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    This Congressman-elect swears by (and on) vintage Superman

    Congressman-elect Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) will (eventually) swear himself in on a copy of the Constitution, a photo of his parents, his certificate of U.S. citizenship and ... a copy of Superman #1.
    by Glen Weldon Jan 06, 2023 4 minutes
    Source: Hulton Archive

    This week, Congressman-elect Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) made some news by announcing he will (eventually!) swear himself in on a copy of the Constitution, a photo of his late parents, his certificate of U.S. citizenship and ... a copy of Superman #1, on loan from the Library of Congress.

    Unusual, that last bit? Sure. But to me it makes a kind of baseline, profoundly American, sense.

    Not just because Garcia is a lifelong comic-book nerd (though I mean ... that factors. Clearly.) But because of what Superman #1 is, as a historical and cultural object.

    Follow me, here:

    #1 appeared on newsstands in April 1939. It was the first comic book ever to be devoted entirely to a single character.

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