Captain America, Traitor?

National Review Online ^ | April 4, 2003, 7:15 a.m. | Michael Medved

[new cruelty]

LOL, I think I stopped reading just before Marvel split into another universe. If I recall, the split had something to do with Professor X and Franklin Richards (son of Reed and Susan).

wow... the geek in me lives on.

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

1992 is when I stopped following comics...I got back in last year, mostly to become a part-time dealer. I cannot believe the changes that have happened - I absolutely refuse to read anything new, except Flaming Carrot. It's all trash now. Guess I'll work on getting all those FF back issues I lack...

[Skip Ripley]

They did WHAT to Ironman? He was one of my favs as a kid!

[MattinNJ]

...the split had something to do with Professor X and Franklin Richards...

Ahh, it's starting to come back to me. The geek does tend to linger inside. I may have to go dig up the old issues to refresh my memories.

[MattinNJ]

They did WHAT to Ironman? He was one of my favs as a kid!

Sad but true. He was my favorite along with some obscure character called Nova (Why? I have no idea). IIRC it happened around '96 or '97.

[VANHALEN2002]

If you don't mind my asking-what did you get for your X-men #1. I have issue number #5 from when I was a kid and I've had it in plastic for years. It's not in mint condition but very good. The X-Men went down hill after John Byrne stopped drawing it.

[TheBigB]

As a mjor comic geek, I love talking about political themes in comics. :) Don't get much chance to do it at work. ;)

As to Cap, I have to say, sadly, I agree with Medved's description. He's become basically a PC apologist for America. I've tried to read the most recent issues, but they always leave me with a sick feeling. Time to cancel that one. Although a recent storyline in THE AVENGERS actually had President Bush appear (albeit briefly) and treated him respectfully.

I remember back when Wally (The Flash) West was still Kid Flash and a member of the Teen Titans. He was a self-described political conservative who didn't always get along with his liberal teammates. Oliver (Green Arrow) Queen went from being a wealthy playboy to basically a Socialist. And still is, even though he just returned from the dead. (Ever notice how lots of sentences don't make much sense when you're discussing comics? Anyhoo.) Carter (Hawkman) Hall has always been conservative.

One not-really-political thing has always stood out in my memory. Back in the 70s, DC Comics used to have an "Answer man" column in the back of their books where Bob Rozakis answered questions that readers sent in. One reader asked, "Does Superman believe in God?" Rozakis answered simply, "Yes." I always wondered if there had been any discussion about that answer before it was printed.

[TheBigB]

Wish I had an X-MEN #1. :) I did have a DAREDEVIL #1, but I sold it.

[Jonah Hex]

Some of us comic book heros, however, refuse to change.

[Zack Nguyen]

As a long time comic collector (I recently sold my X-Men #1, Avengers #2, and SpiderMan #1)...

Wow. What did those go for?

[far sider]

DC isn't much better. They're all so politically correct.

[discostu]

Let me guess Chris Claremont wrote these issues. I'll never forgive him for taking a great comic book series (X-Men of the mid-80s) and turning it (and all it's spinoffs) into a soapbox to piss and moan endlessly about racism. Chris is probably the individual most responsible for killing Marvel. I hate him.

[new cruelty]

This article reminded me of this issue: CAPTAIN AMERICA #332 (August 1987; Mike Zeck and Klaus Janson, artists)

[hchutch]

Michael Medved has done a nice job in outlining the problem, but in my opinion, he is missing a key part of the SOLUTION to this problem.

It is NOT enough to just protest the Hollywood Left and to boycott films. That by itself is NOT effective. Alternative options need to be given - to be precise, WELL-WRITTEN and COMMERCIALLY VIABLE scripts, novels, comic books, TV shows, and other items that reflect what we want to see on our TV screens and read when we do not feel like watching TV.

Rather than just complain and boycotting "West Wing", why not have someone try to develop a counterpart to it, and pitch the thing to Fox? Just complaining isn't enough - we have to offer a viable, positive alternative.

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

I remember Wally West as a conservative from those great Wolfman/Perez Teen Titans issues - thought it was a masterstroke because it stood out from all the cookie-cutter squishy lib characters at the time. Unfortunately, that characterization seems to have been forgotten in the latter issues of Flash - Messner-Loebs being the biggest offender.

As far as Supes believing in God, he used to go around saying "Great Rao" a lot - Rao being the Kryptonian name for God.

Ahhh, I'm just bitter because I've never read a better book than the 60's run of Doom Patrol!

[FreepOnTheBorderlands]

Wow... my first freep post and it's about comics.

I have been meaning to post this in one of the Canada threads, but one of the most "conservative", un-PC comic book people out there is Dave Sim. Yes, he rants alot, and _Cerebus_ is almost at an end, but "While Canada Slept" has been an INCREDIBLE essay, with a great insight into just what has gone on north of the border.

If there is any doube about Joe Quesadas leanings, remember he worships the ground Kevin Smith walks on, who in turn worships Miramax's Weinstein, who also in turn worships Hitlery.

[new cruelty]

... heh, nothing can stop the New Cruelty!

[TheBigB]

I remember those stories, as well. Loved the Brother Blood storyline. :)

My own tastes are far simpler. I remain a huge fan of the 1950's-1960's comics, like The Legion of Super-Heroes in Adventure Comics (who didn't prattle on and on about issues. They simply saved the Universe.) and the Challengers of the Unknown (STILL my all-time favorite team.) But nothing beats the CAPTAIN MARVEL and JOE PALOOKA series from the WWII era--I have quite a few of those. CM was so popular with the troops and wartime public that the book was actually published, for a time, every other week to keep up with the demand. JP wasn't far behind.

[Naspino]

I had no idea about Marvel. Oh well another one bites the dust and enters my boycott list. No spider-man sequel for me or the kids. No spider-man x-box game.