Marvel's Civil War

[Quin]

With the gun debate going on in the thread about the soldier being hacked to death, I thought I'd shake it up a bit.

 

Marvel's Civil War story event is started in a way very similar to that of the current gun debate; the deaths of school kids in Connecticut. A supervillain being chased by superheroes for their TV show detonates (his power) and the blast kills hundreds, including 60 children.

 

This pushes a Superhero Registration Act through Congress where all super powered beings must register with the government or be sent to prison. Upon signing, they receive employee benefits, health care, a stipend, etc.

 

Heroes like Captain America reject this bill, claiming that by making the identities of heroes public, they place the heroes in danger (Peter Parker's Aunt May is killed towards the end of the story arc because of his public identity). He also claims that as they have long acted as protectors, they've earned the right to secrecy. Iron Man supports registration after a mother condemns him for funding the Avengers and acting as an influence to any mutant or meta-human.

 

The government & Iron Man hire supervillains (with shock collars) to bring in some heroes. Captain America's Secret Avengers try to continue operating as heroes while running from the law and to avoid being sent to Prison 42; a prison in another dimension from which there is no escape.

 

There is no "political leaning" in the series from the public. The president is identified as George Bush and conservatives want the heroes to be placed on reservations similar to the one the X-Men are placed on. The liberals want them regulated and registered with the government. Bush and Stark want to take the registered heroes and turn them into a police force with a super powered team in each of the fifty states.

 

This is a tricky slope. Heroes have powers and secret identities, they've risked their lives countless times to save the general populace. But they don't answer for the damage they do, cannot be held accountable.

 

And if they rebel, the government has no ability to counter them without another super human.

 

And it isn't something you can take away, the powers are apart of each hero.

 

But not everyone can go out and just "get" powers for protection.

 

Thoughts? What would you do?

[Quin]

Well, I thought we'd be able to have a nice hypothetical debate.

 

Silly Quin.

[EvilMonkey]

My comic-geek designer talks about this to me all the time. I don't think Stark would be shamed into doing anything unless it effected the bottom line. Also seems like it is mirroring the TV shoe Heros way too much.

[caulfield12]

There is no "political leaning" in the series from the public. The president is identified as George Bush and conservatives want the heroes to be placed on reservations similar to the one the X-Men are placed on. The liberals want them regulated and registered with the government. Bush and Stark want to take the registered heroes and turn them into a police force with a super powered team in each of the fifty states.

 

Sounds pretty political to me.

 

 

[Quin]

There is no "political leaning" in the series from the public. The president is identified as George Bush and conservatives want the heroes to be placed on reservations similar to the one the X-Men are placed on. The liberals want them regulated and registered with the government. Bush and Stark want to take the registered heroes and turn them into a police force with a super powered team in each of the fifty states.

 

Sounds pretty political to me.

 

By this I meant there was no indication from Marvel that had it as a conservative or liberal public. Neither political ideology came off as the good guys, noble, etc. in the series.

[Texsox]

I have been looking for opportunities to include graphic novels into my 8th grade classes. The problem is being able to differentiate the lesson for high, and low, achieving students. A story plot like this, with cross discipline possibilities, could be just the ticket.

[Balta1701]

I have been looking for opportunities to include graphic novels into my 8th grade classes. The problem is being able to differentiate the lesson for high, and low, achieving students. A story plot like this, with cross discipline possibilities, could be just the ticket.

And by the time they're in college, this storyline might well be a major motion picture.

[Texsox]

And by the time they're in college, this storyline might well be a major motion picture.

 

True.

[Quin]

I have been looking for opportunities to include graphic novels into my 8th grade classes. The problem is being able to differentiate the lesson for high, and low, achieving students. A story plot like this, with cross discipline possibilities, could be just the ticket.

 

Just be choosy on what you pick, the entire arc has over 100 issues.

 

But it does raise a lot of interesting points with the soldier in Captain America being the one to go underground because of personal liberties, but at the same time knowing he's breaking the law already with vigilante justice.

[Balta1701]

Just be choosy on what you pick, the entire arc has over 100 issues.

 

But it does raise a lot of interesting points with the soldier in Captain America being the one to go underground because of personal liberties, but at the same time knowing he's breaking the law already with vigilante justice.

I wonder if you contacted Marvel if they've whipped up anything specifically to allow for the use of their material in lesson plans (or if they might not do so if you asked).

[farmteam]

I wonder if you contacted Marvel if they've whipped up anything specifically to allow for the use of their material in lesson plans (or if they might not do so if you asked).

If I were Marvel, does seem like an obvious way to go after young readers.

[Texsox]

I wonder if you contacted Marvel if they've whipped up anything specifically to allow for the use of their material in lesson plans (or if they might not do so if you asked).

 

Thanks for the idea. This time of year I have lots of free time to check on stuff like this.