Captain America: The CaptainThe year is 1987. Steve Rogers is forced to resign as Captain America but not before PTL Evangelist Jim Bakker admits to an affair with Jessica Hahn. Oliver North, Jr. tells congressional inquiry that higher officials approved his secret Iran-Contra operations. Admiral John M. Poindexter, former National Security Adviser, testifies he authorized use of Iran arms sale profits to aid Contras. Secretary of State George P. Shultz testifies he was deceived repeatedly on Iran-Contra affair. Defense Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger tells inquiry of official deception and intrigue. Reagan says Iran arms-Contra policy went astray and accepts responsibility.
This is not the first time that Steve Rogers is 'dead' or missing throughout the character's publishing history while somebody else dons the iconic red, white and blue costume. One of the most memorable Captain America story arcs about such a plot is written by Mark Gruenwald in which the softcover reprints the entire story arc. It starts with issue 332 that sports a fantastic Mike Zeck cover and ends with issue 350 where reports of The Red Skull's death had been greatly exaggerated. Many fans can justifiably criticize this 19 part epic for being tautological since Steve Englehart's Nomad Saga referred to some of the character's plight during the 1970s based on the Watergate Scandal. However, Gruenwald's Captain America lives in an era where condom commercials are on television, The Fox Network airs its first episode of Married With Children while The Simpsons are well on their way of becoming America's first family. Oh, Michael Jackson attempts to buy the bones of The Elephant Man!
In 1941, Captain America's creators Jack Kirby and Joe Simon wrote him as a brightly costumed soldier designed to fight Hitler and The Nazis. During The Silver Age, Steve Rogers was portrayed as excessively conventional being a man out of his time and while Roger Stern developed the man behind the mask in the early 80s, it is Gruenwald who transformed Captain America into a symbol of the honest, hard working person. But just as Ronald Reagan was not above using Bruce Springsteen's Born In The U.S.A. as the signature song for his 1984 re-election campaign, the U.S. government in the Marvel Universe had no qualms in exploiting as well as retooling Captain America's image for their own agendas. Who says art does not imitate life ... or is that the other way around?
Although Steve Rogers is the noble spirit that drives the costume, the outfit and shield is the propriety of Uncle Sam to do as they please. Instead of acquiescing to the government's demands in exchange for having the right to wear the Captain America uniform and shield, Steve Rogers abdicates only to be easily replaced by John Walker in the role. To Gruenwald's credit, he never personifies Walker as some cookie cutter villain or a mind-controlled scallywag whose program is to indefinitely substitute Captain America and be rid of Steve Rogers. Walker certainly regards the original Cap as outdated in the manner he combats evil but deep down, he is very much the same boy scout that his predecessor was; they both want to serve their country as best they can.
Speaking about courses of action taken, Marvel Comics immediately rectified a faux-pas where the character of Lemar Hoskins is concerned. As explained in issue #340 of the original series, Mark Gruenwald was not aware that in some parts of the country, ''buck'' is a derogatory name for a black man. Thus, it is understandable that a black character being codenamed Bucky raised hostile feelings towards the publisher. Truth be told, if I had not learnt about this in the comic book itself, I would have never guessed this fact in a million years. Hence, in issue 341, the writer cleverly inserts this point within the story and Lemar would now be known as Battlestar donned with a new outfit.
The Captain does have its share of weakness and failings that the super-hero genre from that era is renowned for. The dialogue is platitudinal at times but Gruenwald keeps an upbeat tempo in fleshing out John Walker and Battlestar. However, the large supporting cast of Nomad, Vagabond, Demolition Man, Falcon and Diamondback alongside The Serpent Society who occupy a sizable role in some chapters simply buries Steve Rogers in his own title. The cluster of third rate characters alongside forgettable villains overwhelms many of the themes, ideas and opinions that makes the initial installments of the trade-paperback thrilling.
The pace does pick up and accelerate when John Walker is transformed into a man driven by hate and vengeance in place of the patriotic American who wished to do good when he first donned the classic uniform. Gruenwald demonstrates to the reader how a maniacal Captain America is an ugly thing as well as unnatural. A person who wantonly takes another life to satisfy his blood lust or thirst for revenge is not a hero but a murderous vigilante.
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