March 7, 2007 Captain America Volume 5, issue number 25 hit the stands and the news media was taken surprised alongside of the fans of the character since his inception in the 1940s.
One might think that Captain America, best known for fighting Nazi and Communists would have died amid a battle with these enemies, or in a battle with his arch-nemesis the Nazi terrorist Red Skull, but Captain America died from a sniper shot and two-to-three handgun shots to his stomach.
Before the death of Captain America can be addressed with understanding, one must first understand his life, on and off the paper that has been his world.
Captain America is Steven Rogers, and was once just a frail man not even fit to join the military. It was pre-World War II and Steve attempted to join the military instead of continuing his fine arts studies, but was turned down due to his poor constitution. A U.S. military officer found Rogers to be perfect for a project the government was developing to make super-soldiers. Rogers became the first test subject and was given the "super-soldier serum" that brought his physical attributes to the extent of the peak human condition. (Captain America Vol. 1 No. 109 "The Origin of Captain America")
His powers were only that his attributes were constantly at the best they could be. That is much to simple to explain his power though, because above that he is smart and a strategist. He has good leadership skills and a wealth of experience to back those all up. He is also capable of multiple combat styles, and soon after he was given his Captain America identity, he was given an indestructible shield that he came to throw at enemies as well as use to protect his life and the lives of what he stood for. (http://www.marvel.com/universe/Captain_America_(Steve_Rogers)
Captain America's debut in the real-world was at a time just before America entered the second World War and emotions in America were on high. Captain America stood for patriotism, and was an American Icon. First impressions mean everything when it comes to pop culture icons and icons that stand for something, and in this case Captain America's first appearance defined who he was with a simple comic book cover. (Below)
At the end of the war Steve fell into the Atlantic Ocean after stopping his enemy and was frozen in a state of suspended animation, most likely due to the super-soldier serum flowing through his veins. He was found in the 1960s eventually by the recently-formed Super Hero team, The Avengers, and after 12 issues, became the leader of the team. From this point onward his ability as a leader was developed.
Since the 60s until today Captain America had continued his fight against crime, Nazis, communism, and other threats to the nation or its people. At times Steve has had to fight even his own country when at such times he was disillusioned and became Nomad, a man without a country in the 1970s near to the time Watergate happened, and in the 1980s Steve became the Captain when he decided to not become the operative for the government's Commission on Superhuman Activities. As such a history of agreeing and disagreeing with the government is present. (Captain America: The Legend Vol. 1, No. 1, September 1996. Published by Marvel Comics. New York, New York.)
Recently, following a tragic event where many died, a "civil war" took place in the Marvel Universe where super heroes were forced to register with the government in order to give security, but in doing so they lost their freedoms. Captain America opposed this Super Hero Registration Act and became a criminal to the U.S. government. He also became a figurehead and leader of an opposition force called by fans "The Secret Avengers." This group fought another group of super heroes led by Tony Stark, Iron Man, who supported the Act. Captain America remained steady and consistent in his beliefs about the situation, knowing he did not want to give up freedom and what his ideas stood for in that there is a right to private identity, doing what you want to do, and choosing who is your enemy and who is not and not letting the government decide that for you. In the end however, he became consumed with his own beliefs and realized that the American people did not care for freedom and wanted security, and so Steve Rogers surrendered, but made a point that Captain America did not. (Civil War Issues no. 1-7. Marvel Comics. New York, New York. 2006-2007.)
The event in the real world was a bit of a political allegory, but Marvel maintains that it is only that way if people read such ideas into the material. If not, it is a simple comic book story. (http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/books/03/07/captain.america/index.html)
These are the events that lead to his death, or rather, assassination, in the 25th issue of his own comic shortly following the Marvel Civil War event. Now knowing Rogers' history, we can look into the background of the people he has come to fight and his allies.
Cap's number one enemy is Red Skull, a Neo-Nazi terrorist, who is posing as others in the field of politics right now. Red Skull is basically a man taught directly from Hitler how to be a perfect Nazi, and was one of the persons that made the need for a super-soldier named Captain America to exist in World War II. The Red Skull has cheated death a number of times, as well as there have been many people who try to take his place, but the Red Skull always returns. (Pictured Below)
Red Skull may be Captain America's number one enemy, but at this time he is also working along with three of Steve's other "Top Ten Greatest Foes," Dr. Faustus, Crossbones, and Arnim Zola. (Captain America: The Legend) Dr. Faustus is a psychiatrist who makes his patients crazier, and uses mind games on his enemies in order to break them down. Arnim Zola is a genius who made many technological weapons for the Nazis, as well as the master geneticist for the Third Reich. The man's body since had died and he lived on by transferring his mind to a genetically-created body. Crossbones meanwhile is someone who grew up idolizing the Red Skull and is desperately-willing to be the Skull's right-hand man. There is also the first Skull's daughter, Sin, included with these men. (Captain America: The Legend)
Pictured top to bottom: Doctor Faustus, Arnim Zola, and Crossbones.
As for Steve's allies, there is Agent 13, Sharon Carter, the younger sister of Peggy Carter, whom Rogers was romantically involved in during World War II. The two have been an on-and-off couple, but recently had been growing back together since she began seeing her psychiatrist. There is also Bucky Barnes, Cap's sidekick from the WWII days, who was thought dead, but in reality had his arms blown off in the rocket explosion that supposedly took his life. He was found by the Russians and trained to be a covert op, as well as having been brainwashed. His new name is the Winter Soldier. Rogers fought to have Bucky remember who he is, and the Winter Soldier now knows what happened and is working on his own. Possibly Cap's longest-known friend since he awoke after being defrosted by the Avengers is the Falcon, Sam Wilson. The two have fought crime for quite awhile. (Captain America: The Legend) (http://www.marvel.com/universe/Winter_Soldier)
(Pictured in Clockwise: Falcon, Bucky, Sharon Carter, and Bucky as the Winter Soldier)
The content of the issue in which Steve Rogers dies follows through now that all these events and characters have been introduced.
Steven Rogers is led to a federal court in New York City to stand trial for the crimes he committed in Civil War. It was not fate that put Steve here, but an organized plan developed by Red Skull. Outside this courthouse waited Crossbones who set up his sight on a uniformed police officer leading Rogers into the courthouse. Steve saw this mark and took the shot from his backside in the shoulder/collar bone region. In the panic that ensued Winter Soldier who was there to free Steve, and the Falcon, who was there to make sure nothing went wrong, meet up and chase after Crossbones who is eventually caught. Meanwhile, Agent 13 is in the crowd and runs up to Steve as he lies on the steps. It is then that Steve is shot two-three times in the abdomen.
Rushed to a hospital Steve is soon found dead from bleeding.
Red Skull meanwhile is with Faustus and Zola as they celebrate their plan, and Faustus then reveals that as Agent 13's psychiatrist he had made her fall back in love with Rogers so that this plan they just finished would work. What happened on those steps? Sin reveals this to Sharon in a hospital bathroom, as well as reveals to the audience, that Sharon was the one who shot Steve through the use of hypnotic suggestion. Alone Sharon weeps in the bathroom as Steve's dead body looks at the reader.
These are the events that contain Steve Rogers death. The death of a fictional hero, and an American Icon. What this symbolism means, is for the reader to determine.
The initial sales of the comic were going astronomical when you apply number sales to a comic like this. The first printing was sold out, and copies were going up to hundreds on eBay. A second printing was made and since has been released. (http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=104506)
Doubt exists whether truly dead or not due to right now two reasons: 1) comic heroes happen to die and come back often, and 2) there is a movie deal in the works.
1) Death and Resurrection have been a mainstay in stories since the dawn of time starting with many myths, and comics really are just modern day myths. There is a right to be skeptical, but also the right to take it literal.
2) There might be a movie deal, but just because he is dead does not mean the movie cannot continue to be produced. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0458339/)
If you want to know about if this death is real or not, the comic, Civil War: The Confession, that hit stands the week following the death established that Steve Rogers is in fact dead, and Iron Man felt that the loss of his life made his victory in the Civil War worthless. (Below) (Civil War: The Confession, Marvel Comics, New York, New York. 2007)
Some argue Captain America is not dead, and they are right: Steven Rogers is dead.
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