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Captain America gets Reborn in newsworthy comic book series
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If it's one thing comic books have taught us, it's that super heroes don't die, they just disappear for awhile and return to battle evil amidst a public relations blitz. So it is again with the Sentinel of Liberty, Captain America.
Marvel Comics announced Monday its stars-and-stripes character who was assassinated in the comics in March 2007, a "death" that resulted in numerous obituaries in mainstream media, will return in "Captain America Reborn," a five-part series beginning July 1. The news was released on the same day the "Reborn" lead-in "Captain America" #600 debuted. So far the news of the shield-wielding hero has been covered in more than 50 major news outlets including "The New York Times," CNN and the Associated Press after breaking in the "New York Daily News."
Having first appeared in March 1941, "Cap" fought the Nazis in World War II-era comics and is in the pantheon of recognizable super heroes, despite his lack of powers. His status as a well-known adventurer, and uniquely American pop-culture icon, is perhaps the reason his bloody comic book death from an assassin's bullet on courthouse steps - orchestrated by his old Nazi foe, the Red Skull, of course - drew so much media attention. This is likewise the reason Captain America's return, at the hands of writer Ed Brubaker and artist Bryan Hitch, is an event.
Captain America's death and return isn't particularly surprising in comic book circles. Ever since DC Comics killed (and subsequently resurrected) Superman in 1992, a significant change to a flagship character has been announced nearly every year and picked up media coverage. Batman had his back broken and quit the cowl before coming back, and Peter Parker was revealed to be a clone of the "real" Spider-Man. Even recently, Batman was killed before being shown alive in the distant past, and Spider-Man both gave up his secret identity and made a deal with the devil to un-marry Mary Jane.
Although this isn't even the first time Captain America has experienced some of his spectacle-worthy drama. After joining the super hero group The Avengers in 1964, after a long freeze on the character in the comics, he quit the job in 1987, returned and then exposed his secret identity of Steve Rogers in 2002.
Still, the death of Captain America is somewhat special since the hero has remained dead in the Marvel "universe" for more than two years, a lifetime in the comic book world. Luckily his formerly deceased sidekick Bucky has been able to fill in for him.
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