Marvel book reveals that sidekick Bucky Barnes has taken over as Captain America after Steve Rogers was assassinated last year. Article also recalls history of the hero.
Last year, the comics world made headlines when Marvel Comics decided to kill one of their longest running superheroes, Captain America. Speculation ensued as to how long the editors of the famed comic book publisher would keep the hero dead. Now they have their answer. Recently Bucky Barnes, Captain America’s sidekick from the 1940’s, has taken on the Captain America identity, assumed all this time by Steve Rogers, who was gunned down by a sniper outside the Federal Courthouse in New York City in his book last year.
Barnes now wears the same familiar red, white, and blue uniform as his predecessor. However he initially had the disadvantage of not having taken the “Super Soldier Serum” that Rogers did which enabled his superhuman status. However, Barnes has been training both mentally and physically and has new gadgets to back up his fighting stance, making him an able-bodied superhero. Despite having fought alongside Rogers over sixty years ago, Bucky is still physically able to take on the job, having been trapped in suspended animation for the duration of his absence, making him appear nearly as young as he was when first introduced.
The death of Captain America last year prompted a rejuvenated interest in the character from avid comic book readers, making it only appropriate that they bring him back reinvented for this new era. After all, Rogers’ story began just before America entered World War II when he signed up for a secret defense research project after the U.S. army turned down his enlistment due to his meager physicality. Having acquired virtual super strength and near-limitless endurance, Rogers and Barnes set out to fight the real life villains that the U.S. faced during the war as well as some flamboyant yet fictitious enemies. One of Rogers’ greatest aids was the infamous super shield given to him by the government that is virtually indestructible and aids him in fighting and dodging various attacks by his enemies.
Afterwards, during the Cold War, Bucky Barnes served as the assassin, the Winter Soldier. Just before his death, Captain America played an integral part in the Civil War conflict that plagued the Marvel universe, where he rejected supporting the Superhuman Registration Act, which would require superheroes to identify themselves as having unique powers. This decision proved tragic when he led the Secret Avengers team in resisting the act which eventually forced him to reveal his secret identity. This led to the above-mentioned assassination at the courthouse.
Newspapers around the country reported the death as they would have a celebrity, prompting the statement being made that the superhero had passed on because America itself was dead. The media attention surrounding the decision to kill off this American icon has now led to this resurrection of the identity, as is possible in the comic book world. However, it may take a few more issues before fans decide if this decision was the best for the Captain America legacy.
