Killing Cap: The Death of an American Icon

He's to the Marvel Universe what Superman is to Detective Comics, or was. He's one of the most beloved comic book characters of all time. He's Captain America, and now, he's dead.

He's a comic book character, so what's the big deal?

The answer to that lies in the essence that made up the character of Steve Rogers. With Superman if someone wanted to turn the Man of Steel away from being an American superhero, desipite the fact that he stood for "Truth, Justice, and the American Way", it's not so hard to do - and the minds behind Superman Returns admitted to doing that, by leaving out the fact that he stands for the American Way. With Captian America you can't do that, for the greatness that is the United States of America stands at the center of the essence of Cap's heroism as a character. He fought Hitler, Communism, and terrorists all in defense of keeping America safe in the world of Marvel.

So why kill him? Personally, I think it's comic book writers trying to play politics and be relevant in a world where comics often exist to take us from reality and show us something better. For this reason I stayed away from the "Civil War" storyline. In an attempt to be current and put their own spin on measures like the Patriot Act, they've killed an icon, saying in effect that America no longer enjoys the status among the world that it once did, and that it should not, because America is no better than anyone else. Such a sad thing to try and say, just like the creators of the Matrix tried to say with V for Vendetta; in so doing, the comic book world has lost one who could be said to have been it's greatest hero.

So long Cap, let's hope I still one day get to see you on the silver screen, once again to show how great our beloved America really is.