The Big Picture: Who's Afraid of Captain America?

[WolfThomas]

The Chinese superhero Collective Man is actually pretty cool in my book. He's actually five identical quintuplets that can merge to increase their/his strength, speed and intelligence. For example he can be one person with the strength of 5, or two people with the strength of two and three people or any other possible combination.

But he can also for brief periods drawn on the energy of the entire chinese people to attack with the strength of a billion people.

I didn't even know the UK had any superheroes whose namesakes derives from our countries. I'm definitely interested in finding out more about Union Jack, he looks bad ass.

I'd advise hunting down "Captain Britain and MI13", it's only about a dozen issues long but it's fantastic. You have a shapeshifting alien that looks like John Lennon, an unlikely wielder of exaclibur, SAS in robot suits, Blade the vampire hunter (he's british, an overlooked aspect of his character) and other heroes like Captain Britain, Union Jack and Spitfire. The best part is a six story arc where Dracula tries to invade Britain.

 

[Defective_Detective]

Much better episode this time around. Interesting analysis without being overly in-depth. Good job, Mr Bob!

 

[VanityGirl]

Glad you at least explained to people that Cap America is not a patriotic flag/dick waving American only standing for truth, justice and the American way.

Cap is and has been the one that everyone in the marvel universe looks up to. He's a father figured to some and a leader to others. Hopefully the movie will be good.

 

[fulano]

We're pretty much short of superheroes over here, but we do have this guy:

His name is Memin Pinguin.

We also had Karmatron a while back, which then got updated by the original creator:

Doubt either of those counts as national bragging though.

 

[I am AFK]

ok world get ready for capten CANADA!.........no...that would be stupid

 

[-Ulven-]

The funny thing is, those 'other' national superheros you mentioned were created by Americans

Side Note: Now that Gene Shalit is retiring, you better step up with your movie puns on Friday

Indeed, like Marvel taking the Scandinavian "superheroes" see also: Gods and making them into superheroes :<

See: Thor

 

[The Artificially Prolonged]

Intresting points on Captain America, but no we are not taking David Beckham back

 

[Boba Frag]

somehow, Bob, I don't think Ireland ever got round to creating a national Superhero

Unless.... can we have Green Lantern?

Or maybe a clone of Michael Collins (Irish bad-ass and one of the Irish State's founders) with, like... I dunno, super strength and maybe the ability to headbutt tanks.

I'm liking how the big picture sounds like a pub rant- to me that's the best kind of discussion!


EDIT

No way are we taking either of those clowns- Beckham or Oliver! I don't care if Ireland is half-way between the US and the Uk- not on my watch!!

 

[Sovvolf]

No Bob, let America keep Beckham, please. Though, yeah, I would like to see a Union Jack movie (costume is bad assed) though I imagine if they did the film.. Unless we get a decent director or work with a decent studio, the film will be Americanised or pulled to shit.

I wouldn't mind Guy Ritchie giving it a go though, I thought his Sherlock Holmes movie was top notch. If not him, maybe Matthew Vaughn (if I've spelt that correctly) he did a decent job with Kick-ass right?.

 

[Yankeedoodles]

Ugh. Nationalistic superheros? No thanks. As someone more eloquent than myself has already said, "Nationalism is the celebration of humanity's division".

That might sound strange coming from someone who goes by, "Yankeedoodles" but my avatar is less a support of patriotism and more a funny word I heard in the movie Heavyweights.

 

[Kurokami]

I disagree with the idea that Captain America stands for just America, its more so the ideals that America stands for, atleast to me, independence and freedom. Atleast that's what I got from whatever contact I've had with the character, most of which were the Civil War comics. He's gone against America a few times as 'Nomad' or w/e, as Bob pointed out, so is it really just America gratifying itself?

 

[Mangue Surfer]

No, superheroes are North America things. Something from bullying culture. "If I cast laser from my eyes no one would mess with me!" Usually the rest of the world has a tough guy, a cop or something as John McClane. Yet they are often controversial. Accused of abusing of violence and end up being branded as fascists.

Anyway, I think Mahatma Gandhi is a symbol in India. How about if Americans began to turn their nationalist to symbols of peace? How about a super hero that solves almost everithing with dialogue?

 

[shogunblade]

I love the idea you are going with here, M.B.

Except, instead of making the world a Street Fighter sort of thing, maybe we could find a way to implement Capt. America into it.

Say if it was a fight against American superheroes (And Wolverine) and Comic Book Villians, against, say, A ragtag team of misfits whose various superpowers include commanding living, breathing Lego men to fight while you fight in a mech suit, A former photographer whose filmed wars and has had to fight armies of undead people, the possibility of a certain group of people known for their Hadokens and/or Sonic Booms.

Now, if only we could make that into some kind of competition, possibly available against others on some sort of connective technology on some kind of...box, of some sort.

But, who knows, perhaps that will never happen...

Oh well, A man can dream, can't he?

OT: I enjoyed this Big Picture, and will continue to enjoy it.

 

[RMcD94]

Like you touched upon, people usually think of Americans as fat assholes and see Captain America as some sort of bragging. But isn't James Bond sort of like English bragging? Not sure if I understand my point, but whatever.

Also I'm afraid I'm not going to believe Chris Evans as Captain America. Sometimes I forget his name all together and call him Johnny Storm or Human Torch.

James Bond is British, not English.

There is a difference, which people like to forget.

I don't much care for nationalism, it's like racism, against everyone else. Prejudice is bad even when it's good (instead of assuming someone is bad for x, it's assuming someone is good because x)

 

[Warachia]

the big picture is went from being too narrow to being out of focus

 

[Bravo 21]

just about other superheroes that aren't American, just rewatch X-Men: Origins, it made me smile when Wolverine blatantly declared his Nationality (which wasn't American, MovieBob, just so you know)

 

[Kurokami]

No Canadian Superheroes? What about Team Epic?

http://teamepic.tv/index.php

Need I also remind anyone that Wolverine is Canadian in origin?

Isn't Alpha Flight a Canadian superteam?

They're not big or anything, but hey it's something.

 

[Kurokami]

Oh well, A man can dream, can't he?

Well, I certainly dream of Deadpool and Morrigan. (Yes, in that order)

 

[DTWolfwood]

End sounds like the premise of that tekken movie XD

 

[Apackof12Ninjas]

Not as bad as last weeks but still really boring.

Stick to the movies bob