Sideshow: Obama makes the comic books

Obama Fever has reached the ivory towers of the comic-book industry.

Marvel Comics will celebrate

Barack Obama

's Jan. 20 inauguration with a special issue of

Amazing Spider-Man

(Issue 583) that guest-stars the president-elect.

The cover shows Obama giving a thumbs-up as an upside-down Spidey hangs from his web behind him. During the campaign, Obama admitted that he used to collect Spider-Man comics. He said his fave superheroes were Spidey and Batman.

"It was a natural after we learned the new president is a Spider-Man fan," Marvel editor in chief

Joe Quesada

tells USA Today.

"We thought, 'Fantastic! We have a comic-book geek in the White House.' " (How will this affect the nation's foreign policy? one wonders.)

In the story, Chameleon tries to ruin Obama's swearing-in but is foiled by Spider-Man. And, yes, there's a fist bump. And some humor: In one panel, the superhero says he mistook veep-elect

Joe Biden

for the villainous Vulture.

Search for your nearest comic-book store at

» READ MORE: http://comicshoplocator.com/

.

John Travolta

and his family were expected to commemorate the life of John and

Kelly Preston

's late son,

Jett Travolta

, yesterday at the Travoltas' home in Ocala, Fla.

Jett died last Friday of a seizure while on a family holiday in the Bahamas. The AP says the small private memorial service will adhere to the tenets of John's faith, Scientology.

Tommy Davis

, a rep for the Church of Scientology International in L.A., yesterday said on CBS's

Early Show

that the family had told him "they're doing great." Davis added, "This is a time for them and their family and their friends, and like anyone we would wish them well and hope they can be brave."

California Govinator

Arnold Schwarzenegger

and wife

Maria Shriver

were two of the boldfacers who joined

Anjelica Huston

yesterday at the funeral of the actress' late husband, sculptor

Robert Graham

. The service was held at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in L.A., which features ornate bronze doors designed by Graham. The L.A. Times says readings were given by Graham's son,

Steve

, friend

Jack Quinn

, and Anjelica's half-brother, actor

Danny Huston

.

The next installment of

The Celebrity Apprentice

will pit TV's most obnoxious individual ever -

Donald Trump

- with the most obnoxious duo ever, perennial red-carpet pests

Joan Rivers

and her daughter,

Melissa Rivers

. NBC yesterday said the show, which will have a team of eight women competing against eight men, will also feature

Clint Black

,

Andrew Dice Clay

(noxious indeed!),

Tom Green

,

Dennis Rodman

, and

Brian McKnight

among the men and

Khloe Kardashian

,

Brande Roderick

and

Tionne Watkins

among the women. The show premieres March 1.

Queen Latifah

shone Wednesday night as she discharged her duties as host of the 35th Annual People's Choice Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Lalaland. Two-bit prizes were bestowed on the couple du jour,

Brad Pitt

and

Angelina Jolie

. Brad won favorite leading man, and his gal got favorite female action star. Sadly, neither attended the event. (They are above these sorts of things.)

Awards, which are voted on by the hoi polloi, also went to

Carrie Underwood

,

Reese Witherspoon

and

Katherine Heigl

.

Philly's proudest son,

Will Smith

, won two: favorite male movie star and favorite male action star. For a full list of winners, visit

» READ MORE: www.pcavote.com

.

People.com reports that

Tori Spelling

is in final negotiations to return to her old Beverly Hills haunts with a starring role on CW's

90210

. Tori was expected to join the show months ago, but she bowed out amid rumors of a nasty rivalry with

Shannen Doherty

.

Not everyone's thrilled by the news. "They've been negotiating since the first shows started airing,"

90210

star

Rob Estes

tells USA Today. "Hopefully, they'll throw us a curve ball, and she'll be driving a cab or something."

Steve Harvey

is getting serious about women.

The comic and radio host tells Jet Magazine that his new book,

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy and Commitment

, due out Jan. 27, is no joke.

"This book is not funny," he insists. "I am not telling jokes. This is very serious. Women and relationships are not funny. Women want and need serious information. I want to empower women with a lot of knowledge on how we men think about a lot of subjects." Could there be a better man to empower women? Seriously.

After Dark Horrorfest, an annual festival of new horror flicks, will take place today through Thursday with screenings of eight flicks at select theaters around the country. Locally, you can catch the fest at Cinemark 16 at Lions Head Plaza in Somerdale, Camden County.

Info:

» READ MORE: www.horrorfestonline.com

or

» READ MORE: www.cinemark.com

.