So this past weekend was Free Comic Book Day. Yes it's exactly how it sounds. Companies put out singular free issues for release on FCBD in order to give people previews on upcoming series or storyarcs. This year Marvel released two: An All New Guardians of the Galaxy one and a Secret Empire one.
Now it is no mystery that the emergence of this "Hydra" Cap has been an issue of controversy. Steve Rogers was created to be the embodiment of the American ideal, and as such people have looked to him as a light through the darkest of times throughout comic book history. However, this reaction is a bit much:
I would like to start off by saying that I understand everyone's right to free speech. I also understood why people burned the first issue of Spencer's run of Captain America: Steve Rogers in protest, however, this is just stupid. Ultimately what does burning a free comic book that you chose to pick up do? It honestly kinda makes you look like an asshole (not to mention that the second half of this book is an AMAZING preview at the new Spectacular Spider-Man series hitting the shelf in June). I get it Steve Rogers as Hydra is not something anyone should be happy about, but that's not an argument that Spencer has ever made during his run on the book. This whole arc is a bravely written story that actually tries to shed some light on the state of a splintered country.
Now I obviously can't accuse any of these people of not reading the run, however, I can accuse of them of misinterpretation or missing the point. A while back I wrote a post that describes the importance of this very series, not just to marvel, but our current society. The creation of this arc, in a lot of ways, serves as an analogy for what's become of us as a country. Recently I found a quote about Captain America in a book called Take That Adolf! The Fighting Comic Books of the Second World War (written by Mark Fertig) said by comic book legend Jim Steranko:
He was the American Truth. The face unrevealed behind the mask was ours.I'd like to think that remains true. The truth of the American spirit is Steve Rogers. However, where has that spirit ended up recently? We recently had an election where hate was the center focus. I am not making accusations to rhetoric attached to either side (though it most certainly was there), but people straight up chose their votes out of hate. Whether it was for a candidate, or for people with different thoughts and beliefs, or for people with different orientations, or even skin color, this election was determined by hate. In an America like that is it any wonder that this is what Steve became in this arc?
You see, if you ask me, this has been the entire point of Spencer's run all along. When paired along with Sam Wilson's Captain America title, you get a very dark painting to how far we have fallen as a country. Spencer has gotten a lot of flack since that first issue of Captain America: Steve Rogers, but I honestly feel that he made quite possibly the bravest call in writing that anyone has in years. Yes, he turned Steve Rogers into the very thing he was meant to fight. It hurts, it is a punch to the gut and is tough to read, because each issue you are hoping that Steve snaps out of it, but the fact is that this is Steve Rogers just not the one we grew to love.
Furthermore, in an age where making heroes fall to villainy is a constant (look at the success of Injustice: Gods Among Us), it was kind of odd we never saw this coming sooner, and with that we should at least appreciate that the writing for it is so damn good. Steve Rogers has proven to be quite possibly the most horrifying Marvel villain I have seen in a long time. From moments in his own title, to his puppeteer act throughout the Civil War II event, and ESPECIALLY his villain monologue that is Civil War II: The Oath, Steve has taken all the things that have made him essential to fighting evil over the past 75 years of creation and he has used it to put Hydra on top of the world. He has beaten all the super heroes, and more horrifying than that is still worthy of wielding Mjolnir (as revealed in the FCBD issue). This whole arc has been hard to read, my stomach has knotted at times. Captain America is my favorite superhero, and on top of that I was raised Jewish, so the idea that he become Hydra hurts more than most could understand. However, great writing is just that, and it serves a purpose. So rather than burn a free comic book in order to protest, perhaps you should actually take time to read the arc and understand exactly what Spencer was trying to do. He is after all a professional comic book writer, so he has a bit of an inkling on layering a story.
On a side note, I want to thank everyone who has become my audience here. I have over 20 posts up, but you guys are what make doing it worth it. I have officially garnished over 1,000 reads on my posts, and while that is a tiny milestone for the modern internet, I still sincerely wish to thank all of you for your continued support!
Additionally, I dedicate this article to John Barber, one of the best friends I have ever made. Initially this article was more of a rant, and I was not seeing clearly and said things that I feel would have been taken as me being ignorant or incredibly judgmental. John verbally slapped some sense into me from across the country (as is his usual) and got me to edit it. Thanks for having my back man, and I hope you enjoyed the article!
This has been another edition of Comic Relief! Thanks for reading and we will see you again here soon!
No comments:
Post a Comment