Everyone is abuzz over the Death of Captain America. Apparently he gets shot by a sniper in Captain America #25… but I didn’t read that for myself, it’s all over the news! On Wednesday Captain America #25 was released and it’s already selling out like crazy at various comic shops. My copy is tucked safely away in a box behind my favorite comic shop’s counter.
Civil War was obviously just a vehicle for Cap’s death.
Yes it might make for a good plot. Yes it’s an interesting twist. But in the end this is all just a marketing ploy from Marvel to sell crap loads of comics and boost readership.
They’re even following it up with a 5 part event called Fallen Son:
- Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America – Wolverine
- Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America – Avengers
- Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America – Captain America
- Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America – Captain America
- Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America – Iron Man
More importantly: Captain America’s death is Marvel’s way of making people more aware of the character in order to bolster ticket sales for the upcoming Captain America movie.
Unfortunately this “shocker” death has already been ruined for me. In fact, it’s getting so much buzz I barely want to read it anymore. This event seems to be getting as much, if not more press than Anna Nicole Smith’s death (mainly due to distribution by the Associated Press).
Nearly every news source is reporting on this comic, it’s even going to be the subject of Tonight’s Word on the Colbert Report (11:30 Est on Comedy Central if you’re interested).
To the news media I say: get over it!
Captain America will be dead for a year max. Everyone knows there is absolutely no way he will stay dead.
Here is a pretty lame quote from someone who felt the need to chime in on this event, but most likely never reads comic books:
“I believe that he will be back, and as he rises I think we can all believe no matter where we are — from left to right or middle that America will continue to rise.
We have to believe that as a nation, that we will continue to go on and I think Captain America’s legacy will be his rebirth.”
John Ridley
Morning Edition
Source
And some random quotes from people who do know a thing or two about comics:
“It’s a hell of a time for him to go. We really need him now.”
Joe Simon
Captain America Co-Creator“I was shocked. I was not expecting it. I’d rather they didn’t kill him – but it’s going to mean great sales.”
Gerry Gladston
Midtown Comics in Manhattan
Source“What happens with the costume? And what happens to the characters that are friends and enemies of Cap? You’re going to have to read the books to find out.”
Joe Quesada
Marvel Editor-in-Chief
Source
Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America Covers
Note: As of this writing, the Iron Man cover has not been released.
Update (3.8.2007 10:40pm) : Joe Quesada’s quote (above) was only partially posted. I’ve updated it to contain his final sentence… take a look.
15 responses to “The Death of Captain America: Get Over it!”
MARVEL CAN SUCK MY COCK!!!!
Killing off Captain America is such a cheap sales gimick. Nobody bought Captain America in the first place! I used to be a huge Marvel fan but now I wouldn’t give a squirt of piss for any shitty books that they publish.
If you have to buy Marvel, buy the ones from the 60’s to the 80’s. Everything else is dog shit.
Well, that’s one way of putting it.
Although I’m not seething with as much hatred as you, I can say that Civil War was very anti-climactic and the Captain America death will be as well.
I’m done. I am totally done with the entire comicbook industsry. First I think it’s a lack of survival skills that the industry has allowed it to all but disappear completely— force the average comic fan to trek to the local comicshop for that “special” comic feel. Heaven forbid they go back to having comics in every local drug store and helping to influence and shape future generations that could actually enjoy them.
Now they’ve taken away an ICON. I mean it’s Captain America. He’s been the corner stone of the Marvel universe for so long. It was bad enough making Tony Stark go public, giving him the SSSerum all that non-sense.
But in the end they had to cross a line that should have been untouchable. Kinda like killing of Kirk in StarTrek.
Here’s a though,.. Josh Whendom does this thing on his television shows where the main characters STAY alive. But he filters there lives with enchanting meaningful supporting folks that if they’re killed or leave we miss them but we can still cheer for our favorite heros.
These are heros. We grew up with them we waited for the next issue to see how they survivred whatever fate they were dealt.
I can’t buy this comic. As a matter of fact I’m done with Marvel all together now. They’ve made the invicible Ironman darn near omnipitant,… they’ve run this Wolverine thing in the ground for 30 years, they’ve butched the X-men to bits so many times that I’m just sick of that title now!
Yeah DC can get my bucks because Batman , is still Batman. Superman still has a red cape. You keep coming back because you’ve seen this characters all your life. You’re a fan. And you wanna see your fav her and you want you writters to tell you a story. Just a story.
So now I feel a little betrayed and totally cheated. — it was a bad story.
Couple of things I feel obligated to mention:
1. John Ridley, the guy who “most likely never reads comic books” is a comic book writer. He wrote “The American Way” a comic all about superheroes and the political spectrum. Y’know, the kind of stuff they do with Cap.
2. The “upcoming” Captain America Movie won’t be out for about 2 1/2 years. Not really the type of strategy Marvel tends to employ to promote their films (those things tend to go down a few months before a movie is released).
3. While I agree that the media has gone a little overboard, I don’t really see a problem with comics getting mainstream exposure. That means more readers which means a healthier industry. Killing Cap sucks though. Totally unnecessary.
If you noticed Cap isnt dead…
when he is shown going to the hospital you can see a picture of his bloody glove. the last panel also depicts a bloody glove however it isnt the same glove, this one has a line on the knuckles
Though Steve Rogers is dead, Captain America will most likely live on. And, as for this being a Marvel marketing ploy, OF COURSE IT IS!. Marvel is a business, and they need to find ways to boost sales in an industry that may never be what it once was back in the 80’s and early 90’s. Hopefully they can make something worthwhile out of all of this.
Burn in Hell Captain Amerika. You were such a cheesy character anyhow. You were nothing, but a cheap Capitalist Pig that knew nothing but Amerika’s Yoke of tyranny.
This also means Death to America in its crudest form. Our freedoms are slowly being eaten away by Bushitlers goons. Before it is over with you will have the mark of the beast under your skin.
why did they kill of cap he was my hero i loved him his look his new looks so gay plus they killed the first cap
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Just because Rogers is dead doesnt mean that his mantle is dead too, and personally I think Bucky, (Winter Soldier) or what ever he wants to call himself, is fit for the mantle to be the next generation Captain America. After all, it wouldnt help if Cap carried a few guns and says a swear word or two right?
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that was some shit lol i happy that Cap is die i dont like him that much
I believe that with the tyranny of our own government we should follow the Caps example and rise up against these “new Slavery Laws” but theree are some bastards that would follow the devil into hell.
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