InsaneJournal

Captain America Theater Of War: Ghosts Of My Country
Greetings True Believers! I picked up this Captain America one-shot today and my LCS and it's really good. The title refers to a poem that John Adams writes in 1776 during a certain congress...

The imagery is what gets me. It shows Steve Rogers as he should be. Protecting, inspiring and comfort to American soldiers and how his spirit is present with us.



It's very good and I suggest it to Cap fans. Spoilers and enjoy!


John Adams writes this poem and it follows American soldiers during important events in the country's history. Here's the poem:

"I hear a ghost of my country...
I hear a ghost of my country
Made real on this day in July
I am wrestled from tyranny's clutches
By the sound of its birthing cry
We are bound by a fair declaration
Of which I am a proud engineer
I hear a ghost of my country;
'Tis the promise of all I hold dear."

Hancock thinks it sucks and Adams isn't sure what it means. Later while Jefferson reads aloud from the Declaration of Independence Captain America appears in the room.

On the eve of battle with the British in 1814 Francis Scott Key starts scribbling the poem on a pad and doesn't know why. Then the Battle of Baltimore occurs. After the battle Key sees the American flag fluttering in the wind and is inspired to wrote the national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner" Cap is standing next to the flag.

Next at the battle of New Orleans in 1815 General (later President) Andrew Jackson uses the poem in a speech to inspire his soldiers. He has this cool line, "Now...Who wants to teach these British another lesson on the heart of a Kentucky rifleman?" As the British charge Cap is standing on the firing line with the American soldiers.

Next is Georgia in 1864, a scared Union soldier writes the poem in his notebook as he prepares to go into battle. He kills a Rebel soldier and it shatters him. He refuses to advance and as his commander shots him as a deserter Cap is seen over the battlefield looking sad.

Next is The Ardennes, 1945. A soldier lays dying and he writes the poem into his final letter home. As he dies, we see Cap holding his hand out to him.

La Drang Valley, Vietnam 1965. A young soldier is shellshocked as his squad is being overrun by Vietnamese forces. As people die around him, he starts mumbling the poem to himself. Cap appears as the Vietnamese come up to him. The following page really hit me.




Man, that's a powerful panel. I look at it and seeing Cap defending him? Shielding him from view? That panel is pretty much Cap to me. He shields us.

Next we see "I see a ghost of my country" written on a burning memo page floating from the WTC on 9/11. We see firefighters entering the towers and someone warns them that the building could come down at any moment.

"You can't go up there!"

"Sorry man. We can't not go up there."

I really liked the following pages.







And the last page says it all.




Man, this was a great one-shot.