The Death of Captain America. Your thoughts

[threatcon_1]

Well Yes. To clarify, Captain America has been assassinated in the Marvel Civil War series by means of a sniper:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b4/Capdeath.PNG




And to quote Wikipedia for more info in this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_America
In the 2006 Civil War crossover, Captain America opposes mandatory federal registration of all super-powered beings and leads the Anti-Registration faction and resistance movement. He becomes a fugitive and opposes the heroes of the Pro-Registration movement, including his former friend Iron Man. He adopts the alias "Brett Hendrick", a mall security guard, to avoid government detection.[37] As the War continues, Rogers becomes more and more extreme in his desire to win, including allowing the Punisher to join his "Secret Avengers," (though he does not condone the man's willingness to kill) and working (albeit reluctantly) with the Kingpin.[38] At the climax of a battle between Registration and resistance proponents, realizing that his fight against the Registration Act is endangering civilians, he removes and drops his mask, surrendering as Steve Rogers. He orders the anti-Registration forces to stand down. As Captain America is led away, the Punisher picks up the discarded mask.

Following his surrender, Steve Rogers is indicted of several criminal charges, and while entering a Federal Courthouse he is shot through the back by a sniper. In the crowd chaos that ensues, he is wounded an additional three times by gunshots to the stomach and chest. He is taken to a hospital, where he succumbs to his wounds

So what are your thoughts on this? Aside from a cheesy resurrection like what they pulled off with the Green Arrow.

[TheDeadlyShoe]

I think that is really weird that they carried this as a story on news sites :)

[Question]

Temp death till he gets resurrected. Hes too profitable a character to be killed permanently.

[Tak]

Punisher did it. He'll be resurrected, what bothers me so much is the damn spin going on around this on the blogs and stuff. It's a freaking comic book, it doesn't have to have some hidden political symbology!:banana:

[Alex Drake]

Question; Actually, he isn't. This is actually Marvel's motivation for killing him. If it boosts his publicity, they'll resurrect him. Otherwise, he's just dead. I really don't much care for Marvel, or most American comic work, aside from the odd graphic novel. It just hasn't matured along with the field, in my opinion. But whatever, I suppose I've just been disappointed by the fact that so many of the non-white marvel superheroes are usually both unimportant and/or simply racial charicatures (Black Panther or Storm's son anyone?).

On that note, Storm is probably the only one whose been treated like a three dimensional character. So in a nutshell, Captain America = Dead doesn't move me, even if he died bathed in the blood of his enemies.

[Afoxi]

=\

Well, Captain America's spirit will live on.


My Paladin in WoW is well equipped to be able to adopt a "Captain America" style of combat (yes, some Paladins can even fling their shields a long distance). ;)

[Someguy]

My Paladin in WoW is well equipped to be able to adopt a "Captain America" style of combat (yes, some Paladins can even fling their shields a long distance).

The funny part is that I heard that you don't even need to equip a shield. You kinda just throw one out of your pocket.

Yah, the news of captain america dying was in the New York Times. I call that a slow news day.

[TheDeadlyShoe]

So in a nutshell, Captain America = Dead doesn't move me, even if he died bathed in the blood of his enemies.

Stop hatin whitey

[runab0ut]

The news going around is that the Punisher is taking up the reins as Cap. Can't confirm, I left comics a long, long time ago.

[Typhoon GX]

The news covering the death of a fictional chracter who will probably be brought back later=LOL!

[boolybooly]

Aren't the authors saying something with political nuances here though ?

What if Capt America embodied the soul of America, thinking about what has happened since 9/11, are they saying that the USA has become the Punisher ?

[Calax]

I think it was frontline covered this, he's in prison and thats a body double.

[No Surrender]

To the people who are mocking the news for reporting this: Captain America is an icon in American culture. Sure he's fictional, but what do you think would happen if they killed off Homer Simpson? People want to know about this kind of stuff, just look at the popularity of celebrity gossip rags.

[TheLoneKnight]

Were people this upset when Superman died?

I'm pretty sure he was an icon of American Culture, too.

[Moe]

If he just got shot by a sniper, why are those two sitting next to him instead of taking cover?
Also, do not be killing Homer Simpson. Ever.

[Retroboy]

Yeah, but Superman was an alien. You KNEW he had sekrit resurrection powers. Not a fair comparison.

Think of it this way - we're all talking about a character that we probably haven't otherwise noticed for years. Publicity gold for comics in general.

-- Retro

[TheLoneKnight]

But that's just it - who cares about the death of Captain America in one of (very likely) several comic "universes"? Even if he permanently dies in this one, won't he still be alive in several others?

I guess I just don't understand why this became newsworthy. It's not like this is the first time Captain America has died (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvel_Zombies). :D

[Retroboy]

TLK, I'd suggest it's because he's a clear and direct symbol of Truth, Justice and the American Way, and with the pervasiveness of questionable american policy decisions in the news, it's related and makes sense to report on.

The timing of this points clearly to a metaphor for Iraq, Bush, and Murka losing its way.

-- Retro

[TheLoneKnight]

Are you sure, Retro? I assumed it was a metaphor for how the left sock always vanishes in the dryer. :p

I still don't think it's newsworthy though.

[Nurizeko]

First I've heard of it, so it made the news huh?.

heh.

[Noble]

Lets not take cheap shots at comics. They are just as much a valid form of art as anything else.

That being said, I care about this. I like comics. I like the characters. Clearly more and more people are becoming interested in comics (especially the civil war series, which is friggen amazing) so there is a demographic out there that considers this newsworthy. Newspapers carry special interest stories all the time, this is no different than a sports article talking about polo or curling or some other less than mainstream sport.

[Riess]

I say he won't stay dead for long. Good advertising, Marvel.

[Noble]

I agree, this kind of thing is to be expected with comics. The most interesting thing about it to me, was that C.A. was killed by a sniper. No epic battle. No struggle for good. Just shot in the back, murdered. That kind of thing usually does not happen to super heroes. When superman died, there was a whole series of comics in which superman tangled with Doomsday before he actually got killed, hell Supe even managed to kill Doomsday before going down himself.

[Beelzebuddy]

There were two shooters - the sniper was an old enemy hired by Red Skull, and the last three bullets were from his wife, who had been brainwashed by Dr. Faustus posing as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent pretending to be Magneto pretending to be Xorn. Classic comic book death. He ain't going nowhere.

[Tiresias]

He'll be back in a year or so one way or another.

[DatonKallandor]

He's off good compared to what Frank Miller put his heroes through. I'm talking to you, drug-addict suicidal girlfriend Dare Devil.

[Captain Pierce]

the sniper was an old enemy hired by Red Skull, and the last three bullets were from his wife, who had been brainwashed by Dr. Faustus posing as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent pretending to be Magneto pretending to be Xorn.

Are you sure it wasn't Xorn pretending to be Magneto who brainwashed Dr. Faustus who was pretending to be his wife? :jester: Between the two of us, I think we've just written the next years' worth of Marvel comics. Stan, I hope my check's in the mail.

(Yes, I know Stan Lee doesn't work there anymore. :p )

I seem to recall that the death of Superman got roughly equal media coverage back in the day--it must've, because I've never read Superman, and I remember hearing about it. As has been already said, I think the reason for this coverage (when your average superhero/supervillain "death" is rightfully ignored) is because of these characters' iconic "TJ&TAM" status.

Well, that and a slow news day. :D

(And I just realized I forgot to factor in the SHIELD agent. Crap. So much for that check...

[Retroboy]

He'll be back in a year or so one way or another.Cap'n Zombmerica ftw?

-- Retro

[The Collector]

That's only if a Necro resses him, instead of a Monk.

[Beelzebuddy]

It's been done.

http://www.botchthecrab.com/post_images/marvelzombies.jpg

[Robert Frazer]

In all fairness though, Beelzebuddy, the "Marvel Zombies" series (which is where that image is taken from, I believe) was quite deliberately only supposed to be a ripping yarn - a harmless bit of fun - and not at all canonical or 'true'.

[TheLoneKnight]

Are we certain that this comic book in which Cap gets killed is canonical? I thought it was yet another mini-series.

[Captain Pierce]

I've only been involved in the whole "Civil War" thing from reading JMS' Spiderman book (just because it's freaking JMS writing it ;) ), and I'm behind even on that, but "Civil War" seems to be more than just a mini-series. Just about every Marvel comic currently running is involved in it...

[Beelzebuddy]

Zombie Cap laughs at your continuity!

Nextwave, on the other hand, has not had a ruling on canonicity. Canonity. Cannity. Canony. Canonicalness. Canonism. Being canon:

http://i12.tinypic.com/2rr5f15.jpg

[Tiresias]

actually Nextwave IS canon last I heard

IT'S LIKE SHAKESPEARE BUT WITH MUCH MORE PUNCHING

[Rykuss]

They go effin' with apple pie and there will be hell to pay! Seriously though, he's a symbol of Truth, Justice and the American way. Super Man got just as much media attention also.

[0dyguru]

There were two shooters - the sniper was an old enemy hired by Red Skull, and the last three bullets were from his wife, who had been brainwashed by Dr. Faustus posing as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent pretending to be Magneto pretending to be Xorn. Classic comic book death. He ain't going nowhere.

Actually, there where three shooters. Electra was seen on the grassy knoll.

~0dyguru

[Question]

What about the ones who were invisible or shooting from an alternate dimension?

[asynd]

after all he's been through.....a sniper? thats not a cool way to go out.

[BrianGeneral]

New law of Anime-Comic-Games in this century:
If you don't see a character was clearly shown he/she has no chance of survival, then he/she isn't dead yet and can still come back after a while.

Seriously, if Superman can be shown as dead in the past, he can also do the same and come back. Especially he's not being shot in the head.;)

[MechanicusAngel]

Temp death till he gets resurrected. Hes too profitable a character to be killed permanently.
Amen my friend,
If you've every read two time spaced X-men comics, you'll see, everyone always seems to come back.

[Weavern]

I highly doubt he will be back for quite some time. The interviews I have seen have stated that they wanted hsi death to be meaningful and to actually carry weight rather then the reoccuring death escapes and etc that has plagued the genre previously. Now this isnt to say he wont eventually come back, but it is highly doubtful it will be anytime soon.

[Lor]

I have to say I agree with Weavern here, Captain America may live on (as mentioned on the first page) with another Hero taking up the shield, but i think Steve Rogers will remain dead.

A quick point about the news coverage: Cap was an inspiration to the American people around the time of WW2, and has been a symbol of America for about 60 years! It may not be RL, but IMHO his death is news worthy non the less.

[PanzerLehr]

Civil war was a good series, i thought. I laughed a lot when Cap was trying to take in some super-villains to fight on his side, and The Punisher (my fav character) just both in the head - then realizes everybody is looking at him and asks "what? - they were criminals - i had to shoot them..."
That punisher guy :-)

last issue i read in the whole civil war thing, they were saying he wasnt dead yet, but i dont read american papers, so i guess he must be dead after all..

[Gorb]

Course he's not dead.

How many times did Superman "die"? Come on, Captain America's too popular to be killed off. Although choosing a sniper is the easy way out, other than getting an invincible alien to do it.

I would have prefered a better ending, really.

[MagosMechanicus]

So that's what this was. Didn't get it at first.
http://www.shortpacked.com/comics/20070312cap.png
Can't say I care much, really. Hardly ever heard about him here on the other side of the pond.