One Man’s Worth.

So I was asked to go and review each arc of the current Captain America series (Volume 5 and 6).  With the upcoming Avengers movie (uniting the Iron Man, Hulk, Thor and Captain America movies), I figured why not.

The first thing, is to understand the character.  Who is Captain America?  This is a question that will come up later one as well.  To understand who Captain America is, we have to realize what he is.  The shield, which is one of the most iconic symbols, is nothing.  The outfit, which is recognizable, is nothing.  The serum which gave him his abilities has no effect on what he is.  What Captain America is, is an idea.  An idea that a single individual who has the right heart and the right mind that is consumed with a single purpose, that one man can change the world.

His strength lies primarily in his character, a person who stands up time again for what he believes in.  No matter what he must face, or how bad the odds are, he won’t give up.  He understands how to use his talents, as he understands the value of strength.  This is why Steve Rogers was able to succeed, unlike anyone else; he has the unyielding resolve and determination to carry on.  And to inspire others, as a leader he stands at the front, and does not give orders blindly.  Is he invincible?  No, but he doesn’t let anything stop him from doing his best.

I found this line to be very helpful, as this helps understand who Captain America is.  “It’s not the people we should revere so much, it’s their serving as a portal into something much, much greater. They, as individuals as human as we are, cannot do for us what their teachings do for our souls.”  Aptly put, what Captain America stands for, is something that everyone can learn from.

For me personally, Captain America has been a source of inspiration.  A man who at one point had nothing, but didn’t give up on the world.  No matter how many times people said his case was hopeless, he kept trying, and did not let anyone tell him he wasn’t good enough.  And that is what got him through it all, it was never a test of physical ability, it was to find the right person for Project: Rebirth.  And as the first tragedy struck, the hopes of the world fell upon him, and he never faltered.  He never gave up, and stood up for what he believed in.  He once tried to give up, but returned, saying that Captain America is representative of the American Ideal, and is not a symbol for its government.  No matter who, or what he faced, he stood strong.  And despite loss and anguish, he never faltered.

The most inspirational line I have ever read, was this:

“Doesn’t matter what the press says. Doesn’t matter what the politicians or the mobs say. Doesn’t matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right. This nation was founded on one principle above all else: the requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences. When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world – “No, you move.””

When this line was said will be covered later on in the series.  But it spoke to me, that there is no such thing as Captain America, it is a concept.  But it is not a concept that is impossible; it’s just doing the right thing and standing up for what you believe in.

What will we see in this series?  A nightmare come to life, a country divided, a question of identity, a death, a man trying to atone for his past, and a rise and fall of an era.  Stay tuned as we will begin with the first book, Out of Time.  With Ed Brubaker on the pencils, let’s see where we go.

And finally, a fitting wallpaper for the week.