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I think you can tell by the title of my article this month what I'm going to be talking about. I do wish to make one thing clear though before I start writing. I had NO plans on buying Civil War. I figured at best I would read a friend's copy because I thought the concept just wreaked of the problems the JSA once had of taking their masks off or pretty much being outlaws. I'm getting sick of old ideas, many bad, being blatantly rehashed (did you hear there is going be a remake of the 1978 movie Piranha?).
Anyway, when I was at my local comic shop on Free Comic Book Day I decided to pick up a copy as someone whose opinions of comics I usually share said it was a really good read. I must say that I really did enjoy the first issue. I just want to make this clear because I want to give credit where credit is due. I thought the series was going to suck, and for at least now it looks like I was very wrong. With that said I want to take a look at some of the points that interested me so much. Please know that all quotes are from the first issue and I will have spoilers galore if you haven't read it yet.
Rubicon
"This could be the episode that really puts New Warriors on the map, dude. We beat these guys and people stop bitching about Nova leaving the show to go back into space." - Speedball
If you didn't know a "Rubicon" is pretty much a point of no return. This is very true for Civil War in the case of what Speedball says for two reasons:
- The actions that the New Warriors undertake soon after are the final catalyst for Civil War.
- Proper characterization of the New Warriors was not a concern for this story, and that puts a negative taint into the story and future expectations.
As with many events in the real world what the Warriors did was nothing new. Super folks have trashed the heck out of the planet for a long time. Those who have been hurt have pretty much been ranked up to collateral damage. Just look at the story that is finishing up in New Avengers. The fact that it took as long as it did for them to be called for assistance tells more about S.H.I.E.L.D.'s lack of concern for civilian safety than what you see in Civil War. Also, as with many events in the real world it's not until the lives of children are lost en masse that people take notice of events that happen so regularly. Some "good guys" make a bad call, a "bad guy" responds with a large destructive display, kids pay the price, the public holds the "good guys" responsible for "provoking" the "bad guy." Sound familiar?
Regarding the characterization of the New Warriors I'm going to just rank it up to what looks like a personal vendetta Joe Quesada has against Speedball. Not only was Speedball never the leader of the Warriors, but Namorita and Night Thrasher would never let him "take control" of the team, much less order them around. If you wish to ignore those things and say that they (Namorita and Thrash) weren't thinking clearly then you should consider Speedball's personal history, which apparently Joe Quesada and Mark Millar have NO clue about.
Speedball's dad was the District Attorney for the only town in the US that had an anti-superhero law, so Speedball fully understands why some people have a distrust of heroes who may see themselves "above the law." Also, Speedball's quote above doesn't talk about THE New Warriors, he talking about the show and seems to have a large amount of interest in its ratings, and nothing more. Speedball's mother is an actress and that played into problems at home in his parent's relationship during their marriage. While Speedball never saw eye-to-eye with his parents he never went out of his way to anger them, much less emulate their problematic behaviors. His actions in the beginning of the first issue of Civil War did both. As far as I am concerned regarding that part of the story those who planned it, and wrote it, were at that time hacks at best, Quesada's lap dogs at worst (the funny part is that Robert Kirkman's recent story in Marvel Team-Up trumps Speedball's apparent demise in Civil War because he is still alive in an alternate future).
Beyond that the actions of the Warriors kicked off the focus of Civil War, should those with powers be allowed to operate outside the law?
Registration
"Becoming public employees makes perfect sense if it helps people sleep a little easier." - Iron Man
I must say, more deluded words were never spoken. While there are a number of concepts that the events in Civil War could be connected to one is prominent, gun control. Much like the concept of gun control the idea of superhero registration asks, "How much oversight is too much?" When people talk about gun control in the US I notice that those who are really big on the Second Amendment like to use the part that says "the right of the people to keep and bear arms," but don't tend to quote the very start of the amendment. You know the part that uses the word "militia." Tell you what, let's just look at the Second Amendment. It states:
A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."
Is everyone that owns a gun part of a "well regulated militia"? I can tell you right now that I don't know a single person who owns a gun, who isn't, or wasn't, in the military that is part of a "well regulated militia."
Aren't the heroes' powers (natural or artificial) their "arms?" Aren't those their weapons? If people in the US don't have to be part of a militia (it is pretty much considered a four letter word in our country now thanks to some crazies) to own a gun then why should the heroes? It simply wouldn't make sense. However, like so many things that people are suddenly aware of "sense" doesn't have anything to do with it. People just want to see a response to the problems they're suddenly and horribly aware of, they don't care if it makes sense they just want to feel like they're doing something constructive.
So, as so many civilians do when things get bad they look to their government to create rules to put those problematic people in check. No open discussion with critical thinking and thoughtful analysis, just punishment. Now the heroes are one step from becoming those they fight against, not so much by their choice but by a government applied rule that is a knee-jerk reaction requested by the general public.
The Gauntlet
"This proposal goes to a vote in two weeks time and could be law in as little as a month." - Commander Hill of S.H.I.E.L.D.
This is the statement that carries the greatest weight regarding the government's response to the events that took place in Stamford. The reason the statement carries so much weight is that shortly after it is made Commander Hill has an anti-superhuman response unit that is supposedly still "developing" go after Captain America. So, not only is the unit operational, Hill is also attempting to enforce "laws" that aren't in effect yet.
Is this the example the heroes are supposed to look at? A group of soldiers that are still being developed seeing combat before being fully trained? That doesn't say a lot about the government's ability to train the heroes. Also, why are the heroes being asked to follow a new set of "laws" when those that are supposed to enforce them ignore the fact that the laws haven't even been made actual laws yet? "Do as I say, not as I do" is not a creed that heroes make an effort to follow often.
Battle Lines
"Cap going underground means every super hero who disagrees with us suddenly has a figurehead." - Politician
This is the best part of the first issue for me. From the ads I had seen regarding Civil War I knew that Captain America and Iron Man were going to be at odds, but I had assumed the sides would be reversed. I must say that I am very happy to see that, at least for now, Cap is on the side of those who don't wish to be under the thumb of the government.
The only time I have read Captain America's title for an extended period was when he quit for a while (and became the Captain). It was during that time I saw the character that I believed Cap was, someone who emulated that what a person did was important and not what he wore. After returning to being Captain America he ended up becoming a bit of a lapdog to the government again and I stopped reading as I can't stand people who are sheep.
I'm really looking forward to seeing who ends up on what side of this war and how it affects the more tightly knit teams. Right now it looks like those on Iron Man's side seem to be those with responsibility issues (always blaming another source for their decisions) while those on Cap's side appear to be those that simply wish to fight the "good fight" the best they can. If Marvel can keep up momentum this series will truly be what the subtitle on the cover of the first issues states, an "event."
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