The “Death” Of Captain America

I simply cannot believe all of the coverage the “death” of Captain America is receiving. Because the whole thing is, of course, a non-event. It’s nothing more than a publicity stunt by Marvel Comics.

When I was a kid in the 60’s and early 70’s, being a comic book fan was both a reason why I was something of a social outcast, and my coping mechanism for dealing with being relatively unpopular. The idea that the Marvel Comics characters would become as widely accepted as they are today, and Stan Lee would be a cultural institution, was beyond the most fantastic adventures of any comic book hero.

Yet on Thursday I heard both the BBC and NPR cover the “story” of Captain America’s assassination — a manufactured event! I wish Cap co-creator Jack Kirby were alive to see it. Fortunately, Joe Simon is still with us. I met Kirby in ’72, and Simon in ’80. Here’s the NPR feature.

[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/MAR07/CaptainAmerica.mp3]

Cap and Bucky 40'sCap and Bucky 60's

The Dog Rat gallery has two tellings of the origin of Captain America. The first is from the Golden Age of comic books, and the second is from Cap’s return in the Silver Age of comics. Click the pictures to go to each of the gallery albums.

If there’s one thing that’s for sure in the realm of comic books, death is a common event, and it’s never permanent. So at some point in the future, expect Marvel to hype the return of Captain America. Undoubtedly around the time the movie is about to be released.

Colbert at New York Comic Con

Head’s up, fans of Stephen Colbert and comic books. You are one and the same. Colbert will be at the New York Comic Con this weekend! My buddy Dennis will be there too, although mostly to see Stan Lee. I’ll be right here. Starting work on the taxes. 🙁

Stephen Colbert is the Emmy Award-winning host of Comedy Central’s Colbert Report. He will be at NYCC on behalf of Oni Press in support of his new 5-issue comic book miniseries, Stephen Colbert’s Tek Jansen, which will arrive in stores on March ’07. The series is written by John Layman and Tom Peyer with Jim Massey and illustrated by Scott Chantler with others. It is a full color, 32-page comic book that will retail for $3.99. Colbert will be autographing on Friday, February 23 at 4:30pm.

The Death of George Reeves

It’s an indelible memory. My mother coming into the room at 330 Zida Street, Fort Atkinson, WI, where I was watching The Adventures of Superman on TV. She snapped off the set and said she didn’t want me watching the show. I didn’t understand why. My brother Jeff said, “He jumped out a window and killed himself!”

Jeff was referring, of course, to George Reeves, who shot himself in 1959. If this event from my childhood occurred close to the time of Reeves’ suicide, I was not yet four years old.

I loved the show, and I still do. I own the entire series on DVD. In the movie Hollywoodland, just out on DVD, a fictional private detective investigating the death of Reeves learns that his son is seriously disturbed by the suicide.

[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Video/FEB07/Hollywoodland.flv 425 240]

I have a pretty good recollection of my feelings upon learning that Reeves had killed himself. First, I didn’t believe my brother’s assertion that Reeves had jumped out of a window. Second, I wasn’t filled with dark thoughts. I merely accepted it. I did exactly what Adrien Brody’s character tells his son to do, as seen in the video clip. I continued to watch the show on TV.

My mother made a Superman sweatshirt for me. I don’t remember if that was before or after Reeve’s suicide. The “S” was inside of a circle instead of a diamond, but I didn’t mind. I treasured that sweatshirt. For a cape, I would fasten a bath towel around my neck with a safety pin. And, yes, I would look for things to jump off of — chairs, rocks, etc. It was lots of fun. But it was always play.

Hollywoodland perpetuates the notion that somehow the show was a bad influence. And that bothers me. I haven’t heard that opinion expressed anywhere else, but other than that omission I agree with NPR movie critic Kevin Turan’s assessment.

Pratt Attack – 8

Last week’s Newsweek had a feature on comedy in the Baby Boom generation. I was surprised and pleased to see how much influence MAD Magazine is credited as having.

Alfred E. Neuman, a slightly altered spelling of the name of one of Randy Newman’s uncles, is of course the MAD Magazine mascot. The image of the face and the famous catch phrase, “What, Me Worry?”, were far from new when Harvey Kurtzman, MAD’s creator and its first editor, adopted them.

Helen Pratt was one Pratt who really did go on the attack! She sued MAD Magazine for copyright infringement. Her husband, Harry Stuff, had obtained a copyright for this image and slogan, for this postcard that he produced in 1914:

Helen Pratt Stuff lost after the case went all the way to the Supreme Court. The full story was written up by Maria Reidelbach in chapter 8 of her excellent 1991 book, Completely MAD. Here are excerpts of Reidelbach’s account.
Continue reading Pratt Attack – 8