Spidey/Venom

I can't wait for this movie!

In memory of Steve Rogers, Captain America.

In 1941, before the United States entered the Second World War, Joe Simon and Jack Kirby were at Timely comics fighting the Nazis in the pages of Captain America Comics. They created one of the first of the flag draped characters that aided our fighting forces against the evils of Nazi Germany and the Japanese in the South Pacific. Even though the true evils of the war were not being brought out in the comic, the two young Jewish creators felt the need to bring swift justice to Hitler, and they delivered it with a right cross on the cover of Captain America Comics #1.

Joe and Jack created an icon. Steve Rogers was Captain America. He selflessly fought side by side with our troops, joined and led the Mighty Avengers, became a legend. Yesterday Steve Rogers was killed.

Steve Rogers died. Captain America will live on, but no matter who dons the costume, no one will be able to live up to the man behind the red white and blue uniform. Reading comics is one of the few things a young boy in a small Arkansas town, and growing up as a Marvel Zombie meant I collected almost every comic Marvel put out, including Captain America. I don’t remember much about the character when I started collecting, he was going through a weird period, Steve Rogers wasn’t Captain America, he’d been replaced, and was wearing a Black, Red and White costume.

I collected Cap on and off over the last 20 years, I never stuck with the book, I’d get short runs and drop it. The IDEA of the character has always struck me as being incredible; Steve Rogers was the embodiment of the United States. He was a natural leader who cared about the ideals this country was built on. He was the original Jack Bower, sacrificing himself for the betterment of the country without asking anything in return. Even though I haven’t collected every issue of the comic, Cap has always been one of my favorite characters; I have t-shirts, lunch boxes, toys, I even have a poster of Cap with brown eyebrows… everyone knows Cap’s a blond. I’m going to miss Steve; it’s not going to be the same with someone else behind the shield.