Kal Penn describes reading a book with comic-book style and historical setting that captivated him after a slow start. The characters Sammy Clay and Tracy Bacon helped him understand his own sexuality. He started volunteering for Obama's campaign shortly after, though he's clear the book didn't cause that choice.
and I read it first 140 pages. I was like, I don't know. Um, and then it like immediately you turn the page after that, that first couple sections and it flies. And I, I just, I loved it. I loved it for the comic book reasons, for the, for the history, like you said, for the, what are they escaping and fighting against? Um, I sort of figured my sexuality out later in life. And so I remember reading the like Sammy Clay, Tracy Bacon stuff. I was like, "Oh, this is so cool." Like, it was just at the right time in my life, personally, artistically, you know, fighting bad guys kind of a thing. It was, you know, I guess 2 years after that that I started volunteering in the Obama campaign. Now, just to be clear, 'cause I know how clips get used, I'm not gay 'cause of this book. I didn't go work for Obama 'cause of this book. It just so happened that like, I already do— How would we edit that together? Didn't do the superhero movie because of this book. But it just so happens that around that time in my life, it was this perfect storm. Oh, it's just a great book. Of an awesome book that resonated with me for all of these different reasons.
