Barack Obama collected Spider-Man comics as a child, so Marvel Comics wanted to give him a "shout-out back" by featuring him in a bonus story, said Joe Quesada, Marvel's editor-in-chief.

"How great is that? The commander in chief to be is actually a nerd in chief," Quesada said. "It was really, really cool to see that we had a geek in the White House. We're all thrilled with that."

The comic starts with Spider-Man's alter-ego Peter Parker taking photographs at the inauguration, before spotting two identical Obamas.

Parker decides "the future president's gonna need Spider-Man," and springs into action, using basketball to determine the real Obama and punching out the impostor.

Obama thanks him with a fist-bump.

Marvel comics have featured most presidents, but generally in walk-on roles, Quesada said.

"I think President Nixon might have appeared on the cover, but not in a good way," he said.

Obama has said that as a child, he collected Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian comic books. His Senate Web site used to have a photo of him posing in front of a Superman statue.

The Obama story is a bonus in Marvel Comic's Amazing Spider-Man #583, available in comic book shops nationwide on Jan. 14 for $3.99 and is expected to sell out, with half the covers devoted to Obama.

During the skit contest at Atlanta Supercon, Prince made a special appearance for a few songs. Here they are.....

WE Have A Winner!

Congratulations to Tony Castelluci from Atlanta Georgia! The people voted his "Slash Fiction" as the Grand Prize winner of our Slash 'Go For the Gold' Video Contest! Tony has recieved a Gibson USA Slash Goldtop Les Paul!

An amazing job by Tony and his crew!

Check out the pics!

So the interesting news from comic book land is that Daniel Craig, the latest James Bond, was actually offered the role of Thor by Marvel Studios, but has turned it down. As we know by now, Shakespearean guy Kenneth Branagh, in one of those WTF moments, has been hired to direct the live-action movie of the Thunder God. I suspect hiring Branagh was a calculated move by Marvel, much like hiring a critically acclaim director like Jon Favreau for “Iron Man”. But really, Kenneth Friggin Branagh? Seriously, Marvel? Anyways, here’s that bit of news about Craig turning down Thor.

IESB asked if Craig was interested in doing something a little different character-wise, like Thor? Craig said no, he turned it down and laughed about it.

Sanchez continued, “seriously, I heard the folks over at Marvel had you on a short list to be Thor.”

Craig said yes they [Marvel] did approach him but he turned it down. He added jokingly, it would have been too much of a power trip, both Bond and Thor, and running around with long hair and a hammer.

It’s probably for the best. Craig is an excellent actor, and can brood with the best of them, not to mention the accent would work on the character. But let’s face it, he’s just not all that physically imposing of a figure. But who is? We’re talking about a God here, after all. With a big friggin hammer, to boot.

Below: It’s Hammer time.