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R.I.P. Captain America [Merged 2X]


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http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/story/503132p-424376c.html

Captain America killed!

Marvel comic book hero cut down by sniper

BY ETHAN SACKS

DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Comic book icon Captain America lies sprawled on courthouse steps after Marvel hero is gunned down by sniper. (Art by Steve Epting)

Captain America is dead. The Marvel Entertainment superhero, created in 1941 as a patriotic adversary for the ****s, is killed off in Captain America #25, which hits the stands today.

As Captain America emerges from a courthouse building, he is struck by a sniper's bullet in the shoulder and then hit again in the stomach, blood seeping out of his star-spangled costume.

His death is sure to ignite controversy in the comic book world - still reeling from Superman's death in 1993 and resurrection the following year - and even political pundits, who may see Captain America's demise as an allegory for the United States.

"It's a hell of a time for him to go. We really need him now," said co-creator Joe Simon, 93, after being informed of his brainchild's death.

Simon and artist Jack Kirby came up with the character in 1941 as an adversary for Adolf Hitler, who was more evil than any villain the pair could dream up. Since then, the patriotic hero has appeared in an estimated 210 million copies sold in 75 countries.

Not bad for an imaginary sickly kid from the lower East Side named Steve Rogers, who volunteered to be injected with Super Soldier serum during World War II.

Part of Captain America's allure was that he had no true superpowers; the serum made him an example of a human being at his utmost potential.

He could bench-press 1,100 pounds, run a mile in about a minute and outsmart any spy.

Series writer Ed Brubaker - who grew up reading Captain America comics while his father, a naval intelligence officer, was stationed on Guantanamo Bay, Cuba - said it wasn't easy to kill off the character. The 40-year-old, however, wanted to explore what the hero meant to the country in these polarized times.

"What I found is that all the really hard-core left-wing fans want Cap to be standing out on and giving speeches on the streetcorner against the Bush administration, and all the really right-wing [fans] all want him to be over in the streets of Baghdad, punching out Saddam," Brubaker said.

Comic book deaths, however, are rarely final. Marvel's archrival, DC Comics, provoked a media frenzy when it killed off Superman in 1993, only to reanimate its prize creation a year later.

Joe Quesada, 43, Marvel Entertainment's editor in chief, said he wouldn't rule out the shield-throwing champion's eventual return. But for now, the Captain's fans are in mourning.

"I was shocked. I was not expecting it," said Gerry Gladston, co-owner of Midtown Comics in Manhattan. "I'd rather they didn't kill him - but it's going to mean great sales."

'LIFE' OF AN AMERICAN HERO

Created: March 1941

True Identity: Steve Rogers

Born: July 4, 1917

Birthplace: Lower East Side

Current Home: Red Hook, Brooklyn

Superpowers: None (Super Soldier serum makes him a "nearly perfect human being")

Weapon: His red,white and blue discus-like shield

Archenemy: Red Skull

Pop Culture Moment, Film: Easy Rider, Peter Fonda's character is nicknamed Captain America.

Pop Culture Moments, Music: The Kinks' song, Catch Me Now, I'm Falling, has this lyric: "This is Captain America calling." Guns N' Roses' Paradise City: "Captain America's been torn apart, now he's a court jester with a broken heart."

Originally published on March 7, 2007

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I'm very surprised by this,the current Captain America series is considered one of the best Marvel is making at the moment.And Marvel has just finished one of it's biggest events two weeks ago with Cap getting arrested(hence him being at the court house),you'd of figured they would of ended the event with him getting murdered as well as getting arrested.

It shall be interesting to see who takes over as Captain America,it's probably between the Punisher,Bucky(winter Soldier) or Hawkeye.The marvel universe is the most intriguing it's ever been right now.

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I have a fairly important meeting in less than 2 hours I should should be preparing for but noooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

I choose to spend my time on a friggin internet message board and read about the untimely fate of a comic book character.

dang it joe. pull yerself together boy & hit the minimize button for crissake.

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He'll be back in six months anyway.

Probably with a whole new look.

More black in the outfit so they can sell more tights?

Where the hell is Greengal?

I remember, when you were down

And you needed a helping hand

I came to feed you

But now that I need you

You won't give me a second glance

Now I'm calling all citizens from all over the world

This is Captain America calling

I bailed you out when you were down on your knees

So will you catch me now I'm falling

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Cap doesn't have powers, per se... he had taken the super soilder serum and became peak human. So, he doesn't have powers, but he's the best a human could possibly dream to be, without having powers.

It's a shame, but part of a much larger story. Obviously, with Civil War ending, the way the Marvel universe was is that they feared the people with powers and costumes. The main character in the Marvel universe is Captian America. He's the end all, be all. And the public didn't like him anymore, since he didn't want to comform to what the governement wanted, so they lashed out as only the public can. With fear and a gun.

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Captain America doesn't have powers does he?

So boring and amateur. :)

no but he can bench 1,100 lbs and run a 1 minute mile. So he has no super powers per-se.. but he is incredibly strong and fast and the like.

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