Bluewater Productions Toons Into 2016 Race
Bluewater Productions is looking forward to putting its stamp on anyone and everyone who plans to give the White House a go in the next presidential contest — a daunting proposition that should keep its illustrators busy for months to come.
Darren Davis, founder of the independent publishing house, waded into the Republican primary fight with the April 14 release of a graphic novel focusing on aspiring POTUS Sen. Rand Paul.
The book, Davis admitted, was rushed out in order to dovetail with the Kentucky Republican’s campaign rollout .
“A lot of these depend on timing,” he said of the politically themed graphic novels the company has sporadically turned out since 2008. “With the Rand Paul one, we got extremely lucky and only had to move up the comic book by a week.”
Davis’ desire to weigh in on leading issues has led to the creation of carefully researched biographies of modern politics’ most colorful characters, such as former Reps. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz.; Michele Bachmann, R-Minn.; and the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass.
According to Davis, the political tomes tend to sell around 5,000 copies across their extended lifespan.
“We try to keep the books evergreen and fresh,” he said, citing a third bite of the apple that is Hillary Rodham Clinton’s public life (due out this June) which is expected to chronicle her latest presidential bid.
First lady Michelle Obama remains the reigning champ, though. Davis said Bluewater’s 2009 take on FLOTUS’ arrival at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. (“We got it out right after they got into the White House,” he recalled.) has resulted in more than 75,000 issues sold.
More often than not, Davis calculates, the Bluewater books wind up in tiny hands. “We are taught in schools and libraries, so we feel like we have an obligation to not only be unbiased but to be a good read,” he said.
Sometimes, the stories wind up reaching more discerning readers.
“We were first contacted by Bill Clinton’s personal secretary the day the Female Force comic book came out in 2008,” Davis said of the out-of-the-blue phone call from 42’s inner circle. After a bit of a freakout — “It was frightening at that point because we were new to the political world and I thought our phones were tapped!” — Davis said his team soon realized Bluewater had officially arrived.
“We must be doing something right to be on his radar,” he said of the realization that has since been cemented in his mind by enthusiasm reciprocated by Human Rights Campaign and 2012 GOP vice-presidential pick Sarah Palin (both autographed covers of their respective comics), as well as appreciative retired Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas.
“I got to meet Ron Paul at a rally the day it came out and he signed a copy for me. He really enjoyed the book we did on him,” Davis told HOH.
With November 2016 still far off in the distance, Davis’ crew has plenty of character sketches to flesh out for young minds.
The next installment, slated to pop this summer, will take a peek at expectations-laden political scion, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.
Any long-shot candidates chagrined about not yet making it into Davis’ funny pages should keep in mind every dog eventually has its day.
Just ask first pooch, Bo Obama.
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