Welcome back to Rotten Ink. I am sure you are like me and the 2020 Presidential Race drained you mentally as it was a crazy one that split the nation and had many Americans at each other’s throats, but I am not going to lie, I love the history and excitement of the race for our nation’s next president later this very year. And what better way to talk about July 4th and an American Hero, than to cover an American comic president that was part of the DC Comic Universe. I am talking about Prez Rickard, who was elected President at the age of 18 thanks to a massive youth movement in the government. So let’s all gather around the grill and make up some burgers, dogs and even some veggie burgers, and let’s talk about the American Hero Prez before the fireworks fill the sky and allow us to celebrate our Independence. What a fun holiday this is as it’s really a way for family, friends and neighbors to come together with great food, great conversations and fun entertainment.
The United States started way back on July 4, 1776 when we broke away from British rule and our Constitution was created on September 17, 1787 and presented to the people on September 28 and these are the foundation and rules that we live by the real voices, rights and freedom of our people. Our first President was George Washington, a man who had fought in wars and was a true hero and he came into office on April 30, 1789 and would remain there until March 4, 1797! And as of this update we have had 46 Presidents lead us with the current one being Joe Biden. Over the years we have had many greats like our 16th President Abe Lincoln, who was in charge and tried to hold our nation together during the Civil War and wanted to put an end to slavery! He was also a great amateur wrestler! And he was only one of many great Presidents and while some are better then others they all have left a mark on our Nation. Nowadays we have two big political parties and they are Democrat and Republican and we also have Green and Independent among a few smaller ones. And I am sure you all know that our President lives in the White House that is located in Washington D.C. and they can run for two four year terms and have a Vice President as well as a Cabinet members that help them during their terms. Plus Presidents have Congress that helps on big decisions that can affect Americans as well as foreign relations. I have voted in every Presidential election since I have been of age to do so and I will always do so as long as I am alive, as I find it to be very important to our nation as well as to yourself as an American. I am not going to get into who I voted for or what party I lean more toward as that’s always a red hot topic that causes tempers, arguments and fights among people and this blog is more about fun! I will say that my favorite President to read about is George Washington, and I have been to D.C. and seen the White House and our Government buildings and monuments. And one day I hope to do a Sparkle Comic based on George Washington.
William Henry Harrison was the 9th President Of The United States and was a well respected Congress Man, Military Man and so much more. And he was an Ohio Politician and was a Senator for the state. And was an over all interesting politician and one that you should read up on if you are into American History and seriously after you read this blog update give his history a read. But William Henry Harrison is best known for being elected as our 9th President and was apart of the Wig Party and was only in office from March 4, 1841 to only April 4, 1841 and had the shortest term in office! You see while in the White House for a short amount of time he fell very ill on March 26, 1841 and by the 28th he had a high fever and doctors came in to try and help him, but all their treatments failed and he continued to get weaker and weaker that lead to his passing on April 4th making him only President for a month. His illness and death was said to be from many things from septic shock, pneumonia as well as just a cold that got out of hand. But one thing is for sure that he was President for the shortest time and with his passing John Tyler his Vice President stepped into the role.
Prez Rickard is a 18 year old kid who grew up in a small town that was known for having so many clocks throughout town but the downside was that they were all off on time, and after fixing them all and getting some press, he is selected and tricked into running for government offices by a corrupt politician as a youth movement is sweeping over America. While at first he was going to be used as a pawn, they soon learn that Prez has a pure heart and wants to do what’s right for America and takes on all threats to freedom and safety! While the old geezers of Washington do not like him, he is well loved by the people as they see his good heart and his want to do the right thing. He takes on all issues that are affecting Americans and even fills his cabinet with youthful minds to make a real change. His best friend is Eagle Free, a Native American teen that he meets in the woods and later makes him the head of the F.B.I. Over the years he has had four issues released and has appeared in many other comics over the decades and even has been seen alongside superheroes like Superman. Prez even had a re-launch comic mini series in 2015 and this time is a teenage girl named Beth Ross who is elected President via Twitter in 2036, this was only 6 issues and was meet with mostly positive reviews. While Prez Rickard is not a super iconic DC Comic character he is one that has left his mark in that Universe and also is truly a forgotten hhero.
And with it being July 4th and us talking about Presidents I would also like to take a moment to chat about a classic toy series that I have been collecting and as of this update have all of them that have been released and I am talking about the Marx Presidents line that are mini plastic American Presidents from George Washington to Joe Biden that can be set on a base that looks like the steps to the Lincoln Monument and to me are super cool and remind me of my youth as my grandparents on my dad’s side had an old set of these in their basement for decades. The original Marx series ended with Richard Nixon but after that an awesome fan going by historic figures has kept it up and picked up finishing the line had has released Gerald Ford to Joe Biden and these are fantastic and fit in with the originals so well. And who knows maybe this year I will be able to get a new Marx president for my collection depending on the outcome of this year’s election. But I just wanted to share my love for these underrated and often over looked toy series and wanted to share this picture of my collection.
As you can see, Prez is a young hip teenage president who has a vision and that vision is for a peaceful loving America! And I am sure you can smell those burgers cooking on the grill so I think its time for us to get to the reviews! And I would like to thank Game Swap Kettering for having these comics in stock and making this American Hero update possible! And I would also like to say that this will be a first time read for me and I am very much looking forward to this as I am a fan of Joe Simon as he is the co-creator of Captain America and he will always have my respect. I need to also remind you all that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, its entertainment value and its art and story. So if you are ready, lets’ see what kind of platforms and bills this young President has in store for us.
Prez # 1 ***
Released in 1973 Cover Price .20 DC Comics # 1 of 4
Prez Rickard is a teenager who is the head of the stock car club, drives a blue race car he calls Lollipop and lives in the small town of Steadfast, the downside to this town is that its filled with clocks that are all off and give the wrong times and this cause chaos in the town, and his mission is to fix all the clocks to make them on time. Meanwhile in the crime ridden city of Central City things are getting out of hand as water ways are polluted, people are being robbed, cops have been bribed and the teens are being beat up in the streets during protests about the corruption that is all being done by Boss Smiley who wants more power and goes to his cousin Misery Marko who is a ad genius who is going to help them find a teen candidate to run for senate that they can control. Once they read about Prez fixing the clocks they visit him at his home and trick him into being their candidate, and on the way back to the city Boss Smiley almost causes a forest fire by discarding a cigar and the fire is put out by a Native American teen names Eagle Free who has a bad feeling about the cars that just passed. Some time passes and Prez becomes a senator and on Boss Smiley’s word they hold a press conference that has Prez blowing up some forest to build a highway and that’s when Eagle Free and his animal friends to attack the construction crew and as Prez gives chase he is wised up by Eagle who informs him of the evils of Smiley, and they two even break into his office and find all the evidence. Prez is elected to the senate and then very quickly to President as the age is lowered from 35 to 18 and he wins running under the Flower Party. Once in office he makes Eagle Free the head of the F.B.I and has a vice president that they hide in shadow.
What a strange comic that comes from the mind of Joe Simon, one of the co-creators of Captain America that is all about the youth running the world as America has been taken over by greed, corruption thanks to big business and how both Democrats and Republicans have allowed it as they have became rich from doing so. Prez Rickard is a good kid who tries his best to help his small town by fixing their clocks, as well as entertains then with his race car club. It’s clear that while being conned into getting into Government he is tricked into doing a few bad things that hurts nature and makes rich people richer, but once he finds out the truth he does what he can to right the wrongs and gets elected to President really fast. Eagle Free is also a good kid who is close friends with animals, tries to protect nature and befriends Prez and becomes the head of the F.B.I allowing him to look into the evils of corruption. While Boss Smiley is a total scumbag who cares nothing about people and is all about money and keeping people down, he will use anyone to gain control and power and has no respect from animals and nature and would destroy it all in order to turn a profit. The comic has a part political message mixed with humor and they even break the fourth wall as our cast know they are in a comic book and even want you to guess who the Vice President is! I have no real guesses besides maybe John F. Kennedy or Clark Kent (Superman) maybe? The comic has an original feel to it and does its job at being entertaining, yet also makes you think of the state of our politics back then and even still to this day. And this far I like both Prez and Eagle Free as characters as they both seem like honest teens who care about doing the right thing and fighting the evils of Boss Smiley who is everything that is wrong with the world wrapped up in once character. The cover is really cool and eye catching and does a great job of capturing the fun nature of the comic, and the interior art by Jerry Grandebetti is great and captures a playful superhero meets kids comic look. Over all a good first issue with an interesting concept and I am looking forward to see what issue two has in store for me.
Prez # 2 **1/2
Released in 1973 Cover Price .20 DC Comics # 2 of 4
Prez and Eagle Free are traveling all around the world and trying to bring world peace, but every nation puts on a front that they are happy as violence and war is raging all around. Once back to the White House he has a meeting with Chessking a weird world-class player who won the gold in the Olympics against the Russians and is set for a press conference along side Prez, as the press interview goes on Chessking comes of as a cocky jerk. Meanwhile the Russian Coach Krudnik and the Chess Queen are mad at the remarks of Chessking and challenge him to a game of live action chess, and he accepts! The chess game takes place in a arena and in attendance is Prez and Eagle Free as well as many fans as well as the press, and during the match Krudnik zaps Chessking with a wave gun that drives him crazy and causes America to loose the match, and be taken away by the police. Prez wants Eagle Free to look into this madness, a few days latter Chess Pawn Knight robots that are really bombs start attacking the landmarks around Washington and all fingers are point at the Chessking as the man behind the attacks and Senator’s Ebeneezer and McNitty are calling for impeachment hearings as they want Prez out of office! Eagle Free and Prez head to the mansion of Chessking and soon find themselves under attack by pawns and once they escape and get inside the find that the Chessking is really a prisoner in his own home and that it has been Chess Queen who has been sending the bombs out, and they of course stop and arrest her and set the King free. In the end as Prez is in his office listing to a Senator yelling at him a sniper fires and hits someone in the office, and we end on that cliffhanger.
This second issue of Prez is a very strange and silly adventure that takes our teenage President on a journey to figure out who is using chess pawn knight robots as bombs to attack places all around D.C. and cause chaos and panic in America. Prez in this issues still shows that he is a good guy who cares about people and American Pride, but that he is also clueless to the wars and terror that is happening around the world. Prez also is clearly fearless and investigates and rushes into danger in order to save lives and solve crimes. Eagle Free who is the head of the F.B.I has his office outside in the woods as he does not trust his own employees, but he is clearly very wise and is the one smartest character in this comic series. We also find out that the vice president is Martha Rickard that is his mother and who worries about his health and still treats Prez as her son and not her boss. Cheesking is a greedy, ego driven slimy guy who is smart and great at chess but only plays in order to get money. And the Chees Queen and her Russian Chess team are silly villains, but they do manage to destroy some of our countries biggest landmarks like the Lincoln Memorial. This comic is super silly and while it is humorous there is a message to it all as many parts are laced with political statements that is trying to get us readers thinking about politics and the issues that can effect us all. I also must point out that this issue has a big Scooby-Doo vibe of who is the phantom person that is behind the attack on the monuments. I also have to say I was WAY off on my guess who the Vice President was and I have to say it’s a little lackluster that it’s his Mom. Now let me try and guess who the Sniper will be and I am saying it will be a masked man that is form a company that the government is no longer turning a blind eye to their terrible doings. The cover for this issue is ok and not all that eye-catching and I could see how if could have gotten lost on the spinner rack. The interior art is done by Jerry Grandenetti and is good stuff just like last issue. While not as great as the first issue this second issue still has lots of charm and makes me look forward to reading the third issue in the series.
Prez # 3 **1/2
Released in 1974 Cover Price .20 DC Comics # 3 of 4
The White House is under attack by the Minute Men who is lead by the great, great, great nephew of George Washington named Gregor Washington and they fire a shell through a window and inside is little person Baron Von Stomp who warns the president not to ban firearms, and Senator Fireside enters as well and agrees that the bill should not be signed. After the dust settles Eagle Free goes to look into the Minute Men as Prez now wants to sign in the gun banned more then ever. While at camp Gregor and his men are freezing as its winter and their supplies are super low and it’s clear he is a little crazy. Before Prez can sign the bill a sniper fires into the White House and everyone is being super quite on weather or not Prez is alive, and the nation awaits the news in sorrow. Gregor Washington and his Minute Men decide to attack the White House now that the fate of Prez is unknown and even take down the National Guard, while in the forest Prez is injured but alive and is meeting with Eagle Free and Generals about what’s the plan to stop the Minute Men as he does not want blood spilled. Prez challenges Gregor to a fight to the death to prevent any more innocent lives lost, and Gregor cheats and gets his man Hood a martial arts expert to dress as him to enter the fight. Prez wins the fight but the Army and Minute Men clash any way, in the end Hood knocks out Gregor as he was really a F.B.I Agent working for Eagle Free and this uprising comes to an end. In the end Prez and Eagle Free are hanging out in his office and wondering whom the assassin is that tried to take his life.
This third issue is lots of fun and has the old government war machine clashing with the 70’s war machine and tackles the subject of does talking win wars or does weapons win them. The Prez is anti guns in this issues and wants to sign a bill that makes owning and selling them off limits, but soon has to grow as a person and realize that guns as defense are important and that cool words and catch phrases only get you so far. He is also once more shown to be brave as he fist fights a bigger opponent in order to stop a war and save lives, as well is slightly in fear as a unknown person wants him dead! Eagle Free is once more the smart one as he has a spy Agent Hood join the other side and stage it that he would be the one that fights the Prez. The Assassin is still unknown and does hit Prez with a bullet, and who knows at this point if we ever will find out their identity. Gregor Washington who is a distant relative to the 1st American President George Washington is my favorite bad guy this far as he is clearly crazy and wants to dress and act like his ancestor! Gregor is so nuts that he wants to have war with America with his Minute Men and even has wooden teeth! The fact that this silly comic series shows war and clearly has people dying is crazy and not fitting for the normal mood of this series, and yet I love this more harsh reality element. The pacing of this issue is a little weird and some elements seem very disjointed and the story is kind of all over the place. I would say that this cover is good and eye catching and interior art by Jerry Grandenetti is great as always. Over all another solid issue in this series with hands down the silliest and coolest bad guy we have meet this far in the Prez universe is Gregor Washington! Lets see what the fourth and final issue has in store for us.
Prez # 4 **1/2
Released in 1974 Cover Price .20 DC Comics # 4 of 4
Prez and Eagle Free are in Moravia and have helped them build a canal that helps water their crops and will help them grow as a nation. Once back at the White House the Prez finds out that China is not a happy about the help to Moravia and late that night a helicopter shaped like a bat lands at the White House and a werewolf named Ambassador Wolfman comes out and his attacked by the secret service, and the fight lasts all night and finally Wolfman tells Prez he is here for business as he represents Count Dracula and the people of Transylvania and they are really mad over the canal as its stealing water from them and they want it dismantles, Prez refuses and Wolfman alerts them that this means war as he storms out. That night as Prez goes to bed for the night a tiny coffin that was hidden in the White House opens and a legless Count Dracula comes out from it on a rolling board and tries to attack Prez, who is saved by Eagle Free. As Count Dracula escapes into the night Prez knows that this really does mean war and he tells Congress his plan and they think the youngster has lost his mind talking about Vampires. While in the war room with the Army word gets to them that Count Dracula and Ambassador Wolfman are on their way with a plane full of bats with rabies! Eagle Free has an idea and he and Prez head to the woods and Eagle tells him that his bird friends are going to go on a suicide mission and bring the plane down, and they do just that many birds fly into the planes engine and causes it to crash into the ocean and this also brings an end to Count Dracula and Ambassador Wolfman who were on board. And after the threat of the rabid bats is over the drama for Prez and the nation starting to turn on him is one the horizon.
This fourth issue brings the strange world of Prez and adds a little bit of horror to the mix to make a very strange issue that oddly brings the end of the series. It’s very clear that this issue was not the planned last as the issue ends on a cliffhanger of Prez having a backlash over his issue of war declaration as well as talks of vampires. The plot of this issue is very silly and lots of fun and Prez and Eagle Free make enemies of Count Dracula and his Wolfman by helping a near by nation that takes away the drinking supply of the nation of Vampires, and it’s the Americans birds that give their lives in order to stop a rabies attack on America. Prez who is young thinks that he can help everyone in the world and does not really realize when you have this kind of power one action of friendship could cause equal amounts of enemies. And Prez looses his cool when an attempt at his life is made and he goes straight into war mode and wants to destroy those who wish him dead. I also like that because of his brash young ideas and emotions that both the young and old in America are starting to question if young eighteen year olds should be the President. Eagle Free the young Native American teenager who is also the head of the F.B.I is the best character in the series and is the one who saves Prez from the vampire attack and is also the one who talks his bird friends into given their lives in order to stop an attack on Washington. Count Dracula is angry, legless and wants to fight a war using bats that have rabies to infect American people, and this is all due to his nations drink supply being cut off. Dracula also has a werewolf as his nations Ambassador. This is a very strange series and Joe Simon does a great job of bringing in comedy as well as messages that make you think about the topics at hand, I also think that his strange humor was a perfect fit for this political comic in the 70’s. It’s a shame that the comic series came to an end with no real closing and final issue leaves all us readers on a cliffhanger. And who would ever think that a comic about politics and a fake American President would be so entertaining! The cover for this issue is ok and looks more like a Horror Comic then a comedy one and the interior art by Jerry Grandenetti is fantastic and I love the way he draws Dracula. So if you like 70’s Comics, Weird Comedy, Count Dracula, DC Comics, American Politics, Joe Simon’s Writing and Good Reads then check out Prez as its all of the above and more. But check out the artwork below to see the style of Grandenetti and see if you like his Dracula as much as I do.
So as you can see, Prez is an American Hero in his own way as he fixed a town’s clocks, helped solve crimes and even defeated Count Dracula all to help save America! But speaking of America I am sure all you friends and readers are gearing up to head to fireworks and celebrate America’s Independence so I think its time for me to wrap up this America Hero update so we can all enjoy this holiday, and I want to think you all for spending a part of your Fourth with me here on Rotten Ink and I hope that you all enjoy these American Hero updates and they help make your holiday even more special! And before we go head our separate ways, I would like to let you know that our next update will be one that celebrates the Monster Bash Convention and will be about Creepshow, the amazing film that had George Romero teaming with Stephen King! So until next time, read a DC Comic or three, watch a movie or two and as always support your local Horror Host! See you next update, and let’s hope we don’t get any meteor sh** on us!
