CAPTAIN AMERICA #345, Marvel Comics, September 1988
A Captain America movie (a PROPER Captain America movie) before the Avengers goes out? All part of the plan, apparently. But if I'm being true to 80s Avengers Week, I have to ask WHICH Captain America are we talking about?
In the late 80s, Captain America was one of the first heroes to be replaced by a dark and edgy hero (he did it before it was cool), in his case a super-strong puppet of the government, when Steve Rogers decided not to toe the line. Since they owned the trademark on his name and costume, he had to give it up (kind of like Joe Simon in court against Marvel Comics). He didn't give up the good fight however, and sporting a black, white and red uniform, he kept going as The Captain.
But this new Captain America isn't such a bad dude. Just a bit... unstable. This issue focuses more on him, though the real Cap is in here too, mostly running from the feds, weighing his options on the shoulder of the Lincoln Memorial (such a Captain America thing to do), paying Nomad's bar tab (that guy's a real ass) and finally turning himself over to the Commission responsible for this whole storyline (and holding his entire supporting cast). He barges in with a kick-ass "I don't need an appointment" too.
But John "New Cap" Walker has problems of his own. His parents have been captured by a survivalist/racist group called the Watchdogs who want to draw him out for some southern style revengin'. These poor folks don't even know their son is the new Cap.
Well, the Watchdogs are gonna hang themselves a Captain America. But this guy's got guts. He swings himself off the gallows, rips the beam apart and slams into the Watchdogs:
As you can see, when this Cap hits, he breaks skin. And he's not too concerned about getting these guys alive.
And THEN, his parents get shot. In order: He breaks two necks, smashes a guy's face in with a rifle butt, slams a guy clear through a large support beam, sends a pitchfork through another (see? the Watchdogs have guts too), and then, to finish things off...
...he uses the other end of his noose to strangle a guy! Now if you think this dude can keep being Captain America for much longer, check out the last panel of the comic and get back to me with a professional opinion.
He can, however, switch costumes with Cap again and call himself the USAgent. That's fine.
A Captain America movie (a PROPER Captain America movie) before the Avengers goes out? All part of the plan, apparently. But if I'm being true to 80s Avengers Week, I have to ask WHICH Captain America are we talking about?In the late 80s, Captain America was one of the first heroes to be replaced by a dark and edgy hero (he did it before it was cool), in his case a super-strong puppet of the government, when Steve Rogers decided not to toe the line. Since they owned the trademark on his name and costume, he had to give it up (kind of like Joe Simon in court against Marvel Comics). He didn't give up the good fight however, and sporting a black, white and red uniform, he kept going as The Captain.
But this new Captain America isn't such a bad dude. Just a bit... unstable. This issue focuses more on him, though the real Cap is in here too, mostly running from the feds, weighing his options on the shoulder of the Lincoln Memorial (such a Captain America thing to do), paying Nomad's bar tab (that guy's a real ass) and finally turning himself over to the Commission responsible for this whole storyline (and holding his entire supporting cast). He barges in with a kick-ass "I don't need an appointment" too.
But John "New Cap" Walker has problems of his own. His parents have been captured by a survivalist/racist group called the Watchdogs who want to draw him out for some southern style revengin'. These poor folks don't even know their son is the new Cap.
Well, the Watchdogs are gonna hang themselves a Captain America. But this guy's got guts. He swings himself off the gallows, rips the beam apart and slams into the Watchdogs:
As you can see, when this Cap hits, he breaks skin. And he's not too concerned about getting these guys alive.
And THEN, his parents get shot. In order: He breaks two necks, smashes a guy's face in with a rifle butt, slams a guy clear through a large support beam, sends a pitchfork through another (see? the Watchdogs have guts too), and then, to finish things off...
...he uses the other end of his noose to strangle a guy! Now if you think this dude can keep being Captain America for much longer, check out the last panel of the comic and get back to me with a professional opinion.
He can, however, switch costumes with Cap again and call himself the USAgent. That's fine.
Comments
Speaking of the Cap movie, how awesome would it be if it took place entirely during WWII (complete w/Bucky and Cap socking Hitler in the jaw!) and ended with him getting frozen, so that in the subsequent Avengers movie, he can be revived and do his "man out of time" schtick while leading the newly-assembled Avengers?