Nothing is more American than Superman, which is why Congressman Robert Garcia chose the very first Clark Kent comic book to be with him when he is sworn into office.
Garcia — a Peruvian immigrant, former Mayor of Long Beach, California, and self-proclaimed “comic book nerd” — was elected US Representative for California’s 42nd congressional district during the 2022 midterms. Ahead of his official induction into the role, he tweeted a photo of three items he’d selected to sit under the Constitution while he was sworn in: “A photo of my parents who I lost to covid, my citizenship certificate & an original Superman #1 from the @librarycongress.”
Garcia became the first Latino and first openly gay person to become mayor of Long Beach when he was elected in 2014. He was a staunch advocate of COVID-19 precautions during the pandemic, especially after his parents died in 2020. His tenure as a representative began today, January 3rd, but he won’t be officially sworn in on that Superman comic book until the House can decide on a Speaker.
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The future of Superman on screen is about as uncertain as the future Speaker of the House. In October, Henry Cavill confirmed that he was poised to reprise his role as the hero, but in December, the actor announced that he would actually not play the character in James Gunn’s next film.
Will be proudly sworn-in to Congress on the U.S. Constitution. Underneath the Constitution will be 3 items that mean a lot to me personally. A photo of my parents who I lost to covid, my citizenship certificate & an original Superman #1 from the @librarycongress. ??? pic.twitter.com/YGW43OLsIp
— Robert Garcia (@RobertGarcia) January 3, 2023