If this isn’t foreshadowing then I don’t know what is.
I awoke this morning to find a headline that reads, “Comic book hero Captain America dies.”
Intrigued, I followed the link thinking maybe some man who dressed as Captain America to thrill children and instill morals in them during the 1950’s had died at the hearty age of 94 (which still would have been interesting in terms of foreshadowing). However, I was wrong.
“NEW YORK – Captain America has undertaken his last mission — at least for now. The venerable superhero is killed in the issue of his namesake comic that hit stands Wednesday, the Daily News reported.”
Why I continued reading, I really have no idea. I’m glad I did because I learned that Captain America was first created to boost patriotism during the second World War, as a “foe” for Adolf Hitler.
And now he’s been killed off of his own series. Perhaps the creators realized people don’t think America is cool anymore, resulting in a decrease in sales.
I’m actually a little scared, because when Captain America dies you know shit is really hitting the fan.
Read the full article here.
As a comix fan meself (meeja whore ya see
, I must comment that deaths of major characters are usually marketing ploys. Superman dead, 1992. Resurrected and still selling to this day. Professor Xavier of the X-Men dead – big fat crossover storyline confusing the heck out of everyone (and trying to get everyone to buy more issues) because it was his own son that went back in time to kill him, creating a paradox. And you guessed it, he came back eventually.
As for a movie, well, Marvel’s so gung-ho that they’re now financing their own movies, I don’t think they’ve wised up that superhero films are starting to suck a bit. X-Men 3 was a giant cluster-mess that didn’t need to mention Phoenix / Dark Phoenix AT ALL. Ghost Rider was OK but it was a pet project for Nic Cage (a mahoosive fanboy geek who desperately tried to hide it behind the auteur crap he spouted in interviews about it). Trouble is, he was waaaay too old to play the part. Although the two riders ’saddling up’ with ‘Ghost Riders in the Sky’ playing almost redeems the whole film. Heh heh.
Ahem. Forgive me, I do not wish to hijack your topic.
Superman was the original superhero, and hey, he stands for ‘truth, justice, and the American way’ – he was resurrected ages ago. I wouldn’t worry too much that it’s a sign of a lack of patriotism in America. More likely, if it’s perceived that way, well, it will sell more comix!
Comment by london_meeja_whore — March 7, 2007 @ 2:04 pm
I’m hardly concerned about a lack of patriotism in this country (which is nothing new), I’m merely suggesting this is foreshadowing for the downfall of the American Empire; it is so painfully obvious we are slowly dying as a country.
Every empire falls and we are no exception.
Comment by annie lou — March 7, 2007 @ 2:15 pm
And for the record, Ghost Rider sucked ass.
Comment by annie lou — March 7, 2007 @ 2:22 pm
You wrote “And now he’s been killed off of his own series. Perhaps the creators realized people don’t think America is cool anymore, resulting in a decrease in sales.” So naturally I assumed you were concerned that people don’t like the USA anymore.
Can’t say I disagree with you that the USA has some serious issues. But, it is just a comic book, and I don’t think it signifies the creators or the readership are convinced the USA is dying, as I say, it’s probably just a marketing ploy. (He’ll probably come back anyway! – superhero dead is never real dead!)
Comment by london_meeja_whore — March 7, 2007 @ 3:56 pm
I also see it as the end of an era in a way. For one thing the Nazis and Communism are no longer the enemy. Instead the “enemy” is more insideous and unknown. Who would Captain America fight but the creepy figure in the dark alley or the guys training in a terrorist camp in the desert?
Times are changing, and so are our ideas of what a hero is. Intellect over brute force seems to be the way. I’m sure that one of the hundred children that Captain America fathered will keep his legacy living as a new superhero
Comment by Eric Brown — March 7, 2007 @ 4:53 pm