The Hero Reflects His Era

[sechan19]

There is an absolutely brilliant editorial, on the recent death of Marvel Comics' Captain America, in this morning's Washington Post. In it, the author discusses how changing American values have effected the iconic hero and what can be learned from this latest incarnation and his untimely death.

O Captain! Our Captain! Hero's Day Is Done (Washington Post)

Comments

[lordameth.livejournal.com]

Seems a poor way to go. Captain America's better than that, to simply fall victim to a sniper. When I read the headline, I thought maybe he'd died at the end of the recent Civil War arc, which would at least have meant a dramatic end to a major series of events. This seems just anti-climactic.

Besides, the article's wrong - he seems to have forgotten about when Cap died a few years back (2000-2001? or so), in a church in middle America, captured by neo-Nazis with a nuke.

Well, whatever. He'll be back soon. He's just far too iconic, like Superman, to ever actually stay dead.

[reteva.livejournal.com]

According to a NY Times article, his death was somewhat linked with the Civil War storyline as Captain America had been pursuing a civil liberties suit to protect his identity when he was killed. But I think you're right about it being anti-climatic. It seems to me, though, that the mundaneness of his death says a lot about current American values.

[unapperent.livejournal.com]

Wow. that is a very heavy hit!