The death of Captain America

Marvel1 · Forum Member Joined: May 30, 2002 Posts: 75

Opinions? Here is the article:

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.

On the new edition's pages, a sniper shoots down the shield-wielding hero as he leaves a courthouse, according to the newspaper.

It ends a long run for the stars-and-stripes-wearing character, created in 1941 to incarnate patriotic feeling during World War II. Over the years, an estimated 210 million copies of "Captain America" comic books, published by New York-based Marvel Entertainment Inc., have been sold in a total of 75 countries.

But resurrections are not unknown in the world of comics, and Marvel Entertainment editor in chief Joe Quesada said a Captain America comeback wasn't impossible.

Still, the character's death came as a blow to co-creator Joe Simon.

"We really need him now," said Simon, 93, who worked with artist Jack Kirby to devise Captain America as a foe for Adolf Hitler.

According to the comic, the superhero was spawned when a scrawny arts student named Steve Rogers, ineligible for the army because of his poor health but eager to serve his country, agreed to a "Super Soldier Serum" injection. The substance made him a paragon of physical perfection, armed only with his shield, his strength, his smarts and a command of martial arts.

In the comic-book universe, death is not always final. But even if Captain America turns out to have met his end in print, he may not disappear entirely: Marvel has said it is developing a Captain America movie.

Hasdrubal · Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 11:44 am Post subject: Re: The death of Captain America

Is it just me, or does it seem not to matter as much since Marvel wiped out the continuity with their older stories?

Cap as envisioned by Lee, Simon, and Kirby is my all time favorite character, but his permanent death wouldn't upset me. I haven't liked the character since Steve Englehart became the writer. I would be more upset if Steve hadn't turned the character into a wussy 30 years ago. Things haven't changed much since then.

After the Civil War story, I wouldn't get too upset if the entire Marvel Universe were wiped out. That's what happens when corporate losers run a company into the ground over decades.

Ironbear · Forum Member Joined: Nov 06, 2001 Posts: 1054

Heh. I just saw that at Stuff.co.nz and was on my way here to post it. You beat me to it. ;]

Captain America shot dead at 66

"Shot by a sniper"?!? (o0)

What - did Marvel hold a contest to see who could come up with the lamest end for an Icon possible, and that was the winner? That'd be like Spiderman getting killed by the Black Shrike.

I hate to have to agree with Hasdrubal. Cap hasn't been handled well by Marvel since Kirby. The last writer/artist to really do justice to the character was Frank Miller in an all-to-brief sequence in his Daredevil/Kingpin arc.

Captain America: Requisat en pace.
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invader · Forum Member Joined: Jun 02, 2002 Posts: 34 Location: USA

Posted a pic here to express my feelings on this subject.

http://heromorph.com/heromorph2/modules/myalbum4/photo.php?lid=1194

Hasdrubal · Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 7:39 pm Post subject: Re: The death of Captain America

Here's a question for you older guys. Wasn't "The Death of Captain Marvel" graphic novel handled sooooo muuuuuch better?

Mar-Vell's ending was much more dignified. Of course one quick wish on a cosmic cube would bring both Captains back from the other side (if they can shake off the rigor mortis and decomposition).

Wonderman never has shaken off the rigor. He's the one character who should have stayed dead.

If I had my own cosmic cube I would wipe out all events in the Marvel Universe from the point in time after Editor Archie Goodwin died.

Ironbear · Forum Member Joined: Nov 06, 2001 Posts: 1054

Yes it was, definately. A sniper. Sheesh.

Best "death become artform" IMO was the Death of Superman arc by DC. They let the archetype of all superheroes go out with style, dammit.

Best told but worst end for a super was Ms. Marvel in the Ms. Marvel, X-Men, Avengers crossover. VERY well done - but a truly screwed way to treat a major character.

Hell... even Jean Grey got better treatment in the oft maligned "Death of Phoenix" saga than it seems Cap did.

I'm going to go back to my theory - I see no reason to change my opinion on it

- Marvel has no idea what to do with the Captain America Archetype. They're so far out of touch - writers, artists et al - with the ideals behind being both American and a Hero that a lame story arc and an embarassing end is all they can come up with to do with him.
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dlfurman · Forum Member Joined: Jun 18, 2002 Posts: 97

Heh.

It wasn't a sniper what done it.

Ironbear · Forum Member Joined: Nov 06, 2001 Posts: 1054

Bad reporting in the article, then?
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dlfurman · Forum Member Joined: Jun 18, 2002 Posts: 97

Well...
I think the reporter did not want to give away all the details (ie, BUY the book and read it for yourself)

Yes, a sniper shot Captain America.
The sniper's shot is not what "killed" him.

Ironbear · Forum Member Joined: Nov 06, 2001 Posts: 1054

No thanks - I'll wait for the movie.

*snork* Pretty sad excuse for a sniper then. Putting steel-on-target usually results in death by natural causes.

[Terminal lead poisoning is a pretty natural cause.

]
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dlfurman · Forum Member Joined: Jun 18, 2002 Posts: 97

SPOILERS.......because you really want to know

As the crowd is in panic becuase the sniper fires two more shots, while Cap lies on the courthouse steps from the snipers bullet, his mind-controlled girlfriend whips out a pistol and fires a shot into his gut at close range. Yeah, nobody saw it.

magnetmage · Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 1:30 pm Post subject: Re: The death of Captain America

Hmmm... a "mind controlled" girl fires a shot into his gut?

Sounds an awful lot like Adama being shot in the gut by Boomer on the new Battlestar Galactica. I suppose comics always did steal from other sci-fi...

Well, as they say, if you're gonna steal, steal from the best.

MoeGoofie · Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 9:10 am Post subject: Re: The death of Captain America

is that all it takes to kill a superhero? they better start wearing bullet proof supersuits.
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Hasdrubal · Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 4:47 pm Post subject: Re: The death of Captain America

Now that some time has passed, I feel it my patriotic duty to nominate a replacement for Cap.

I nominate Kenny from South Park as his replacement. Kenny is a real American and won't stay dead. No matter how many damned times he's been killed and sent to Hell, he never quits.

Kennny would never quit his job, and assume a wussy hero name like "Nomad". Isn't that right Mr. Hat???

invader · Forum Member Joined: Jun 02, 2002 Posts: 34 Location: USA

Kenny's o.k., but I'll take WWE's Ric Flair. This guy has been wrestling since Cap was a baby, as he's still going strong today. Slick Ric is what the super soldier serum is made from.