Showbiz
Iana Murray
Jan 15, 2021
If you were paying attention to the Capitol riots, you might have noticed that a few of them were wearing knock-off Marvel merchandise with references to Captain America: Civil War, while some dressed up as the Avenger himself.
Neal Kirby, the son of Captain America co-creator Jack Kirby, caught wind of this information and wasn’t too happy about it. In a statement sent to CNN anchor Jake Tapper, he condemned the rioters for corrupting the image of the famous superhero.
“Perhaps the most iconic symbol of patriotism since the ‘Spirit of 1776,’ Captain America has stood as a symbol and protector of our democracy and the rule of law for the past 79 years,” Kirby said. “He was created by two Jewish guys from New York who hated Nazis and hated bullies. Captain America stood up for the underdog, and, as the story was written, even before he gained his strength and process from Army scientists, always stood for what was righteous, and never backed down.”
He then noted how “appalled” he was to see insurrectionists storm the Capitol wearing clothes emblazoned with the iconography of his father’s creation. One rioter was even seen wielding a Captain America shield.
“These images are disgusting and disgraceful,” he added. “Captain America is the absolute antithesis of Donald Trump. Where Captain America is selfless, Trump is self-serving. Where Captain America fights for our country and democracy, Trump fights for personal power and autocracy.”
Not one to mince words, Kirby issued a final brutal takedown of Trump: “Several of our presidents held the same values as Captain America. Donald Trump is not one of them.”
The full statement is available to read on Tapper’s Twitter.
In praise of Kirby’s statement, fans took to social media to share their favourite facts about his late father’s creation, an undeniably anti-fascist symbol.
Captain America is famous for punching Nazis, after all.
More: When did Trump's personal responsibility become a choice?
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