Captain Harlock Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 For all of us comic book fans out there... Captain America, casualty of Civil War Mar 7, 2:41 PM ESTNEW YORK (AP) -- Captain America has undertaken his last mission - at least for now.The venerable superhero is killed in the issue of his namesake comic that hit stands Wednesday, the New York Daily News reported. On the new edition's pages, a sniper shoots down the shield-wielding hero as he leaves a courthouse.It ends a long run for the stars-and-stripes-wearing character, created in 1941. Over the years, some 210 million copies of Captain America comic books, published by New York-based Marvel Entertainment Inc., have been sold in 75 countries.But resurrections are not unknown in the world of comics, and Marvel Entertainment Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada said a Captain America comeback wasn't impossible.Still, the character's death came as a blow to co-creator Joe Simon."We really need him now," said Simon, 93, who worked with artist Jack Kirby to devise Captain America as a foe for Adolf Hitler.The superhero was spawned when a scrawny arts student named Steve Rogers, ineligible for the army because of his poor health but eager to serve his country, agreed to a "Super Soldier Serum" injection. The substance made him a paragon of physical perfection, armed only with his shield, his strength, his smarts and a command of martial arts.In the comic-book universe, death is not always final. But even if Captain America turns out to have met his end in print, he may not disappear entirely: Marvel is developing a Captain America movie.I really hope this isn't the end of Cap. It might be an attempt to grab publicity for the movie but it's still a sad image. And thus a hero dies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussietime Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 superheroes are only fantasy, they are not real and if anyone attempts to dress up like superman and fly too high they might get hurt so be careful all you kids out there sometimes its best just to stay anonymous and play online games Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Harlock Posted March 10, 2007 Author Share Posted March 10, 2007 superheroes are only fantasy, they are not real and if anyone attempts to dress up like superman and fly too high they might get hurt so be careful all you kids out there sometimes its best just to stay anonymous and play online games Naw....REALLY?!?! Yeah of course they're fantasy. But you know what, it's fun. All societies have "mythology". Whether it's the Norse or Roman gods, the Greek myths, or the tale of Gilgamesh. There have always been tales of larger than life figures accomplishing great and heroic deeds. And being from a country that didn't have a mythology we created one. And that's what superheros are, mythic figures. Sure they may wear spandex, spin webs and climb walls but the idea is the same. As someone who grew up reading comics the basic theme that you took away was always the same; making the right choices. What do I do with my abilities? Do I choose to be selfish or do I help others before me? And if you go back and actually READ the story you'll see that Cap CHOSE to use his newly given abilities to serve his country before himself. Ben said to Peter Parker "With great power comes great responsibility". A quote that to me was more relevant and more poignant than any from Shakespeare, Dickens, or Arthur Miller. And that's what I take from it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulie Mississippi Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 superheroes are only fantasy, they are not real and if anyone attempts to dress up like superman and fly too high they might get hurt so be careful all you kids out there sometimes its best just to stay anonymous and play online games ???I'm not sure how a news story about the death of a fictional character can lead to a pseudo-tirade against superheroes. There are those who believe that every character in the Holy Bible are works of fiction as well. Should we not want our children to emulate Jesus or John or Matthew or Moses? Do we not read them "Goldilocks & the Three Bears because it casts bears in a bad light? How about the Three Little Pigs... and that evil big bad wolfie?The idea that a comic book (or any literary icon for that matter) should die in a pivotal story is not new to comics. Gwen Stacy, Aquababy, Supergirl, Superman, Robin... and a host of others have seen their "lives" snuffed out in the cause of entertainment. But then so do characters on TV and in Movies. Sasha Alexander's "Kate Todd" character in NCIS was assasinated at the end of the second season of that series as the actress wanted out of the high stress series. Should we mock the tragedy of her death or suggest that our kids not emulate the former secret service agent who went from protecting the president to fighting terrorists? As a longtime fan and occasional comic writer, I know that the art form is more than just an invitation to children to do stupid stuff. In fact if your child puts on a cape and jumps from the roof after reading Superman, you probably haven't explained reality vs. fantasy well enough to the child.As for the death of Captain America, it is a pivotal point in a very long series that looks at a lot of the very things this country faces right now, personal liberties vs. the war on terror. Joe Quesada, Marvel Comics Editor in Chief was on a lengthy segment of ABC News that I saw online yesterday explaining the whys and wherefores of the death of Cap. And of course another hero will no doubt pick up the mantle, don the costume and wield the shield in the name of truth, justice & the American way.And it's probably as newsworthy as Brittany being in her revolving door rehab or Anna Nicole finally getting to Rest in Piece in the place she wanted.Hope I didn't offend you by my little disertation. I just think back to the days when the comic book industry was almost destroyed by zealots who were acting on the behalf of kids... the first time in history I can recall that the job of raising children was suggested to be more of a societal obligation than a parental one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Harlock Posted March 10, 2007 Author Share Posted March 10, 2007 Seems it was relevant enough for Stephen Colbert's "The Word" last night. Pan down the videos list and look for "Comic Justice". What can I say... Colbert is THE MAN!!! The Word: Comic Justice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussietime Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 i guess you're right, if anyone wants to wear spandex they can Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Davie Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 I'm sad about this. I dressed up like Captain America one year for Halloween - circa 1976. No spandex harmed in the making of the costume."When Captain America throws his mighty shield..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ira Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 Wasn't there one time before where they claimed he was frozen in an iceberg or something as a way to bring him back again at the beginning of the Marvel Age after he had been dormant since the 50's?I seem to remember something like that.Good character...AND He's mentioned in "Help Me Now I'm Falling" by The "Kinks"!That makes him officially cool.-Ira. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raspbernie Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 WHEN CAPTAIN AMERICA THROWS HIS MIGHTY SHIELD… Bernie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulie Mississippi Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 Bernie always finds the coolest sites... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Harlock Posted March 10, 2007 Author Share Posted March 10, 2007 i guess you're right, if anyone wants to wear spandex they can I would respond to this idiotic and inane comment that you so willfully displayed your ignorance with, but I refuse to stoop to your level.I guess growing up in Australia, a nation without any kind of heros will do that to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Harlock Posted March 10, 2007 Author Share Posted March 10, 2007 Wasn't there one time before where they claimed he was frozen in an iceberg or something as a way to bring him back again at the beginning of the Marvel Age after he had been dormant since the 50's?I seem to remember something like that.Good character...AND He's mentioned in "Help Me Now I'm Falling" by The "Kinks"!That makes him officially cool.-Ira. Let's see if my memory serves me correctly. As the story goes at the end of World War II Baron Zemo launched a missle toward the United States. Cap and his then sidekick Bucky attempted to stop the missle but it exploded over the North Atlantic. Cap fell into the ocean and because of the Super Soldier formula he was in suspended animation until Prince Namor (Submariner) found him encased in a block of ice being worshipped by an Eskimo tribe. Namor in anger threw the block into the ocean and it was retrieved by the Avengers who were in pursuit of Namor. That's what I remember reading anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Harlock Posted March 10, 2007 Author Share Posted March 10, 2007 Incidently fellow true believers (thank you Stan Lee!), Marvel has been making animated features as of late and they are actually quite good. There's currently three on the market; Ultimate AvengersUltimate Avengers 2The Invincible Iron ManThere's a Dr. Strange feature on the way and there's rumored to be a new animated version of Daredevil, Hulk, Silver Surfer, as well as The X-Men in the works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raspathens Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 Great site Bernie! With the exception of Spider-man, I haven't heard those theme songs in 35-40 years. Iron Man really took me back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Harlock Posted March 14, 2007 Author Share Posted March 14, 2007 Last night on the Colbert Report Stephen read a letter from Marvel Comics editor in cheif Joe Quesada. It turns out that in Cap's will he had bequeived (sp?) his most valuable asset, his shield, to the one man he deemed worth enough to carry it, Stephen Colbert!! Check it out here! That's if the video actually plays for you! Stephen Colbert dons Cap\'s Shield! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raspathens Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 Darn it. Bernie's link has been taken down. Now I'll have to wait another 35-40 years to hear that Ironman theme song. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulie Mississippi Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 Probably not that long... all of our interest probably over did their bandwidth for the week or month... On the theme of Cap dying, I was discussing this event with the owner of my local comic shop here in Daytona and he was bemoaning the fact that Marvel had not done a very good job alerting retailers to order the book; just a minor blurb about "something important" would happen... similar to blurbs they have for a book or three each and every month in their "Previews" order form. He did tell me that Marvel did a substantial overprinting on the book and by next week most retailers in the country will be restocked and are taking orders at reasonable prices so anybody buying the book for fifty bucks on eBay is gonna get stuck...He also remarked that there is supposedly a brief blurb in the on of the "Civil War" tie-in books that that issue of Captain America was part of where Ms. Marvel is discussing with another female character that Cap's been transported to a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility and that the "Super Soldier Serum" that had transformed Steve Rogers into Captain America would not let him die...Of course it might let him revert back to his true age... it might leave him a vegetable... but he may not be dead, even having "bled out" in the death issue of his own title..."Tune in next month... " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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