365 Comics...308: Letter 44 #1 (2013)

With Barack Hussein Obamacare now entering year 6 as the POTUS, Letter 44 is not exactly timely in its conceit, but that doesn't make it any less enticing or entertaining.  I loved the first issue.

The series starts with the Obama-esque President elect entering the oval office the day before his inauguration and reading the letter left for him by the outgoing Bush-esque President, as is tradition.  It's revealed that a lot of the warmongering and defense boosting of the outgoing Presidency was in preparation for a looming alien invasion.  The incoming President spends his first day in office validating 43's claims and talking to the reconnaissance mission (with an annoying 15 minute delay) deep into space.  

I enjoyed that writer Charles Soule in some respect sought to justify the actions of the Bush Presidency and the most sensible rationale for it was alien invasion.  Beyond the high concept, Soule executes the story wonderfully and, in a sense, logically.  Both the on-the ground and in-space perspectives provide two different story threads, but equally fascinating.  I'm super keen to learn what's actually happening out in space, and to see how 44 differentiates his presidency with this burden looming over him.  

Here's a link to a 6-page preview at CBR or get a digital copy for 99cents at Comixology... an exceptionally modest price for one of the more fascinating concepts and better executed first issues of the year.