Fallen Hero, Captain America, 1941-2007
Posted on March 8, 2007
Filed Under Books/Magazines
One of my favorite Marvel characters dies today… This is from the national post.
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Captain America, the red-white-and-blue comic-book hero created to fight the Nazis and resurrected in the 1960s to battle Communists and terrorists, is dead. He was 66. His less-super alter ego, Steve Rogers, would have been 89.
The patriotic superhero, whose trademark shield was emblazoned with the Stars and Stripes, was gunned down by a sniper as he left a courthouse in the latest edition of his comic book, published by Marvel Entertainment Inc. (At press time, The Beguiling on Markham Street still had copies for sale).
Before he started swathing himself in his country’s colours, Captain America was scrawny New York teen Steve Rogers, who reached his “ultimate human potential” after volunteering to be injected with Super Soldier serum during the Second World War. While it didn’t give him superpowers in the traditional comic-book sense of the word, it did give him freakish strength, speed and smarts.
e is survived by his trusty sidekick Bucky — born James Buchanan Barnes — and mourned by his creator, 93-year old Joe Simon. “It’s a hell of time for him to go,” Simon, who with artist Jack Kirby dreamed up Captain America in 1941 as a foe for Adolf Hitler — told the New York Daily News. “We really need him now.”
Marvel has sold more than 10 million copies of Captain America comic books in 75 countries around the world.
Of course, comic-book heroes have been known to bounce back from such minor setbacks as death — Superman’s demise in 1993 being the most notable example — and Marvel Entertainment editor-in-chief Joe Quesada told the Associated Press yesterday that a Captain America comeback “wasn’t impossible.”
Regardless of whether he comes back to life in print, Captain America fans will get another chance to see their hero in action in a big-screen adaptation scheduled for release in 2009.
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Of course there is a movie in the works. What kind of company would Marvel be without capatalizing on such a great asset as Captain America?
Wow. I didn’t even know this and I thought I was pretty up to speed on the things that take place in the world of comics. I never really liked Cap but I know he is probably the most symbolic character in comics next to maybe Superman in that he represents America personified. His death could make for some really good stories if played right. he’ll probably be back in a yer or maybe a new character will pick up the mantle.