Aislinn's World

Aislinn Rachelle Stephens

The "Death" of the Week

The hot topic for discussion lately is, of course, the death of Captain America. It seems that almost everyone has an opinion about this surprising event, and that reaction is, invariably, one of shock and dismay. People talk about how sad it is that Cap is dead, and how they hope he is resurrected at some point in the near future. Most of those commenting haven’t read a comic book in years, but they know that something tragic has happened. Captain America is dead.

The First Shot


The Kill Shot

Or not.

Captain America did not die. Steve Rogers did. Captain America is an idea, a morality and a costume. Steve Rogers was a person. He was the one who was dramatically shot to death on those courthouse steps. He is the one we should be mourning. He was more than a man in a costume. For anyone who is unfamiliar the history, I urge you to check out some of the wonderful websites devoted to Cap/Rogers, starting with http://captain-america.us. However, I am going to focus on the pros and cons of this unforeseen event.

Steve Rogers died after the depressingly anti-climactic end to Marvel’s major 2006, Civil War, featuring the conflict over super-hero registration. Issue seven featured an intense battle that pitted hero against hero and, more importantly, Captain America against staunch registration supporter Iron Man (Tony Stark). At the end of the fight, Cap finds that he has bested Iron Man, and his former friend tells him to just go for it and take him out. Cap looks around, and after seeing the destruction and terror this epic battle, and indeed this whole war, has brought about, he stands and surrenders to the authorities.

Wait, what? Surrenders? That’s right. After being hunted for months, watching good friends suffer and perish, and having everything he stood for ripped apart for politics, Captain America just rolled over and surrendered. And I lost a little bit of respect for Cap and his underground heroes. I can safely say that, had I been in his position, I would have taken the shot Stark gave me.

I know that Cap doesn’t kill. I know he is a good and honorable man. But these were extreme circumstances. His friends and allies had turned against each other and everything he thought he stood for was being destroyed. I have no doubt that the Cap we saw at the end of Civil War was a desperate man with little left to lose. Coming out on top in the battle with Iron Man would have sent a powerful message to the world, namely that he and his allies would not lie back and accept what was happening, they were going to fight for what they believed in, no matter the cost. Instead, he copped out and turned himself in to the police, telling the world in the process that he didn’t have the guts to stand up for them to the bitter end.

And now, Steve Rogers is dead. Dead, and something of a coward. What if he had taken that final shot at Stark on the battlefield? Even if Stark survived and Rogers had still been jailed, at least everyone would have known that Cap was a man that fought for his beliefs until the bitter, bloody end. Even if he’d still been killed, it wouldn’t have felt so … blighted.

The very fact of Rogers’ death and the events surrounding it raise some important questions, namely: who is Captain America? Do we still need him? Most importantly, who should fill the shoes of the deceased? The answers are, in my opinion, quite simple.

Captain America is the face of America. He should be a strong representative of America’s values and morals, and he should be the voice of the average person. Unfortunately, since Steve Rogers became Captain America, America’s values and morals have deteriorated, and what the average person wants has drastically changed, while Rogers’ believed in and wanted the same things as always. Maybe he was no longer the best person to represent America.

That being said, I believe there is still a need for someone to be Captain America. However, that someone needs to represent the current brutality and depravity that is seeping into every corner and crevice of American society. They also need to have the guts and coolness to take on that brutality and depravity and beat it down with one cold, mean stare, and maybe a bullet or two. They should be more open to the idea of violence as a last (or next-to-last) resort.

Who should step into the role of Captain America now that Steve Rogers is dead? I’m voting for Frank Castle. Yes, the Punisher himself. It’s already been hinted at in the final issue of Civil War and the March edition of Marvel Previews. The more I think about it, the better an idea this seems to be. Frank is a vigilante of the highest order. He’s not afraid to use brute force and the odd firearm to make his point and punish those who deserve it. He’s the perfect example of the grittier, darker America that is emerging in the Marvel Universe, and the real world as well. Finally, perhaps most importantly of all, he has no super-powers, meaning that the Superhero Registration Act would have no impact on him directly, allowing him to continue to stand up for America on his terms.

Frank’s been fighting crime and corruption in the States for years, with startling, though effective, tactics. Is there anyone better to step into the costume worn by America’s hero, and herald in the coming dark age of super-heroics? I don’t think so. I look forward to seeing Frank Castle dressed in the red, white and blue suit we all know and love, carrying the trademark shield in one hand and a semi-automatic in the other.

Agree? Disagree? Think I’m completely out of my mind? Drop me a note at pictures_ofsuccess@hotmail.com and give me your opinion on Cap, Frank or whatever.

Origin of the Species

I was never interested in comics. I, like so many other girls, thought that comics were reserved only for nerd population. And this was before nerds were cool. Comics were just a bunch of men in tights saving disproportionately drawn women, and sometimes the world, from maniacal villains. I preferred to spend my time reading literary novels and Jane magazine. I couldn’t have told you the difference between the Justice League and the Avengers. I didn’t know who published Conan, Ex Machina or Lady Death. And I certainly never expected to ever find myself anxiously awaiting the arrival of the newest issue of Astonishing X-Men. Yet, here I am. How? Well, I should thank Roman Dirge for that.

Mr. Dirge writes and illustrates Slave Labor’s Lenore comic book. About two years ago, on a whim, I picked up a copy of the first trade paperback, Noogies, at work. Lenore is a cute little dead girl whose actions, though usually full of good intentions, often result in tragedy. For instance, Lenore has accidentally killed every pet kitty she’s ever had. Lenore and her friends have adventures that are always hilarious and, once in a while, slightly disturbing. Of course, I’m completely in love. Lenore single-handedly changed my opinion of comics, and convinced me to give other titles a chance.

Lenore #2

The next series I tried was Marvel’s She-Hulk 2. It seemed like a quirky, fun series, making it perfect for my first foray into mainstream comics. I was hooked before I finished the first page of issue one. Calling the series quirky and fun now seems like an insult. She-Hulk 2 tells the continuing story of Jennifer Walters, the cousin of Bruce Banner, the Incredible Hulk. After being shot by lackeys of a crime boss feuding with her father, an L.A. County sheriff, Jennifer received a blood transfusion from Bruce. The gamma radiation in his blood was passed to Jen and she became a slightly weaker, more in-control version of her cousin. At the start of her fourth series, Jen has been a member of the Avengers and the Fantastic Four, and has had a series of successful solo adventures. She now practices superhuman law at the New York-based law firm Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg and Holliway, and is one of the strongest, most intelligent female characters in comics today. Writer Dan Slott’s snappy humour and excellent character work, along with Jennifer’s tendency to break the so-called fourth wall, helps set the series apart from other superhero comic books.

She-Hulk v2 #1

Thanks in large part to these two fantastic titles, I now consider myself to be a full-fledged fangirl. I sometimes feel as though an entire world has been opened up to me. While I still count She-Hulk as my favourite series, I also enjoy other titles of varying genres, such as Brian Azzarello’s crime noir series, 100 Bullets, and Terry Moore’s Strangers in Paradise, a beautifully written slice-of-life tale. I make a point of taking chances on titles and characters that I’m not normally interested in, such as Marvel’s Kitty Pryde – Shadow and Flame and Image’s Phonogram. I’m a devotee of Wizard Comics Magazine, and now count writing for them among my incredibly short list of dream jobs. All in all, I think I am a testament to the fact that there truly is something for everyone in the world of comics.

Aislinn Rachelle Stephens does most of her writing while watching Passions and The Dr. Phil Show. She reads almost every female-centric series, with the exception of Birds of Prey, and when she grows up she wants to live in a comic written by Warren Ellis and illustrated by Michael Gaydos.

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