PATRIOT GAMES

BY JASON ANTOLIK

Clark Kent.  Superman.  The Man of Steel.

Steve Rogers.  Captain America.  Living Legend of World War II.

These are the super-patriots of comics.  They both stand for “Truth, Justice and the American Way.”  They’re often accused of carrying a holier-than-thou attitude.  But when they speak the other heroes listen, even if they don’t appreciate the lectures and soapboxes.  The two are natural born leaders who will defend their country to death.  Let’s look at what makes these men different from one another.

     You’ve heard the slogans before.  Faster than a speeding bullet.  Able to leap tall buildings in a mighty bound.  Superman is DCs most powerful hero.  Many writers have trouble with him on the JLA because, well there aren’t many problems that the Man of Steel can’t solve on his own (at least when brute force can solve a problem).  Captain America is just a man.  As strong and physically able as a man can possibly be, but a man nonetheless.  His greatest strength lies in his leadership skills.  He’s been called a tactical genius by Mark Millar in The Ultimates.  In JLA Avengers both heroes strengths were used efficiently;  Superman led the charge while Captain America told the assembled heroes where to charge.  While Superman may be superior on his own, these skills make Captain America even more valuable in a team setting.  

     In a strange twist, Captain America is less trusting of the United States government than Superman.  It makes sense once you see how he’s been treated in the past.  He discovered that the nation’s leadership had been infiltrated by the Secret Empire.  He was stripped of his superhero identity by the Commission, after which he had to be convinced to reassume the mantle of Captain America.  In the “Red Zone” storyline in Avengers a virus escaped from a project that was initiated by Secretary of Defense Dell Rusk, the Red Skull in disguise.  And recently, in Civil War, he disobeyed a SHIELD order to apprehend superhumans who refused to register with the government.  Superman has often portrayed as a hero more likely to toe the line.  In Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns he tries to arrest an outlaw Batman.  In Legends, by Ostrander and Byrne, he obeys an order for heroes to cease activity and speaks to the president directly.  This point can be attributed to a general difference between the Marvel and DC universes, though.  Marvel has often played with corruption in the government, something DC has been introducing into more storylines just recently.  While Superman would not do anything he considered “wrong,” he is less likely to question orders than Captain America would, but Cap has had enough bad experiences to make it necessary.

     While Clark Kent is married to Lois Lane, Steve Rogers is married to Captain America.  He’s made this his life where Superman struggles to maintain a secret identity and a relationship with his wife.  While Cap has had girlfriends in the past, and a fiancé, the truth is that he is now at the point where he doesn’t need a secret identity.  When he isn’t leading the Avengers in the field he’s working as an agent of SHIELD.  He wants to be Captain America full time, while Clark Kent would rather be living his life as normal human being.  In the movie Superman II Clark has his powers stripped away because he does not want the responsibility anymore.  This is a trait he shares more with Spider-man than with Cap; with great power comes great responsibility.  As long as he can save lives he feels obligated to.  Steve Rogers is more like Bruce Wayne in this regard.  He has become the symbol, to the point where his birth name is no more than a tool.

     The greatest link between Superman and Captain America lies in the respect they are given in their respective universes.  It’s something that they have both earned over the decades from other characters as well as from their fans.  And while Clark Kent and Steve Rogers are two different characters who have more differences than similarities, both will continue to fight for freedom and justice no matter what the cost to themselves.

Jason Antolik is the co-owner of The Phoenix of Westchester in Scarsdale, NY. He has been an avid reader of the funny books since he broke his ankle when he was thirteen and is Westchester?s Comic Book Jeopardy champion. All will bow to his geekness. So say we all.

Art suplied by Chris G & Wilson Ramos Jr.

 

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