Correction: 1/5/2022, 3:00 pm: Robert Garcia has not taken his oath yet so this has been edited for clarity.
Politicians: They’re just like us. Or the version of ourselves that our parents wished we were. Robert Garcia recently won a Congressional seat in California, and he chose to be sworn into office via the first issue of Superman. And you know what, good for him. Clark Kent is a great role model for anyone who’s looking to make the world a little less terrible than it is currently.
The former mayor of Long Beach, California wasn’t content with being sworn in under the U.S. Constitution. He also included a photo of his parents, his citizenship certificate, and a copy of Superman #1, which he borrowed from the Library of Congress. Kotaku reached out to ask about his personal relationship with the Superman comics, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
The newly elected Congressman is even willing to bat for his nerd cred. “For all of you upset that I still read comics and suggesting that I need to do more serious reading…anyone who understands comics knows that comics are an essential part of American fiction,” he tweeted. “And the lessons learned are invaluable. It’s serious shit.”
Personally, I would take civics reading recommendations from a guy who now represents a whole district in California. So take note, parents: If your kid reads enough Superman, then they too can represent their fellow Americans in political office.
Garcia’s supporters pointed out that their former mayor had always shown the signs of being a comics geek. His enthusiastic tweets about the Library of Congress’ comics collection certainly felt a lot more humanizing than a guy who puts “Father. Husband” in their Twitter bio. Last November, he even threatened to hold Congressional hearings to ask about James Gunn’s plans for the DC movies. If only we all had such power.
Politicians are not your friends, no matter how much they love the same media you do. But it’s still fun to think about a Superman comic holding equal moral weight to the U.S. Constitution.