AND FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER IN CINEMA HISTORY AN AMERICAN MADE MOVIE SWAPS FANATICAL PATRIOTISM FOR BASIC HUMAN DECENCY EVEN THOUGH THE MOVIE ITSELF IS CALLED CAPTAIN AMERICA AND IT DOESN’T GET ANY MORE PATRIOTIC THAN THAT BUT MARVEL CHOSE A DIFFERENT PATH AND I’M THANKFUL FOR THAT pardon my capslock
I think that’s what’s so great about Steve. That he is what we as a country can only aspire to be. Kind of like how Superman inspires the human race, Captain America inspires his country to be better.
captain america has always been about this. he was created by two jewish americans, children of immigrants, joe simon and jack kirby, who both fiercely believed in the freedom and opportunity that america offered their families but also no doubt had experienced marginalization in america growing up poor and jewish in a country with a lot of classism and antisemitism.
captain america has always been about that patriotic and democratic ideal: “my country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right.” he is fundamentally about being a thinking patriot, and the idea that true patriotism is never nationalism, never blind obedience or trust, but about thinking critically and pushing back against the wrong or dangerous ideas in your country’s politics and ideals.
yes, he’s been used as a symbol of patriotism and war. but he’s always been so much more than that. a lot of comic book heroes are like that. so much of comic book history and the art form itself was made by jewish artists, immigrant artists, african american artists, queer artists. it’s always been about being conscientious and critical.
there’s nothing worse than when hollywood takes these characters and strips them of their criticisms of mainstream american culture, and of their personality traits that were borne out of their original creators’ marginalized experiences and sensibilities.
