Remember That Time We Almost Elected Captain America President? By Geoff Jackson

Full disclosure, as a comic book geek since the 5th grade, I remember reading John Byrne and Roger Stern’s storyline about Captain America almost becoming President in 1980.  I was 11.  Without issue #250 in front of me now to consult, I recall that a third-party approaches Cap about running as their dark horse alternative to the Republicans and Democrats – and he seriously thinks about it.  He admits at one point he doesn’t understand inflation or foreign policy too well (something most jokers running for the office today would never do), and feels, ultimately, that he’s better able to serve our country as a symbol of freedom and our ideals. 

Now, this is purely my own speculation on the matter – and who really thinks about these things seriously? – but I believe Captain America would be a center-left Democrat. 

For starters, his origins in the 1940s and WW2 underscore the fact that he was created to be the defender and liberator of the most downtrodden in Europe.  His creators – Jack Kirby and Joe Simon – were two Jewish storytellers who conceived of Captain America as being explicitly anti-Nazi and pro-interventionalist at a time when both those sentiments were neither urgent nor popular. 

And Captain America’s storylines have always carried political messages: 

In the 1970’s, Captain America was the first major superhero to name an African-American as his sidekick: The Falcon.  Cap’s storylines began to focus on poverty, drug use, and disagreements with governmental stances on foreign policy – and at one point, this superhero even becomes “Nomad – the Man Without a Country” when he disagrees with a politically-corrupt President, a la Richard Nixon from the Watergate era. 

In the 1980’s, I remember Captain America simply becoming “The Captain” and donning an all-black suit because his likeness and symbolism were repossessed by the government for a more robust military and political stance. The other guy they got to stand-in as Captain America – a country bumpkin and unhinged military-gonzo type – was more easily manipulated.  "The Captain" and the ersatz Captain America eventually switch-back places again, after the latter disgraced the nation by being overly-violent and killing innocent people. 

This all felt really political to me. 

Do we have a character like Captain America today on whom we could project our ideals and best intentions? Is there someone waiting in the wings like a "white knight" to carry us forward and lead us into better times? Was it Ross Perot back in 1992 or maybe Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson next election cycle?  Who knows – but these possibilities always make for exciting speculation and fun fictional storytelling. 

A la Captain America.