17th. This time it's a girl!
The solicit reads:
Meet Beth Ross, the first teenaged President of the United States. In a nation where corporations can run for office, the poor are used as human billboards, and tacos are delivered by drone, our only hope is this nineteen-year-old Twitter sensation. But the real question isn't whether she's ready for politics - it's whether politics is ready for her!
Give it a go! It's on my "pull list"!
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