Today’s Guest Column

Superhero comics have always had what I like to call an estranged relationship with the concept of subtlety. Heroes tend to dress in bright blue tights and scream about justice, while villains often adorn themselves with menacing black capes and soliloquize about how much they enjoy eating babies.

Perhaps the most egregious example of comic book heavy-handedness is the character known as Captain America. Everything from his name to his stars-and-stripes uniform is a neon sign pointing to one very specific thing. Suffice it to say, if anyone were asked what Captain America is supposed to represent, they would all give the same reply: AMERICA! But does the Captain really represent the United States? I would say no. The Captain is a hero who fights for the smallest denominator, the common man, but these days, I’m not so sure we as Americans can say our country does the same thing. No, I believe Captain America is not America; rather, I believe he is what America should strive to be.

The most important thing to know about Captain America is that he was a product of his time. The Captain was created in the fires of World War II, and the very first issue of Captain America featured the titular hero cold-cocking Hitler right in the face. To put it bluntly, Captain America was propaganda. He was, essentially, a super-powered American GI who consistently foiled the Axis powers with his American strength and resolve.

But even though the Captain was created to aggrandize the American cause, I do feel as if the character epitomized World War II-era America. World War II is the most unquestionably “just war” in American history. We were a country attempting to free the world from the oppression of an unambiguously evil empire. It wasn’t a conflict based on a reactionary fear of another ideology, like the wars against communism or terror seemed and seem to be. The Nazis were a legitimately terrifying and organized force with the stated goal of world domination. Captain America’s 1940’s exploits were representative of the vision of America as a beacon for freedom and justice.

But can the same be said about America today? Are we still a nation that fights for freedom and the betterment of all mankind? Personally, I don’t think so. Throughout the course of conflicts in Afghanistan and the Middle East, thousands of civilians have been killed by indiscriminate and callous U.S. air and drone strikes. We’re so concerned about catching and punishing the bad guys that we’ve forgotten why we were hunting them down in the first place: to protect people. There’s a line in the 2011 movie adaptation of Captain America that I’m quite fond of: When Steve Rodgers — Captain America — is asked if he wants to join the army to kill Nazis, he replies, “I don’t want to kill anyone. I don’t like bullies; I don’t care where they’re from.” That is what Captain America represents. He represents a nation that fights to save lives, not end them. He fights for a nation that is a protector, not an aggressor. He fights for freedom, justice and safety for all. He fights for the American ideal, not America.

Although his name and costume are a bit misleading, there is one visual aspect of Captain America that speaks more to his character than a silly name or gaudy outfit ever could. The hero’s signature weapon is not a gun or a sword, a spear or a hammer; it is a shield. You see, Captain America never truly can attack because with a shield, one can only defend.

Tristan Madden is a freshman journalism major. He can be reached at trmadden@gmail.com.

Tristan Madden is a freshman journalism major. He can be reached at trmadden@terpmail.umd.edu.