Captain America was assassinated on the Courthouse steps by a sniper’s bullet.
The recent storyline is a foreign writer's attempt to force his personal opinion on the current climate in American Politics (i.e., the death of [personal] Liberty) on us.
(Mark Millar is Scottish born & raised, and currently lives in Glasgow.)
Wha??? Captain America has saved the world from those who would destroy freedom of expression countless times since he arrived on the scene in 1941 (just before the USA officially entered World War II).
Steve Rogers didn’t start out as a hero; he was a wimpy guy that didn’t make the cut, until he participated in a secret experiment to create an elite group of super soldiers. Every kid has insecurities, and the Captain America story let’s kids imagine that even the “square” kids can do something important…all you need is an indestructible shield and can do spirit.
While I haven’t kept up with the current “Civil War” being played out in the Marvel Universe, from what I understand, I don’t like it. Superheroes don’t fight superheroes. They are symbolic metaphors, not the personal platform for individual social commentary…seeing a superhero playing the role of social dissident doesn’t feel right to me. Captain America fights for the ideal of a free and democratic society…the greater good; not the selfish concerns of the one. We must “live together or die alone” and “justice for all”.
Captain America saves the world by riding a Nazi rocket to (his apparent doom) in the Atlantic Ocean, ultimately to be rescued by “The Avengers”. Captain America once considered whether being a superhero is worth it (what superhero hasn’t), but ultimately he chooses to keep fighting. Above all Captain America is a Patriot. For him to be gunned down by a mysterious sniper (ala Jack Ruby) symbolizes the loss of the American Dream. I get it, the symbol of freedom lies dying with handcuffs on; but I don’t believe that the American Dream is dying.
If the Captain (aka “America”) is going to bite it, he deserves to go out in a blaze of glory, not some act of street violence. I don’t know about you, but I still believe in America and the fight for Justice, and feel certain that a lot of other folks do, too.
Can Captain America be resurrected? You bet, it is the comics after all..and Marvel is tops in the soap opera department.
Can you tell me where I might find my friend and companion?
Captain will help anyone a friend or a stranger
Now number one without a gun he's bypassed the Lone Ranger
He's a do good who loves apple pie and kisses little babies
He'll guard you against everything from atom bombs to rabies.
Captain America we love you, Captain America you're grand.
~Jimmy Buffett, Captain America,
originally from the album Down to Earth, 1970.
2 comments:
I am not a comicbook fan, never was, though I think I bought a "Mad" magazine once. I'm sure Captain America was a nice guy. A good guy, if you will. And no one should be gunned down without even some sort of explanation. But Dez, I feel your pain.
It's ok Mel...there are just some things that just don't sit well with me.
Even if you don't keep up with Comics, it's like Jim Croce said in "You Don't Mess Around With Jim"....
You don't tug on Superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger
And you don't mess around with Jim, da do da do...
...or in this case, you don't KILL Captain America!
ok...I'll step down off my Soap Box now. *blush*
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