Stephen Colbert is running for president – in the Marvel Universe. Signs proclaiming “Colbert for President” have been appearing recently in the background of various Marvel comics, and now Marvel has announced that Colbert will appear in an eight-page story in Amazing Spider-Man #573. Mark Waid, who wrote the story, says:

“Without giving away too many of the surprises,” … “essentially what’s happened is Stephen Colbert has been convinced by J. Jonah Jameson that the people of New York don’t love him enough to swing the election. And he needs New York as a state, so he throws his suit and his tie into a trash can and stalks up from an alley proclaiming, ‘Stephen Colbert no more!'”

“And so the rest of the story is him running across Spidey and being inspired by Spidey to get back on the horse and to embrace the philosophy that WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT POLITICAL RESPONSIBILITY,” the writer said with another chuckle.

There was no mention of whether or not Colbert will possess or discover any hidden powers or talents, though a theme song made up entirely of Colbert Report taglines would be a winner for his Marvel campaign.

Steers the great ship of news
through the channels of truth,
I Am America (And So Can You!)
Nation, he’ll always make eye contact with you.
Hey there! Here comes Stephen Colbert!