July 2, 2007 2:10 PM

Who Killed America?

The comic book world is buzzing (or at least Marvel is hoping it is) with the question: Who Killed Captain America?

The red-white-and-blue warrior who has battled Nazism, Communism, Terrorism and every other "ism" George Bush once pledged to banish to the dustbins of history has, himself, been airbrushed out of the pages of the comics.

No doubt, Marvel wants to sell copies. But there's something more, according to the book's editor:

Part of it grew out of the fact that we are a country that's at war, we are being perceived differently in the world...He wears the flag and he is assassinated -- it's impossible not to have it at least be a metaphor for the complications of present day.

This is not an anti-American statement. Nor is it anti anti-Americans. It's about the fact that our stars-and-stripes aren't as uniformly embraced anymore...and not just by the traditional evil-doers...

In the final installments, Captain America resists government decree that he reveal his secret identity. In other words, he does while challenging our country when he sees the government as doing something fundamentally un-American.

No, it's not an illegal war he opposes...nor a domestic eavesdropping program...nor a tolerance for torture...but it might as well be. This archetypal American sees part of his true blue identity a duty to stand up and speak out against a government that is no longer defending the Constitution.

Whether it's pushing to close Guantanamo or fighting to restore Habeas Corpus, we couldn't agree with Captain America more: there are times when Americans needs to stand up and defend what we see as fundamentally American.

Don't worry, Cap -- we'll keep up the fight. Oh, and also...Superman came back from the dead...you could too.