Feeling Thor?

Even a genius can be wrong. And I’m not even a genius. Case in point, Stephen Thor found my review of Gone Zombie from last week and proceeded to prove me to be the opposite of prophetic on the subject of never seeing Zombie Ranch mentioned in his blog.

Seems I underestimated the amount of referrals I was actually able to toss his way, at least enough to be noticeable on a log. Seems I also forgot that even if you don’t actually read any other zombie comics, that doesn’t prevent you from mentioning other zombie comics. You win this time, Thor…

Seriously, even in defeat that’s just cool to type. Who can be faulted for losing to a namesake of the favored son of All-Father Odin? On that subject, I’m really looking forwards to the Thor movie after the latest trailer. I always try not to get my expectations high to avoid disappointment, but… I can’t help it. It’s just too awesome. He fights THE DESTROYER! When it blows up that car with its eyebeams I had a Kirbygasm, even if there was no krackle to be seen.

I’m cautiously optimistic about the Captain America movie, as well. I do like the choice they made to keep it set in WWII, getting right to the roots of both Marvel Comics and Cap himself. WWII seems like the last war America ever had where the country as a whole still feels like we were unquestionably on the right side, doing the right thing. Steve Rogers is a good, honest believer in the American Dream, given the chance to have his physicality match his strength of heart. Despite all my cynicism, to this day a well-written Captain America lets me set aside all the irony and detachment and other bullcrap and just root for an ideal. Cap might be a blond white guy, but he has room in his heart for all races, colors, and creeds. He won’t stand for tyranny, whether from a foreign government or from his own (and I’m not talking “OMG they raised my taxes!”, but actual infringement of liberties). Based on that, his attitude in the Marvel Civil War was no real surprise, although the details of his actions were hit and miss for me.

Anyhow, Captain America is one of my favorite Marvel characters there is, and the continuation of his popularity into modern times makes me feel good. Because he’s a good guy, and represents America as the Good Guy, in that strong, by-example way where he doesn’t have to constantly keep ranting to everyone around him that he’s the greatest. John Wayne used to pop braggarts like that in the mouth.

Just sayin’.