News from Marvel

[sdelmonte]

So...there's word of a big thing in Captain America #25

SPOILERS ABOUND!!!

Apparently, Captain America is dead. Shot by a sniper in a plot against him by his enemy the Red Skull.

I haven't read this, nor am I likely to. But it was sold out at my comic shop. And Marvel has suddenly announced a number of specials related to the Death of Captain America.

Show of hands. Anyone think he's really dead? Or that if he is, he'll stay dead? Anyone else tired of this?

Now it's possible that there will be a lot of good stories emerging from this. The year following Superman's death was one of the best years to be a reader of the Superman titles. That was the year we got Steel and Kon-El. And Ed Brubaker is a very good writer.

But it got old in 1993. Killing a major hero in the comics is probably the most cynical thing a publisher can do. Never mind that Marvel is going from Event to Event to Event, without a break, draining the wallets of its loyal fans ad nauseum.

Now if Marvel really intends to leave him dead at least for a couple of years, I might be impressed. But I really can't say I expect it.

And let's add one more thing...I don't want to see Captain America dead. He's a great character and also a great symbol. Is Marvel saying he's outdated?

And if he is going to die, he deserves to go out fighting. Killed by a sniper? That's sort of anticlimactic.

If you actually read it, I'd love to know what you think.

Comments

[wickedtrue.livejournal.com]

Wait, what. WHAT? Brubaker killed Cap?!

If they killed him with a sniper, then I'm sure there is supposed to be the hint its Bucky, but it isn't because he's cleaning himself up, and then we have a sniper to sniper showdown between the Winter Soldier and who ever knocked off the Cap. And after I just went and looked up that comic, I was close without even knowing the circumstances.

I'll admit it. After such a bumbling job with Civil War, I stopped paying attention to Marvel. I barely pay attention to Astonishing X-men, and I love that book. Just like you said, they are wandering from event to event without any sort of planning between them. They really need a bloody group think already.

He's dead (really) for a few months. Then, if there is enough fan interest, it will be retconned that it was a double so Cap could join the underground and fight Iron Man without worry about jail. Can't jail a dead dude!

Whatever, Marvel. You'll always be my first comic love, but right now, I'm looking at the younger independents and thinking they're lookin' pretty good.

[sdelmonte]

A pretty smart review can be found here and the killer is not who you might expect.

[wickedtrue.livejournal.com]

That's the one I found! I know, I saw. You're lead in different places before you get to the real killer.

He is and he isn't dead. While I've now seen bits of this one, and I do trust Brubaker, I really do, I'm eh on Marvel as a whole. May be this will be their turning point. One can hope.

[zellion.livejournal.com]

I just think that MSN.com having a "CAPTAIN AMERICA KILLED OFF" headline on their front page is pretty lame in regards to spoilers.

[silveraspen]

(Hopping in here to respond to both of you.)

Huh. I do not know what to think, actually. I'm considering popping by the local comic shop to see if they have it, though.

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

And it was a lead story on the radio this morning.

[the_croupier]

I was pretty 'meh' about the whole thing. Brubaker's Winter Soldier one-shot a couple of months ago was much, much better, and so has his run on Captain America up to now. But this issue was a big letdown after that great run, for all the same reasons Civil War was.

And, of course, also because there's just no suspense involved. I remember 1993 too, and you're absolutely right--the stories got old fast. This one is old right out of the gate. Cap will end up alive, Susan's memory will turn out to be a false plant, blah, blah.

The only saving grace of the story at this point is Winter Soldier, who appeals precisely because he is now the Dick Grayson of the Marvel Universe, and Brubaker knows how to get the most out of that while still allowing Bucky to be a different person. If Marvel really does plan to run with Cap's death, my only hope will be for a Winter Soldier series so I can read that one instead.

[aisforamy]

*shakes head sadly*

I picked up the title, but haven't read it yet. I was spoiled already, so it wasn't a surprise, but puh-leeese. Why was he still wearing his costume after being in prison for days, and why, after all these years, wasn't it bullet proof?

If they had to kill him off, I wish it could have been with a lot more dignity, and that they had let him go down fighting.

[signy1.livejournal.com]

I'm wondering if this isn't going to tie into 1602 somehow. Remember-- Rojhaz said that there was some kind of backlash against heroes, that he 'died' in the chaos and ended up in the past. The end of 1602 had Rojhaz and an alternate Nick Fury going back to our time.

So... Steve Rogers is 'dead'. And Nick Fury's been missing for some time now. Anyone else want to bet that Cap-- Fury at his side-- will come back to life with two long braids?

[campkilkare]

This doesn't match that--that was an alternate future where the Purple Man was President.(And uh, strongly resembled GWB.)

Which is too bad, because that's a cool idea.

[mannoftalent.livejournal.com]

I haven't read the issue, but did hear about it. Also I've been reading Civil War & Frontline, and here is my suspicion.

Steve Rogers needs to figure out what he stands for, and what kind of country he actually lives in.

Sally Floyd took him to task for starting a war and getting people killed without really understanding the values of the country (America) he claimed to represent.

I'd love to see Steve Rogers go on walkabout. Try to life his life without having to be a walking symbol of an ideal.

I think it's also important that Cap disappear for awhile. He's become too much of a lightning rod for resistance to the registration act. Let the "Initiave" have a shot. See what works in a world with a superhero team in every state, and what doesn't.

When things go to far, Cap will be back...