Captain America Still a Hero

I have told people for years that Captain America is cool, and Marvel Comic’s “Civil War” series reminds everyone that he is one of the top strategists in the Marvel stable.

The series also reminds us that Captain America always stood for what he believed was right.

He wears the name proudly — an “A” on his forehead and a star on his chest. And Cap wears these symbols as the head of the voices of dessent in the “Civil War” storyline.

Months ago, readers saw what happens when heroes get careless — children died on a schoolyard when it was blown up in the middle of a battle. The whole Marvel Universe shook in horror.

After the disaster the U.S. government tried to police superheroes by making them law enforcement officers and forced them to register their secret identities.

Steve Rogers, better known as Captain America, thought this was a terrible idea and led the fight against it. Many, believing in his cause, rallied behind him.

This is a hero who fought in World War II and is part of Mr. Brokaw’s “Greatest Generation.” With no superhuman powers, he has gone toe to toe with every major power in the Marvel Universe. He has tasted defeat, buthas never given up.

Captain American stands for what American should be, not for what it is. He has fought for the land where all men and women are created equal and have the right to happiness. He’s shed his blood, battered his body and lost many that he’s loved. But he has always fought on.

This is the kind of fighting spirit that he brought to the mix in the “Civil War” series. And while there has been a price for this fight, he didn’t doubt that what he was doing was right. Until now.

Civil War no. 7 came out one week ago today. If you’ve not had a chance to read it, don’t read any further until you do.

This time, Captain America realizes that he is now fighting just to fight.

People were being hurtand killed, but he fought on.

But when he realized that he was wrong, he laid down his shield and surrendered. In doing so, he remains a hero.

Captain America has long been a hero because he has always done what he believed to be right. By surrendering and going to prison for what he believed in, he recognized that he was wrong and owned up to it.

To me, that makes him even more of a hero.

Shawn Munguia does graphics and layout for the Valley Morning Star. He can be reached at 956-421-9870 or you can e-mail him at shawnm@valleystar.com.