The rebirth of Batman and Captain America
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Spring has traditionally been the time of rebirth, but in the comic book world, it was delayed until the summer. Both of comics’ largest companies, DC and Marvel, are simultaneously launching huge summer events involving the return of recently “deceased” major characters (deceased is, of course, a term used quite loosely in comic books).
In June, DC began the return of Batman, and on July 1, Marvel launched a huge event for the return of Captain America. Both characters were killed several months ago in equally over-marketed storylines. However, much like ’80s fashion, zombies and Jeff Goldblum’s career, superheroes just won’t stay dead.
Killing major superheroes only to bring them back is nothing new. Since the lackluster, but highly profitable “Death of Superman” saga in the mid-’90’s, killing the best characters has become a lucrative financial strategy for the big two. Even though it has become cliché, the sales and media coverage of such events stays at high levels.
“Groundbreaking and original” hasn’t been synonymous with “superhero comics” since before “Leave it to Beaver” was in re-runs. With characters as old as Batman and Captain America, they are bound to die and be reborn at least as many times as they receive short-lived, ridiculous costume changes, get sucked into inter-dimensional portals, travel through time or acquire several clones of themselves.
Although Marvel has always been the Pepsi to DC’s Coca-Cola, they hardly launch such similar campaigns simultaneously. The two events even share the same name: “Captain America: Reborn” versus “Batman: Reborn,” but at least that’s where their similarities end.
“Batman: Reborn” kicked off in June with an all-new series called “Batman: Streets of Gotham” and continues in other titles. It isn’t your traditional return from the dead story, as Bruce Wayne is still deceased and Dick Grayson, the first Robin, is now taking on the Batman persona to protect Gotham City.
As one of the oldest sidekicks in the history of heroes, it seems almost overdue for Grayson to take over Batman’s cowl. Even though he was trained by Wayne, Grayson still operates in his own way as he battles the second-rate criminals of Gotham trying to take advantage of Batman’s absence. It seems that the writers are bringing a new level of grittiness and edge with the Grayson version of Batman that will be fascinating to see unfold.
“Captain America: Reborn” landed in stores in time for Independence Day with the first issue of a five-part miniseries. It takes the comic book resurrection story into a more traditional direction. Captain America’s rebirth is explained in a more convoluted tale involving time travel, Dr. Doom and some other story elements I didn’t understand because I haven’t been following Captain America for 20 years. By the end of first issue, the reader is left with Captain America on the shores of Normandy at D-Day, which is somewhat interesting, but feels like more of the same farfetchedness that gives comics its reputation.
“Captain America: Reborn” is off to a rough start, but there is hope for the future because of the creative team involved. Ed Brubaker, one of the most talented writers in comics, is teamed with award-winning artist Bryan Hitch. When those two have collaborated in the past, some of the most memorable comics in recent years were created.
The tricky thing for even the two best comic companies about killing characters for a boost in sales is having to bring those characters back when sales start to dip again in their absence. There’s no easy or pretty way to do it. It’s one gimmick that should maybe just be left for dead, never to be reborn.
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