Has Captain America, the iconic superhero who entered American consciousness as fascism’s fiercest opponent in 1941, become Captain Anti-America?
In the latest issue of “Sam Wilson: Captain America,” released on Wednesday, the superhero makes a trip to the Mexican border in Arizona, where he encounters an evil American militia group bullying an immigrant attempting to cross the border. The leader of the group calls himself the “Supreme Serpent” and asserts that he is attempting to enforce border laws on behalf of “God, nature, and the United States Constitution.”
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The perpetrator tells the immigrant, “You come here for employment that is rightfully ours! And if denied it, you seek welfare paid for by our tax dollars! Also, you know how you make me press one for English at the beginning of every call to my satellite provider? That is something I cannot abide!”
Captain America promptly arrives on the scene to pummel the Americans on behalf of the prospective immigrant. Consequent newspaper headlines depicted in the comic refer to him as “Captain Anti-America” and say, “Cap versus the Constitution?” At a news conference, Captain America tells an audience that he simply wanted to “bring people together.”
It’s a stark transformation for the superhero, who, as recently as 2007, was quoting Mark Twain and leading a resistance against the federal government. “If you alone of all the nation shall decide one way, and that way be the right way according to your convictions of the right, you have your duty by yourself and by your country. Hold up your head,” that Captain America recited.
The 92-year-old Marvel legend Stan Lee had a role in the Twain-quoting script, which was part of a limited-edition series. Today’s Captain America has been crafted by authors Rick Remender and Nick Spencer.
Judging by statements the two modern writers made on Twitter during the Oct. 13 Democratic presidential debate, the modern Captain America may be more a fan of Karl Marx than any American literary giants. Remender said that he “loves” self-proclaimed socialist and presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., while Spencer complained about presidential candidate Donald Trump. “Apparently hate speech is just fine so long as it brings in the ratings. Let’s all be entertained by Trump!” Spencer said, referring to the candidate’s opposition to illegal immigration.
As a result, Americans may need to wait until the next presidential election to find out whether America’s eponymous superhero will eventually be able to take pride in his country once again.
