The Return of Captain America

This image is a teaser for a new miniseries marvel's doing... Invaders/Avengers! It features the Invaders team being plucked from the midst of World War II to the present day where they will invariably fight the avengers before teaming up with them to fight a greater evil. Everyone will probably get all misty about this Cap being alive.

First, let us take a moment to appreciate the awesome of the inevitable Invaders vs. Avengers fight.

Now let us think about the repercussions of this new Cap. Wouldn't it be cool if this alternate history version of Steve Rogers was somehow trapped in the future, unable to return to his own time? Then that would be the return of Captain America without having his death become "meaningless" by a resurrection (although i don't necessarily agree with that, but anyway.) Not that time-traveling heroes is any less played out, but in this case it has many interesting connotations. The basis for Cap's popularity in the modern age is twofold. The first is his representation of truth and the best part of American values, like equality for all and respect for your fellow humans. He is the protector of the American dream, even when he stands just as a symbol.

The second reason for his popularity was his position as a man out of time. For a long time he was an outsider looking in on our culture, because the world he came from was so different. He was frozen in the mid 40s, and came out two decades later into an America that, while still being all the things that he represented, had a whole new set of issues going on, and whole new ideas about America and the world. Over time, however, Cap moved away from this, as he had been living in the modern world for a rather long time, he was no longer in a state of culture-shock. Sometimes it seems to be even forgotten by the writers or maybe the characters themselves that Steve really isn't as young as he seems.

If Invaders era Cap was stuck in the present, it would be as if he was thawed from the ice yesterday. I believe it would give the character a very good revamp, and provide a wealth of interesting and provoking stories. How better can you comment on politics and the world today than from the eyes of a true American patriot, and a member of, as they are called "The Greatest Generation." I can't remember on whose blog it was, I think perhaps Kalinara's (?) but there was a great point made that it is likely that Steve, growing up in working class New York City and being a young man at the time of the depression, would be quite horrified at the waste of today's society. Little things like that even make great character moments and help Cap stand out from the crowd of superhero books that can offer just as much face-punching, but not nearly as much social awareness.

Further, I think it would be awesome if the Falcon was to take Culture-shocked!Cap under his wing (please don't kill me!) It would be an appropriate reversal of their original roles, when Steve helped Sam get used to the whole superhero thing, and they started their partnership. Prolly won't happen though, cause Falc gets no love.