Captain America co-creator Jack Kirby's son, Neal Kirby, has issued a statement regarding the Captain America costumes and imagery used by some pro-Trump protesters as they lay siege to Capitol Hill last week.
The Marvel character was “created by two Jewish guys from New York who hated Nazis and hated bullies”, Kirby said in a statement, adding that he was “appalled and mortified” to see Trump supporters wearing Captain America costumes and/or carrying the character's shield on 6 January.
“Captain America has stood as a symbol and protector of our democracy and the rule of law for the past 79 years,” Kirby wrote. “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.”
Captain America was created by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon in 1941. Their first issue featuring the superhero shows Captain America punching Adolf Hitler in the face while German soldiers holding rifles look on.
“These images are disgusting and disgraceful,” Neal Kirby continued. “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. Where Captain America stands with the common man, Trump stands with the powerful and privileged. Where Captain America is courageous, Trump is a coward. Captain America and Trump couldn’t be more different.”
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Chris Evans, who portrays Captain America in the Marvel Avengers movies, spoke out against the riot, writing on Twitter, “I'm speechless. Just think of the carnage had they not been white. So many people enabled this.”
Evans also retweeted Neal Kirby's written statement.
