BS: Obit: Captain America

Subject: BS: Obit: Captain America
From: Wesley S
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 10:16 AM

It's been reported that comic book hero Captain America was killed recently by a sniper – just before Cap was going to enter a federal courthouse. What are your thoughts and feelings about this event? Is he really dead? Will he return? Was it staged? Or was Captain America's time really up?

Conspiracy theories welcome. But please don't blow your cover if you were part of the plot.

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Captain America
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 10:19 AM

Steve Rogers was killed in the comic book. I am sure he is dead. In comic books, characters have a way of returning. Superman did it, Green Arrow did it, and even Bucky did it.

Captain American is a costume that others can wear - and others have worn it through the years. This does not mean the end.

Yes, it is a conspiracy and the guilty parties have identified themselves. They are the writers, editors and artists. The writer has stated that he has the next two years of stories lined up for the Captain America comic book. I think you can figure it out.

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Captain America
From: Amos
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 10:30 AM

My, the things you learn on Mudcat!! The cultural capillaries and hidden corners and dark alleys of our mutual Cognosphere! Never ceases to amaze me what comes up in these parts!


A

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Captain America
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 10:56 AM

This is the subject of a think piece, today, in th Los Angeles Times Op-Ed page. Jacob Heilbrunn looks at Cap, his origin, adventures and death(?) as reflection of American society. I'd think he and the Times might find better use for time and space, but--mea culpa--I did read it as they hoped I would.

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Captain America
From: Wesley S
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 10:59 AM

NPR did a piece on it too. The music they finished the story with was a string bass slowly plucking "America the Beautiful"

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Captain America
From: Rapparee
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 12:06 PM

Maybe when he comes back he'll have been promoted from Captain to Major or even Lieutenant Colonel!

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Captain America
From: Amos
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 12:22 PM

Is the death, temporary or otherwise, of Captain America a commentary on the decay in our national moral fiber precipitated by the fast-and-loose autocracy of the present era?

A

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Captain America
From: Wesley S
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 12:28 PM

Maybe Marvel is just too embarassed to have a character called Captain America right now. And please note that Cap was NOT from Texas.

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Captain America
From: MMario
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 12:41 PM

He's been dead before. Frozen in an iceberg for several decades, I beleive.

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Captain America
From: Amos
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 12:45 PM

That would be the Fifties?


A

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Captain America
From: Peace
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 01:01 PM

I wonder. If he comes back to life, what will Fundamentalists say about it?

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Captain America
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 01:11 PM

I think most people hear the words "comic book" and it conjures up images of Adam West and the slapstick Batman TV series, but it really goes deeper than that.

This "assassination" of Captain America comes after a lengthy series in the Marvel universe. The "plot" had the government requiring super heros to register so that their identities and abilities would be known to official. This caused a division in that many heros felt their freedoms and liberties were being taken away and they were being labeled as terrorists. Captain America fought against the government and the registration as he saw it as an attack on our freedoms - something that he is born to uphold.   So many interesting storylines. It created a "civil war" among the various factions.

While it may sound hokey, the story was well done. The obvious analogies to our current situation - fighting terrorism, home security, racism, etc.    The last panel of Captain America, with his red white and blue flag costume covered in blood is a bold statement.

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Captain America
From: MMario
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 01:22 PM

well - possibly suspended animation.

Steve Rogers was lost, presumed dead in 1945; several others portray Captain America over the next dozen years or so. then I guess there is a gap.

in 1964 The Avengers find Rogers frozen in a block of ice and thaw him out.

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Captain America
From: SINSULL
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 10:04 PM

Damn! I thought this was about Peter Fonda.

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Captain America
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 10:08 PM

Well, Peter Fonda was in Ghost Rider! Talk about typecast!

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Captain America
From: Don Firth
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 10:19 PM

Yeah. Having to register with the government. No way!

That's why I hung up my costume.

That, and because I don't look quite as good in Spandex as I used to. . . .

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Captain America
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Mar 07 - 11:20 AM

The BBC had a discussion last evening. They think it might be finished for real this time, and the positioning of America in the world today, as the world bully, had a lot to do with the writers deciding to end the character. He was in place in 1941 to fight Hitler, but now his role isn't clear cut.

Here is an article and here is a radio blurb (there are other story links from the article).

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Captain America
From: Becca72
Date: 10 Mar 07 - 01:15 PM

I found it really amusing that Peter Fonda plays the devil in Ghost Rider.

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Captain America
From: Don Firth
Date: 11 Mar 07 - 12:28 PM

"He was in place in 1941 to fight Hitler, but now his role isn't clear cut."

Metaphor?

Hmm. . . .    Interesting bit of symbolism there.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Captain America
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 11 Mar 07 - 03:20 PM

"Metaphor?

Hmm. . . .    Interesting bit of symbolism there."

That is right! That is how comic books have grown up. The writers and artists are some of the finest storytellers around, and they aren't doing it to seel toys!

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Captain America
From: GUEST,M.Ted
Date: 12 Mar 07 - 03:44 PM

Kids don't read comic books anymore. That's what killed him.

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Captain America
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 13 Mar 07 - 08:01 AM

Kids not reading comic books is what saved comic books!

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Captain America
From: Wesley S
Date: 13 Mar 07 - 08:10 AM

Was Captain America killed by Harry Potter?

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Captain America
From: *daylia*
Date: 13 Mar 07 - 08:48 AM

Maybe. I almost tasted Campbells Tomato Soup and crackers when I read this thread title -- a throwback to many, many lunchtimes glued to a cartoon show called "The Fantastic Five", starring Capt America and his Mighty Shield), Doc Bruce Banner and the Incredible Hulk, the Mighty Thor and his Magic Hammer, Spiderman and (if memory serves) Wonder Woman.

hmmmmm ... or maybe it was the Fantastic Four, sans Wonder Woman? (This was in the 60's, after all, when the idea of a female Superhero was still, uh, unacceptable....).

AT any rate, its good to see the Mighty Thor's still kickin around, even after a millenium (or two?) of "worship". Guess the world needs him more than Capt America.

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Captain America
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 13 Mar 07 - 09:19 AM

Actually, Thor died a few years ago! Due to the magic of comic books - you can't kill a god!