The Two Americas
July 4, 2007 by The Fortress Keeper
The original What If series is largely remembered - if at all these days - as a middling comic that generally ended each story with the destruction of the hero, world or even universe.
That wasn’t necessarily the case of each and every issue, however.
Writer Peter B. Gillis and artist Sal Buscema crafted one of the better issues of the original What If? series in 1983 - “What If Captain America Were Revived Today?” The story, a rather eerie demonstration of how a patriotic symbol can be warped for the cause of tyranny.
It’s easily one of our favorite Cap stories from the 1980s.
As is the case of all What If comics, though, preexisting knowledge of the characters helps quite a bit. Although the story is not tied to continuity, familiarity of the 50s-era Captain America definitely provides a greater understanding of the issue’s underlying themes.
Umm … the 50s-era who?
Back in the day, writer Steve Englehart explained the existence of obscure, somewhat forgotten Captain America comics from the 1950s by creating a second incarnation of the hero.
(Remember, the real Cap was thrown into suspended animation near the end of WWII. The Marvel Bullpen presumably didn’t care - or even more likely, forgot - about post-War Cap appearances when Steve Rogers re-emerged in Avengers #3.)
Although Cap II began his career with noble intentions, he and “Bucky” (the guy who would eventually become Nomad before dying at the hands of the original Bucky … geez, comic-books are complicated!) eventually descended into madness.
(Scan from Captain America #155)
When the second Cap - a racist psychopath by that point - re-emerged in the ’70s, he fought and was roundly defeated by the real deal.
(Scan from Captain America #156)
The Englehart/Buscema tale epitomized the best tendencies of the Bronze Age (continuity as a plot point rather than a raison d’etre; well-constructed stories and art), and provided fertile material for a What If “sequel.
In the altered reality of What If #44, the ’50s Captain America and Bucky woke up in a world where Steve Rogers was never revived by The Avengers.
Gillis’ version of the character is less of a rabid animal than Englehart’s iteration, and even behaves heroically for a time. The new Cap and Bucky win the public’s trust by taking down a few heavyweights like … er, ahh … Plantman and The Porcupine!
Still, this Captain America is markedly different from the original Sentinel of Liberty.
(Hmmm … Do you think Dick Cheney picked up a copy of this comic book once upon a time?)
At this point, the heroes’ impersonation of the real Cap and Bucky is uncovered by Quentin Harderman of the Committee To Regain America’s Principles.
(Yes, you read right Fortress Fan - “C.R.A.P.” Harderman and his organization are thinly veiled references to Watergate icons as H.R. Haldeman and the Committee To Re-Elect The President. If you’ve never heard of Watergate before, stop reading this blog and pick up a history book.)
Needless to say, New Cap wholeheartedly buys into the C.R.A.P. agenda. (heh.)
He recklessly throws his full support to a candidate beholden to mysterious and sinister interests. (Which, truth be told, could be just about anyone in politics. But take our word for it, the guy Cap backs is BAAAAAD.)
The American public, sadly, gobbles up Cap’s rhetoric hook, line and sinker. After the Star Spangled Sentinel was shot by a “radical opponent,” public outrage led to a wholesale abandonment of civil liberties for “safety” and “unity.”
Hey, remember when Marvel Comics used to condemn such acts?
Meanwhile, as America goes to heck in a hand basket a submarine crew finally happens upon what appears to be the frozen remains of a WWII soldier.
You guessed it Friend of the Fortress - it’s Steve Rogers!
After a brief fight that cleverly mirrored Cap’s first encounter with the Avengers, the real deal hears about the crimes committed in his name …
… and, boy, does he get mad!
We have to take a moment to single out a prominent member of the resistance. No, it’s not Spidey but …
J. Jonah Jameson! Guess the old coot really isn’t all bad.
Anyway, Cap gets to the business at hand and demolishes his deluded imitator in front of a nationwide TV audience. Longtime fans of Cap won’t be surprised to see the hero deliver an impassioned soliloquy while beating his opponent senseless.
“Get up so I can knock you down again.” That’s just pure Captain America, right there!
Although the battle is over, Cap takes the time to tear the audience a new one as well. Tyranny can only thrive, after all, when people follow their leaders blindly.
Don’t you just wish Cap had the opportunity to stand up to Sally Floyd so definitively? American Idol and MySpace our …
*ahem*
The issue ends - really, how else could it end - with a rousing rendition of America The Beautiful.
Sure, that’s kind of hokey. But hey, it’s the Fourth of July, people!
This was one of the first What Ifs I bought, and largely responsible for my tracking down much of the rest. You know, it’s funny. I’m Canadian, and as a Canadian it’s kind of my duty to go tsk tsk at all the gaudy American patriotism going on across the border, but Captain America is totally my guy.
It doesn’t matter that his name and costume (and even his stories) are tied into a national identity which is not my own, he really represents everything that’s good about humanity. He’s Marvel’s Superman, but inherently more interesting by reason of his humanity.
AWESOME stuff, and I’m not even an American.
By the way, your image ‘what_if_v1_044_23_rougher.jpg’ doesn’t link to a larger version, it seems.
Didn’t Peter Gillis write that issue of What If, rather than Gruenwald?
Ack!
You’re right!!
I misread the credits.
Thanks for catching my mistake. I’ll fix the text posthaste!
Wow. That was the absolutely beautiful.
I read Cap sporadically, throughout the late ’70’s and 80’s and never really collected his books. But even so, I realized even then his allegiances were to the IDEALS that the U.S. represented not to the government.
So in response to the way he was portrayed in CW and Frontline I quote the guy from the crowd who has seems to recognized the real deal: “That IS him! That’s the REAL Captain America.”
I’ve read comics - er, graphic NOVELS - sparingly ever since my teen years & 20’s, but I pick up the large editions like THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS, others.
I’ve missed out on a lot, it seems.
I read this page & it just seems so current & topical, what with the current controversy about America’s ( lack of ) leadership, moves to block illegal immigrants, the ” War on Terror ” & Homeland Security, & our involvement in a war that’s very reminiscent of Vietnam.
This was made about 20 - something years before America’s current situation, but hang me it doesn’t seem to connect right smack into it.
Other people need to see this !!