Standing Aside During Civil War

I haven't really spoken about it and with recent fallout effecting titles and, in on case, making headlines I'm going to give you the reasoning to why I skipped Marvel Comics Civil War event and why its unlikely I'll ever read it and how its also hard at this time for me to try any marvel title.

The story of Civil War opens as the New Warriors, who had just recently finished a mini to that saw as a traveling group of superheroes on a reality TV series, face off against a number of villains in Stamford, Connecticut. One villain, Nitro, explodes and kills most New Warriors and 600 people including children. Afterwards Human Torch, whose identity is not a secret, is attacked outside a club by angry people. This leads to the idea of a superhuman registration act. This develops into two different factions-those who will go along with it and those who don't. Proving, yet again, he isn't a tool of the government Capt. America makes the only American choice and opposes. This leads to a battle between Capt. America and the resistance and Iron Man and those who support the idea.

So why didn't I read it? Why does it not interest me at all. Here's my reasoning.

1. That New Warriors story that was referenced was aimed at kids. Well, at least the art style, the comedy, and general PG feeling of the series makes me annoyed that they would go out in the beginning of a big mini-series designed to be aimed at more mature readers. Yes, shared universe. but couldn't they have just decided against doing that mini-series or even doing a more realistic approach. Civil War really makes it feel as if that whole story was just to make the people aware of who they planned on killing in the opening.

2. Registration act idea has been done before. Many times. Incidentally in some of my favorite stories too. I have a high doubt Civil War would ever please me more then those classic X-Men stories or as important as Watchmen.

3. The general realism of it. I'm not against realism in superhero comics, sometimes I like it. But Of late I have been wanting to just enjoy superhero comics with costumed heroes fighting costumed villains, with either damsels in distress or femme fatales. With good stories and characterizations I can walk away from happy. The idea of the book splitting up characters, some of which I like, into political stances has actually effected my interest in some of those characters. I'm looking at your Iron Man(which means I might skip that nice looking Iron man mini out now). Honestly, the way this title was marketed just was not the book to interest me at this time. Maybe three years ago but not right now.

4. Spider-Man reveals his identity. Now, how many times has Spidey given up the fight because it's too tough? because it effects his day to day life? How many times has he moaned and groaned? Now he wants his, unarguably, most rounded rogues gallery to know where he is? Dumb ass.

5. Lets beat up the black people. I'm joking a bit but it seems that when big comic events happen(Marvel and DC) its not good to be a)teenager b)a female and c)not white. In Civil War we had Patriot as the Young Avengers to be chased down and beaten up by Pro-Reg. Yeah, being black and in LA I don't like seeing this. Plus Patriot had that drug use thing a while back. Heinberg, the writer on that series, relates it to his own problem and I understand but why is it that the one major black teenage character, the only one alive in the Marvel U, got to suffer. Sync, dead. Alex Wilder, dead. ... Well, Night Thrashers not a teen anymore but he's dead too. I'm black Marvel. I like teenage characters. What the hell? Oh, and clone Thor kills Black Goliath. Good going Iron Man and Mr. Fantastic.

6. Clone Thor? Seriously? You cloned Thor. You guys are some crappy friends.

7. A team of super-villains were hired to hunt down Anti-Registration hero's. Let me repeat that. A team of super-villains were hired to hunt down Anti-Registration hero's. Iron Man had a hand in that.

8. Big battle, then, Capt. America surrenders after seeing how the battle is effecting the neighboring city. Drawing in more supporters to the Registration cause. Surrendering is another term for giving up.



Now, Mark Millar has written some stuff I like and Steve McNiven is a good artist and it's entirely possible I could actually like this story. But there's so much that I've read in reviews and spoilers that make me not give a damn about this story. I got back into comic books for escapism. But the real world attitude and some of the ideas in this story just don't appeal to me. I can't view Iron Man and Mr. Fantastic as heroes if they clone a Thor who is basically unstable and kills a friend. No. sorry, that's not what I look for in my superhero comics.

We are currently in the fallout factor, or status quo change. Iron Man is the head of SHEILD. Some heroes have committed to the act, some are in hiding. Capt. America is apparently dead. Oh, and the fact that Iron Man showed up(spoilers ahead) in Brian Vaughan and Adrian Alphonas last issue of Runaways makes me nervous to continue buying one of the only two ongoings I currently buy from Marvel. I want superhero comics and Civil War does not feel like a superhero comic to me.