"Lion of the Senate" - Ted Kennedy's Comic Biography

Many comic book companies are located on the West Coast - California, specifically - so a lot of our press releases come in late at night, long after I've stopped blogging for the day. Usually, I'll schedule them to post the following day, but this one was a little trickier, since it came in the very night Ted Kennedy died! The very next day, I received the second PR from Bluewater, which is included here.

I sat on these simply because it seemed tasteless to release them any earlier. It should be noted that I personally do not mourn the passing of a self-centered man who not only escaped justice for his own crimes, but who - time and again - exercised his political might to help relatives and friends do the same. Still, I do not minimize what he accomplished politically and either way, I did not want to capitalize on his death.

August 25 - Ted Kennedy spent a lifetime in politics and in the spotlight of the public eye. In November, the "Lion of the Senate" will be the featured subject on an upcoming issue of Bluewater Productions' Political Power biography comic series.

Considered by many to be the voice of the modern Democratic Party, Edward "Ted" Kennedy triumphed over tragedy and scandal to carve out a legacy that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with his celebrated brothers President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert Kennedy.

Political Power: Ted Kennedy, scheduled for release in November, examines Kennedy's eventful life from his youthful competition with his brothers and dealing with their untimely deaths, to the Chappaquiddick scandal that nearly destroyed his career; his failed bid for the presidency in 1980, and his distinguished career in the Senate.

"You might not agree with his views. But you have to agree that Ted Kennedy is an American icon of politics," said Bluewater president Darren G. Davis. He noted that although it is not the first issue of Political Power to be published, Political Power: Ted Kennedy was one of the first biographies approved for production.

The issue, authored by Brent Sprecher, was illustrated by Alejandro Figueroa. The cover art was provided by Patricio Carbajal.

"We could have filled several volumes with his accomplishments and failures," Sprecher said. "However, in 23 pages, I think we created an objective and insightful portrait of Senator Kennedy and his impact on the national landscape."

The comic book series, launched in July with a feature on former-Secretary of- State and retired four-star general Colin Powell, includes biographies on Ronald Reagan, Barack Obama, and several others.

Like its sister title Female Force, Political Power strives to tell even-handed stories of the individuals responsible for shaping the American way of life, Davis added.

August 26 - The country is a lesser place with the passing of Senator Kennedy. Regardless of where you stand on the political spectrum we could all learn a great deal if we followed his passion for public service.

The timing of our announcement of a biography comic based on the life of Ted Kennedy was in no way tied to the Senator's declining health and ultimate passing. When Bluewater planned out the first year of biographies, Kennedy's name was always at the top of the list. In fact, this issue has been in production since March and was solicited to retail shops through our national distributor in June. We will, of course, pay final respects to this American icon by adding a page to the completed issue to close the last chapter of his remarkable life.

We mourn his passing with the rest of the nation.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009