Captain America

Most of the rest of the world, I now know, found out about this on the news throughout the day. I woke up and barely made it to work on time, then directly from work to the comic shop so... hadn't heard a thing. I knew #25 would be a "big" issue, being the first Cap story post-"Civil War." But I didn't figure on this. Yeah, signs had been there for a bit, 20/20 hindsight and all, but in the actual reading this came as a complete shock to me (I had half-expected it DURING "CW"... but right after??) It's a cracking great issue, yes, and coupled with the past year's worth of stories about the character this may be the most "satisfying" comic book death since Captain Marvel... but, still... Wow. Ton of bricks.

And, yes, I did cry.

"O CAPTAIN! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,

The ship has weather'd every rack, the prize we sought is won,

The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,

While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;

But O heart! heart! heart! O the bleeding drops of red,

Where on the deck my Captain lies,

Fallen cold and dead."

-- Walt Whitman ("O Captain! My Captain.") 1891

"So forever in the future,

Shall I battle as of yore,

Dying to be born a fighter,

But to die again, once more."

-- Gen. George S. Patton ("Through a Glass, Darkly.") 1922