White(As Snow) Red (As Blood) and Blue (As Other Clever Analogy Here)
Hello, I’m Odin Ashcroft, and its time to return to the main Marvel Universe, picking up where we left off in my Civil War article. Vegas brought up a point which I thought would be best saved from the major event, because, in itself was a major event. And here we are, going over the ramifications of Captain America's death, as well as his life, and eventual...well, I'm getting ahead of myself. So, I’m thinking it might be best to give everyone an idea who and what Captain America was by the point of Civil War before we reach our main topic.
As everyone probably knows, Captain America is one of the most recognizable American icons in not only comics, but in our nation’s culture. Though one of hundreds of patriotically based super heroes (which, come to think of it, I can use for a Fourth of July segment. Trust me when I say there is a LOT of Red, White, And Blue hued heroes running around), Captain America stands at the top, having been around since WWII. Speaking of which, this is where we pick up. Captain America was the product of an project developed between the American government and a defected German scientist known as Dr.Erskine, which would be called Operation: Rebirth. Before, Steve Rogers was a frail but very patriotic American who tried many times to join in the Allied War effort, but due to his poor health, he was turned down every time. But his will and determination impressed certain officials, and soon, he was the candidate for Operation: Rebirth. Once it was carried through, Steve Rogers was indeed “reborn”, into the very super soldier the Allies had wished to create. But, sadly, before Rogers could stop him, an Axis assassin was able to shoot and kill Dr.Erskine, before being slain by an enraged Rogers. With Erskine’s death, there would be no further Super Soldiers, as he never committed his theories and invention schematics to paper, all in his mind. So, with their one single asset from the project, they provided an indestructible shield (which was used in both offensive and defensive capabilities) and a protective yet patriotic costume, becoming CAPTAIN AMERICA!
And that’s his origin in a nutshell. And he proved to be a highly morale boosting figure during WWII, used to inspire many of its readers (which at this time, was primarily both children AND adults. Yeah, back then, reading comic books was “socially acceptable”), outselling magazines like Time. Fighting both Nazis, Japanese, and various super powered threats, Captain America was joined by many normal Allied soldiers and many other costumed figures, including his trusty ward (I mean partner <..<) Bucky. However, their popularity quickly dipped, much like other super heroes shortly after the war. Which would explain Captain America would disappear for sometime, until the 60s. As it would turn out, during their last mission together, Captain America and Bucky attempted to defuse an armed explosive device upon a remote controlled plane, which ended in the apparent death of Bucky and Captain America to be hurled into the frozen waters of the Northern Atlantic. Twenty years would pass before events led to the Captain’s return. The character and the series he was in would result in both positive and negative results, as a character created for WWII would find it hard to relevant as time went by.
The 60s and 70s would find Captain America handling issues from racism (of course, at the time, he was partnered with a highly blaxotpized African American hero, The Falcon) to political scandals (taking heavily from events like Watergate and the like). The 80s saw Captain America tackle even more political and social issues as he faced terrorist organizations (such as ULTIMATUM and its leader, the anti-nationalist Flagsmasher), vigilantism (such as Scourge of the Underworld, a personal favorite of mine and will certainly get a topic of his own in the future), and even things such as the homeless and homophobia. But, the following decade would literally make Captain America most irrelevant and sadly, a bad joke. I would go into great detail, but this exposition has gone on far too long…so I’ll sum it up with this…
Cap-Wolf. A-yup. You can’t make this **** up.
But, in the 2000s, Captain America quickly became relevant again as threats rose in both the real world and the comic book Earth. Captain America’s stories became far less grounded in comic book heroics and were more written like political thrillers which were like 24 meets the Avengers. This led to more realistic goals and plots made by now deadly serious villians, such as his ever recurring arch nemesis, the Red Skull as well as his daughter, Sin and the assassain known as Crossbones. But, that’s enough exposition for now, back to where we left off…
After the end of Civil War, we find Steve Rogers, who surrendered to authorities and was indicted on multiple criminal charges. As he is brought to a federal courthouse, he is shot in the back by Crossbones, and during the chaos, is critically wounded by Sharon Carter, an old flame of his, who was under the hypnotic sway of Dr.Faustus. All this, we would later learned was orchestrated by known other than the Red Skull, all part of a much larger plot conspired by him, and his various allies. Captain America dies, and the entire world is shaken by it and in their own ways, mourn his passing and the passing of an era. One of which, you may recall, is that a certain vigilante taking Captain America’s discarded mask and…
Yeah. Don’t worry, this didn’t last long at all. But, we’ll get to that later…
The mini series called “FALLEN SON: The Death of Captain America” chronicles the various members of the hero community as they are deeply impacted by the passing of a hero, a friend, and a mentor, formed by the five stages of grief: from Denial (Wolverine being unable to accept that Captain America, of all people, would be assassinated so easily), Anger (Namor the Submariner, who not only fought alongside Captain America in the Avengers, but also fought with him way back in WWII, unleashes his fury over the whole ordeal on a C-list villain like Tiger Shark) Bargaining (Iron Man, feeling deeply guilty that he had a hand in Cap’s death, seeks the best candidate to replace Captain America), Depression (Spider-Man, reeling not only from Captain America’s death but also the death all the loved ones he’s lost in his long career), and finally, Acceptance, which highlighted the public funeral held for Captain America (on a level of ceremony saved usually for a president) as heroes new and old, as well as loved ones and people he’s touched /saved. It looked back at each hero, seeing how they would learn to deal with the new world that faced them, as well as the great loss they had all suffered. But, the world would not be without a Captain America for very long, even if it wasn’t the ORIGINAL Captain. After this mini series, and the events involving “Captain Punisher”, The new Captain America was revealed to be none other than…
BUCKY!?
Okay, I’m leaving out a good deal of exposition and explanation, so, once more, time for a comic history lesson folks! Please put the pitchforks and torches down…thank you. So, as short as possible, let me explain how it all led up to this point for Bucky. Going way back to where the fateful explosion where his life was supposedly taken and Captain America was placed into suspended animation, Bucky was in fact alive but ,missing one arm and suffering from brain damage with amnesia. Founded by General Vasily Karpov and the crew of a Russian patrol submarine, the cold preserved form of Bucky was revived and equipped with a bionic arm in Moscow. Programmed to be a Soviet assassin, Bucky was given the codename : The Winter Soldier. Sent to covert wetworks missions, he became increasingly ruthless and efficient in the kills he committed in the name of the state. While not on missions, he was kept in cryogenic stasis, which would explain why he has only age a few years, appearing only to be a young adult today. It would later be learned he was involved in many event in the Marvel Universe, such as his involvement in Wolverine’s escape from Weapon X laboratories. It was only in the modern day when Captain America learns of his former partner’s existence, of course after the apparent assassinations of many people in the Captain’s life. Only through direct confrontation and the use of the miniature Deus ex Machina that is known to the Marvel universe as Cosmic Cube, does Bucky remember, he becomes overwhelmed with guilt for all that he’s done. He destroys the Cosmic Cube before he teleports away.
After a few minor encounters after that, Tony Stark received a post humous letter from Steve Rogers, telling him to continue the legacy of Captain America with Bucky, which Stark found Winter Soldier, showing him the letter and was convinced to take on the role of his mentor, but on the condition that he was an independent agent, who will not answer to Stark, S.H.I.E.L.D or the Initiative. And such, this led to Bucky Barnes to become the new Captain America. Wearing a new costume laced with adamantium, Bucky carries the sheild but as the soldier he was, carries a pistol and a combat knife as well (Still a better direction to where Captain Punisher was going <..< ).
Once he became Captain America, he began thwarting the plots and stages that Red Skull was inacting in his over-arching plan, gaining public applause after saving the Democratic and Republican presidential canidates from assassination, as well as later. Red Skull’s plans fall around him as his allies undermine him (Like Faustus tampering with Sharon’s mental programming so she could rebel) and her daughters botching the assassination of Gordon Wright (his third party puppet for the presidency. Red Skull escapes only through his conscious being transferred into a robotic body used by Arnim Zola…So, looked like this…
Well, it actually looked a bit better later with a mask/head attachement and fashion readjustment…
Better but not by much…
And so, today, Bucky is still Captain America and seemed to be getting popular appeal from fans everywhere,as the Captain America comic run of Ed Brubaker (Beginning in 2004, Brubaker has been writing everything from the Winter Soldiers introduction and back story, Captain America’s death, and Bucky taking on the mantle) has been one of the most memorable runs involving the Captain America corner of the Marvel Universe. And now, he is involved in the ongoing storyline that will see the return of Captain America (Yeah, that didn’t last long, I know). I wont spoil the details of this plot, but apparently it’ll work, but already a question is coming up : Who Will Wield The Shield?
And given the popularity of both the new Captain and the long standing Captain, it could go either way. I say this because Captain America has been known to take on different identites, such as in the 70s when he became Nomad when he became disillusioned with the American government,
Yeah…”Nomad”…And then there was that time he became“The Captain” in the 80s when he resigned the role after the U.S. government commision ordered him to work directly FOR the American Government, something he once more questioned after the “Nuke” incident in New York City ( referring to a character named Nuke, a later attempt in replicating the Super Soldier program).
Now, this I thought was a cool design, but it was then used for “the poor man’s Captain America”, U.S.Agent. So, in short, Steve Rogers ISNT guranteed to be Captain America by the end of all this, but then, I’ve seen good qualities in both Caps, and wonder what the future could bring…
I’m just praying that there are no deals with the Devil at the end of this one (GAH! Its happened, I’ve made a Brand New Day joke X3 I’m officially a jaded comic book reviewer/editorial writer). Well, that’s all that need to be covered on this issue. I hope I presented you all with the look into the life of THE patriotic hero of comics (though many would also say Superman, but he’s been made into more a hero of EARTH, as opposed to just America, which I think is acceptable, but that’s another topic entirely). I’m Odin Ashcroft, and I’m your comic book wuff. I read it so I can interest you in it too!
*Salutes the hanging Captain America Shield on his wall before heading out*
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Originally Posted by Fenryx
