As much as I liked Front Line better than Civil War as a series, I also agree with The Charlatan that this speech didn't come out as intended. I can see the point that Cap is out of touch with current America, but then I don't know that I want a Cap that's worried about who won American Idol. Quite frankly, based on Sally's questions, I'm nearly as out of touch as Cap here. While I know what Myspace is, I don't have a Myspace page. I do know who won the last World Series, but then I'm a baseball addict and I'm betting a pretty good portion of America doesn't know that one either. I've never watched American Idol or Nascar. I have watched the Simpsons but have only been on youtube once or twice. And I'd certainly rather have an America that's about mom and apple pie than Paris Hilton and scheming your way to the top. Paris Hilton could fall off the face of the Earth and I wouldn't notice and I'm not the type who is worried about getting ahead in the world. And while I love my country, I don't love the fact that we treat celebrities like royalty and teachers like dirt. And I certainly don't want a superhero worried about Myspace, youtube or Paris Hilton. I'd like to think they've got other, more pressing things to be involved with, like supervillains trying to take over the world.
Long-winded, I know. Like I said, I understand what Jenkins was trying to say, but to me at least, it didn't resonate. He could have made Sally's speech make it's point without such poor examples. But then again, maybe I'm just too out of touch with America as a whole. If so, then I guess that's a good thing.

On a couple of minor notes, what's with everybody having their shirts untucked? I can understand making the reporters more worried about their stories than their appearance, but Stark would certainly have a shirt tucked in. He's too much of a GQ-type of guy to be so sloppy.

And didn't the Sentry already register and fight on the side of the registration during this whole Civil War thing? So what's the big to-do with him coming out in favor of it three days later? Am I missing something or is this another attempt by Marvel to make him seem all-important?

I love the art in this book right now. I also have to say that this was the best issue we've had in awhile. But I'm a bit biased, since Sabretooth looked good in this ish. As for Rogue dying, I don't think it's a matter of whether she lives or not; it's a matter of what her powers are going to be like when she's done.

I actually liked this arc. I think the point was to establish the cohesiveness of the group that develops through personal tragedy (Nocturne's stroke). It's actually a device that Claremont used back in the old days just before a major event. With the Albion showdown coming up, Nocturne's incapacitation may leave the door open for a new member (much like Banshee losing his voice would open the door for Kitty).

I agree, to me it seems like Cap is representing what America could/should be. And Ironman is representing what America is.

Cap's really not the wrong one here.

It's like if you found a 100 dollar bill on the ground in an empty street. 90+% of America is going to keep it. (Likely including me after looking around a bit.)

Cap is going to do what you're supposed to... turn it over to the police incase someone comes looking for it.

Cap's in the minority but he ain't wrong.

Having been one of the guys to find such a sum and turn it in so the MPs could find the person it belonged to, I suppose it's no wonder I like Cap.

I'd rep both of you, but have to spread it arround some first.

Well, here's a little something from Tom Brevoort about super hero registration from a recent interview:

So I hope this clears up what registration will actually be post Civil War. Some tie-ins might contradict this, though I can't remember any that I've personally read, but this should stand as the official response.

He also apologized for not making it clearer that Tony and S.H.I.E.L.D had minimal control over the Thunderbolt program. Apparently that was the CSA pulling the strings. It was nice of him to admit messing it up though.

Also, and I don't mean to beat a dead horse here, but I don't think Sally was pointing out American ideals but rather Cap's lack of connection with the common person. She did a better job illustrating this when she mentioned her best point, that Cap doesn't really know what it's like to have to hide in a subway while the street above you is being torn up by heroes above. It has less to do with what the US stands for and more to do with Cap's disregard of the will of the people on an issue that effects them directly. Apparently he'll still be fighting the registration act from now, but from the courts instead of on the street. And apparently from a cell as well.

Wisdom #3: Man I had such high hopes for this series, when I first decided to pick it up. But now I find myself wondering why in the Sam Hill I bothered to pick it up in the first place. Last issue was a mess. This issue was an improvement. Wisdon and M-13 use Shang-Chi to draw out this dragon whose forgotten he was a dragon and is a gang leader in Wales. Meanwhile Tink confronts Wisdom about his relationship with Maureen. Rated a 6!

I'm so glad my decision to skip the Wisdom mini ended up the right one...

As far as the speech in Front Line, the main reason I like Captain America is that he's the embodiment of an ideal America, what the country and its government is supposed to stand for. He's the man who stood up to corrupt administrations, who fights for what's right whether it's popular or not. In the Marvel Universe, just like in the real world, political opinions and trends change. That's why they're called trends. A law that's popular at one point in time can be villified and repealed in as little as a few months. Prohibition, assault weapons bans, estate taxes...all U.S. laws that have been weakened or repealed.

I'd much rather have Cap standing up against an illegal, unconstitutional requirement of registration because he knows it's right than being "in touch with" the common American, and thus a slave to their changing perceptions of the world around them. I'd much rather see the man be tied to ideals than realities in this case, because the reality is that the average American doesn't always have the facts straight and tends to change his or her mind just as much as his or her underwear. That's true in the real world, and I'm sure it's true in the MU as well.

As someone else said (I'm trying to do three things at once at the moment and can't look up to see who it was) Cap is America as it was/should be, and IM is America as it is. Millar may have screwed up an awful lot about CW, but at least he got that much of the symbolism right.

[X-Men #196 - Rated 8 - The art is still straight awesome. Seems the bad guy wants to gain Rogues ability to steal people's lives/memories. Luckily the X-Men show up and kick his butt. Thanks largely to Sabertooth exploiting a "weakness". Though I have to say for someoen who has over 300 superpowers you think he'd be a tad more hardcore but then again I guess superpowers don't make you wiser. Oh yea at the end Rogue is "Dying". I bet she lives. Especially since the cure was presented in this very issue.]

Great issue.

I like Humberto Ramos' art.

He reminds me of a cross between The Kuberts and MAD!''
This story was over a little too soon.

I guess Rogue getting cured(we all know she will be-come on...)is part 4 but it will be over quick IMO. All she will probably do is grab ahold of Sabretooth for his healing factor-'natch, the trade off will be all his morbid memmories flooding into her head! Ahhh!

I'd like to see Forge join the team. It would give them a X factor feel and he could do some crazy things for Omega Sentinel whom I am starting to like now but never expect that I would.

To me Sentinels are supposed to be the bad guys.


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