Report: Ike Perlmutter Used Trump Advisor Position to Promote Marvel, as if Marvel Needed Any More Exposure

Ike Perlmutter, the CEO of Marvel Comics, is also a close friend and advisor to Donald Trump, who has given him an unofficial role overseeing the VA. What that means is that in practical terms is that your annoying liberal friend who is constantly posting about how it’s not okay to eat at Chik-Fil-A on social media is putting money right into Donald Trump’s pocket with all that you-go-girl Captain Marvel merch they bought.

ProPublica reports that a government audit found that Perlmutter used his position to promote the Marvel Comics brand by forcing Captain America and Spider-Man into a VA suicide awareness event on the New York Stock Exchange.

Before the event, Perlmutter emailed senior VA officials that he had “arranged” for Marvel characters to be there, according to a newly released yearlong audit by the Government Accountability Office, Congress’ independent watchdog.

Recognizing the potential for ethical questions, a VA official sought advice from the agency’s lawyers. “Marvel Communications is doing this and we don’t, as far as I know, do business with them,” the unnamed official wrote in an email cited in the GAO report.

You really have to ask yourself if this was worth the scandal considering you can’t turn around without seeing some kind of ad for Marvel. Seriously, when is the last time you went an entire day without seeing or hearing anything about Marvel? I’m betting it was way before 2017.

In a statement, Perlmutter, Moskowitz and Sherman said they provided assistance to the president and VA officials who asked for it. “We volunteered to assist the VA solely because we wanted to help America’s veterans get the best possible care,” they said.

Well, that’s good enough for me. You know, my dad was a veteran and I often think he’d still be alive today if only he had seen Spider-Man ring the closing bell of the New York Stock Exchange. Excelsior, Mr. Perlmutter.