"Let's Rap with Cap"

So for some reason, I've decided to discuss Captain America today. He's pretty popular nowadays, considering he has a movie coming out this July(just in case you didn't already know) a whole slew of specials and one-shots, not to mention the two solo titles he's currently starring in, and the two Avenger books he's currently in charge of. Whew! That's alot of work for one soldier; even if he is a super-soldier. And that's what got me thinking; Captain America, for all intents and purposes, is a soldier. Something that's easily forgotten when you see him running around throwing his shield at some costumed miscreant or killer robot. He should be carrying firearms, guns, knives, that sort of thing. And while that's the soon-to-be-not current Cap/Bucky's thing, it should be Steve Rogers' thing too. He was traditionally trained as a soldier, especially durning a time of war. So what gives?  Sure back in is early outings in the 40's he might've been shown carrying a piece, but back then during WW2, who wasn't? Even Bucky, his sidekick, was shown blowing away both Nazis and Japanese soldiers with his machine gun while laughing like a kid in a balloon castle. After the war, no such luck seeing the patrotic duo strapped and ready to bust a cap in some commie ass. Nope, just good old-fashioned shield-slinging and the breaking of glass jaws. I believe former Captain America writer John Ney Reiber was starting to re-emphasize the soldier in super soldier during his brief run; former writer Rags Morales too.

Now I'm not saying Cap should start running around mowing down Hydra agents, or become the spokesman for the NRA. I'm simply saying it's time readers were reminded again that he's trained first and foremost as a soldier, and that there'll be times when Caps' gotta get his hands dirty and blow someone away. And yes I'm aware that there is a Captain America out there who already does this. He's the Ultimate Universe's version of Cap, but he doesn't count. Although his attitude towards sometimes having to discharge a weapon insides someone's mouth should be shared by the more fan-friendly mainstream Cap.

Seems like Captain America is reborn......again. Sigh.