10 Comic Book Characters That Need The Brightburn Treatment
3. Captain America
Brightburn’s tagline of ‘He’s not here to save us’ plays on the classic Superman theme of his descending to earth to save the world; or at least the USA, which often views itself as the whole world. The similarities to Jesus are clear, with Superman a pure, messiah figure who protects all mankind with a message of peace... and laser beam eyes, which were for some reason were omitted from the Bible.
That’s a key reason behind the thinking of Brightburn, and indeed Red Son. Taking Superman away is one thing, turning him against you is a whole other story.
Captain America is (arguably) an equally iconic American treasure, embodying the ideals of his nature. At least, the way they’re supposed to be.
America has not always been the bastion of freedom and peace it claims to be. Pax Americana is peace by force. A horrific retelling of Captain America, where a good soldier is turned corrupt by military experimentation, indoctrination and corruption, could be an intense and introspective tale.
In the 1950s, a version of Captain America existed in exactly this style. What better way to have Falcon take up the title than by battling this version of Cap?