I had to stop reading comics on a regular basis in high school because the plots and story arcs got so convoluted and ridiculous (or at least more than usual) that one couldn’t bear to keep up. Plus I was turning eighteen. But I still check out the graphic novels from time to time to see what people in the comic universe are doing. Now, it may surprise some of you, but the comic book world is full of writers that want to hit on current events and tackle social or psychological issues just as much as they want to write clever witticisms or about some girlfriend that gets killed. And it’s never been done better than in Marvel Comics’ “Civil War” crossover.
The basic synopsis: A bunch of young (throwaway) heroes, trying to catch some baddies for their hit reality show, come across one villian appropriately named Nitro, an already-notorious minor villian that acts like a human bomb. This baddie, in an attempt to get away, blows up his surroundings, which includes our heroes and the better part of a small town, taking hundreds of lives including many school children. Congress, in response to the public outcry and existing, growing reservations regarding the liberties taken by superheroes, passes a Superhuman Registration Act that, amongst other things, demands that superhumans register their abilities and identities with the authorities and enlist in training programs, virtually making them official cops or soldiers. As the title suggests, some do and some don’t.
The factions for and against are led by Iron Man and Captain America, respectively. Iron Man (billioniare and tech genius Tony Stark) believes in the letter of the law and the need to weed out the pretenders and psychos who think they can perform in the same capacity as the established heroes. But he is also somewhat ruthless and unethical in his approach, and his “big picture” view of how events will unfold and the justifications for them are debateable. Captain America is (or at least considers himself to be) a true patriot, who lives and fights for the American ideal and way. He and his sympathizers are concerned for the rights and families of the heroes, who risk life and limb and don’t ask for much of anything in return,
and there are also concerns about the government trying to make a super-army. Cap, for his part, is so intent on winning the war for his side that he risks sacrificing a great deal of lives, property and ethics in the cause, all the while losing touch with the American people that once revered and trusted him.
From a business and creative standpoint, it’s pure genius. As head writer Mark Millar put it, “The political allegory is only for those that are politically aware. Kids are going to read it and just see a big superhero fight.” The crossover is successful in giving the fanbase something rather novel in the hero vs. hero circumstance, and the allegory is both strong and apt throughout. Marvel has always been very good at hinting at topical matters or politics while giving readers a wizz-bang, nifty story (X-Men for racial bigotry, Punisher for ethics in fighting crime, Iron Man for alcohalism, and so on), and that theme shines in “Civil War”. You might make a Marvel-ized connection to Guantanamo Bay or Cindy Sheehan as you read along, and the writers and editors do a respectable job at presenting both sides of the argument with fairness and intelligence. This also gives the company a golden opportunity at cleaning up their stock of growing heroes and villians, something that is effectively done without making it too obvious.
The series is not for everyone, and people oblivious to or out of touch with the comic book world will struggle with it. For starters, the main impetus for the story and the characters’ roles therein are built on several other past story arcs that cannot be summed up in one quick reference (sometimes I had no idea what they were referring to). And certainly the fantastical and sillier elements of the stories can dissuade a number of potential readers from caring. If you’re looking for a read that’s fun, challenging and a little out there, dive in, but many will be better off searching elsewhere for the same thing.
Just about every trade paperback of the series is worth reading, but for the juicier parts, read the main chapter of the series, the “Road to Civil War” (a prequel that brings you up to speed), the two “Front Line” chapters (which do the best at delving into the ramifications and investigations of the war), the “Wolverine” chapter (which deals with apprehending the villian Nitro and those he has conspired with), the first “Spider-Man” chapter (the biggest swing-voter in the story), the “Black Panther” chapter (which gives an outside impression of the events) and the “Iron Man” chapter.
Special thanks to my friend Len for buying and lending damn near every copy that I read. Without him, I would have had to read them in the store, for I was not about to buy.
My Review: 4 out of 5
