Comic books have always been an important and fun part of American culture; yet, today they have been widely read by millions all around the world. Inasmuch as we usually see fictional characters and stories in comic books, globally-known celebrities may sometimes be the star of a comic or appear as a guest in them. This list compiles 5 celebrities from footballers to politicians, poker players, and rappers who have made appearances in comic books.
Photo by Pxhere / Public Domain of Comic Book Collage
Samuel L. Jackson in Cold Space
Hollywood’s prominent star, Samuel L. Jackson, has performed in many movie adaptations of comic books including The Avengers and Star Wars movies. But who would think that he himself created a comic book and even starred in it? In Cold Space, Jackson collaborates with Eric Calderon and delivers the story of an outlaw – who is the cartoon version of Jackson – drifting in space. He lands on a hostile backwater planet, which is on the verge of a civil war. Though in the midst of a crossfire, he does not want to miss the chance to make money out of the war, either. This action-packed sci-fi adventure is definitely worth reading. And, who knows, we may even see Jackson starring in the cinema adaption of his own comic one day!
Photo by Pxhere / Public Domain DC Comics of Superman Comics
Barack Obama in Spider-Man
Former US President Barrack Obama has made a lot of appearances in comic books: Licensable BearTM #4, Savage Dragon #137 and #145, Youngblood #8, Archie Comics #616 and #617, as well as Barack The Barbarian and President Evil. And lastly, he appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #583, which was published one week before his inauguration day. In the story, during his speech, a second Obama comes up and makes everyone surprised. But Peter Parker, who is taking photos during the ceremony, appears as Spider-Man and starts questioning both Obamas to figure out which one is real. When the imposter Obama responds incorrectly to one of Spider-Man’s questions, his real identity as the Russian supervillain Chameleon is revealed. Spider-Man fights Chameleon and delivers him to the authorities. Then, the real Obama thanks Spider-Man and tells him that he will always be a fan of his tricks.
Eminem in The Punisher
One of the most iconic rappers in the world, Eminem, is so popular that it is possible to see him in a lot of platforms and productions, including comics. In a special issue of the Punisher published in 2009, he collaborated with one of the most violent Marvel characters. In the story, Frank Castle is hired to protect the famous rapper Eminem from an evil man named Barracuda. But when Castle kills Eminem’s crew as a result of a misunderstanding, everything gets crazy and Eminem thinks that Castle is his own enemy, not Barracuda. If you are wondering what is going to happen next, do not miss this issue of the Punisher!
Vivian Im
When one day Vivian Im learned that she was the main character in a comic book, she was also surprised. Her story in the comic displays her life as a professional poker player in all aspects. Even though Vivian is the star of it and has contributed to the content of the story, she admits that she loved reading her own life from comics and could not wait to read the next episode of the comic herself. She also adds that she believes this comic introduced poker games to a wider audience and caught their interest as well.
Muhammed Ali in Muhammed Ali vs. Superman
Can you imagine the world’s greatest fighter, Muhammed Ali “float like butterfly and sting like bee” against the world’s strongest man, the legendary character Superman? In Muhammed Ali vs Superman, an alien named Rat’Lar claims that he will invade the Earth unless the best fighter in the world defeats his own fighter, Hun’ya. Muhammed Ali and Superman take one step ahead to claim their superiority; hence, they end up having to fight each other to be the best in the world. In order to keep the fight fair, Superman’s forces are taken away and the fight begins. Superman is extremely strong, but not to the extent that he is unbeatable since he does not have all of his power. Muhammed Ali literally teaches Superman how to box! But can he also beat Rat’Lar’s fighter Hun’ya and save the world from the invasion of aliens? No spoilers!
We can be sure that neither comic books nor their characters will ever fall between the cracks. Everyone has different takes on them: It is an obsession for some people. Some just read them as a hobby. Some see it as only a time-killer for children. It is a source of income for some others. Even though comic books are often focused on fantastic things in the imaginary worlds, familiar faces are sometimes hosted and surprise even the loyal readers. Next time you read your comic, watch out for your favorite celebrity on the pages as well!
