20 Heroes, Villains, Aliens, And Monsters Who Ran For President

We all have politics on the brain nowadays, but regardless of your political leanings or feelings about the candidates, it’s worth remembering that it could be weirder. Here’s our list of the best, the worst, and the strangest beings who tried to take residence in the White House.

1) Etrigan, the Demon

In “Political Asylum,” a storyarc written by the late, great Dwayne McDuffie, Etrigan the Demon ran for president in 1992 — proving to be one HELL of a campaigner. After surviving an assassination attempt (with an assist from Superman), he accepted an offer from George Bush to run as his vice presidential candidate at the Republican National Convention, fully intending to kill him later. “Political Asylum” can be read in The Demon #26-29 and is not currently available as a trade paperback, regrettably. Write DC (Comics, not Washington) and let them know you want one.

2) Nitehawk

Marvel’s Batman-proxy, Kyle Richmond won the U.S. presidency but spent the bulk of his tenure under the mental control of the alien supervillain, Overmind.

3) Howard the Duck

Get Down, America! Howard ran a successful campaign in 1976, until a racy yet doctored photo of him taking a bubbly sponge bath with Beverly Switzler derailed his political ambitions. Hauntingly quaint.

4) Lex Luthor

In the comics, Lex held the presidency until being impeached for his use of Venom, the drug that makes Bane all super-strong and veiny. The concept was revisited in the great Justice League and Justice League: Unlimited animated series, currently streaming on Netflix.

5) Superman

Superman was also sworn in as president in an alternate reality created by Waverider. In an earlier story, Jimmy Olsen dreamed of a Superman presidency in Superman #112.

6) Graydon Creed

The abandoned son of Sabretooth and Mystique, Creed grew up hating and fearing mutants (extra-emphasis on the hate). After starting The Friends of Humanity, a group dedicated to suppressing mutant rights, he ran for president on an anti-mutant campaign. He totally sucked, so a time-travelling Mystique assassinated him the night before the election..

7) Prez

DC Comics’ first teenage president! During his tenure (in the’70s, it should probably go without saying), Prez fought a legless vampire when international relations with Transylvania went south.

8) Prez II

In DC’s 2015 reboot of Prez, teenager and internet celebrity Beth Ross is elected after her joke candidacy grows genuine momentum.

9) Dr. Doom 2099

According to Marvel Comics, it’s destined that Doctor Doom will become president in 2099 — and he’ll be one of the best we ever have! During his presidency, Doom eliminates multinational corporations, slave trading, human experimentations, rebuilds S.H.E.I.L.D. and even gives the X-Men a new safe haven. All hail Doom.

10) Captain America

Cap ended up declining the nomination, but Beast offered to be his campaign manager. Ultimate Universe Cap accepted the gig, however, and managed to unite the United States while they were busy warring with each other.

11) Thor

Speaking of the Ultimate universe, Ultimate Reed Richards manages to visit another Ultimate-esque Earth where somehow its Ultimate Thor had been elected president, and had given superpowers to everyone courtesy of “Skrull Pills.” He was killed by Skrulls.

12) Kodos and Kang

The Simpsons’ two aliens spent the 1996 Presidential election disguised as Bill Clinton and Bob Dole, ensuring one of them would win the office. Homer exposed them just before the election, but by then it was too late (stupid two-party system). Kang won.

13) Freddy Kreuger

According to this campaign sticker, Freddy apparently ran for the highest office in the land in the ’80s. Few details are known, but presumably the fact that his campaign was limited to the dream realm of the Elm Street kids, boiler rooms, and supermarket vending machines, his campaign presumably failed to reach the numbers needed to lock down a ticket.

14) Donald Trump

Trump is president of Earth in 2000AD‘s amazing series, Zombo. He runs the planet like an episode of The Apprentice and kills puppies. Insert your own political witticism here.

15) Doctor Who

The Twelth Doctor was temporarily appointed President of Earth — twice in the last two years — during invasions from the Cybermen and the Zygons.

16) Ash

Evil Dead‘s Ashley J. Williams is throwing his hat into the ring this summer in this forthcoming Army of Darkness: Ash for President comic mini-series from Dynamite, due in August.

17) Pinky & The Brain

Written about recently here!

18) Norman Osborn

The Green Goblin was president on Earth X (or Earth-9997 if you’re technical) an alternate reality in the Marvel Multiverse. Was he unscrupulous? You bet.

19) Loki

Loki, the trickster god of Norse mythology, is currently running for president in Marvel’s series Vote Loki. In many ways it is less absurd that the state of current U.S. politics.

20) Batgirl

In the alternate universe of Superman & Batman: Generations, Barbara Gordon was the granddaughter of Commissioner James, but still spent the ’60s protecting Gotham City. When she retired from crime-fighting, she went into politics, eventually getting elected president in the ’90s. This is another collection of stories unavailable as a trade, which is heartbreaking.