All Naked Rob Liefeld Captain America, All The Time
Courtesy of
Elena Berges, those
of us unable to read Spanish can finally enjoy
ADLO's
analysis (warning: progressively work-unsafe) of Rob Liefeld's
unique take on Captain America:
(Page 1)
(Image: Rob Liefeld's Captain America)
Greetings, true believers! Before you, *ADLO*! sets itself to distill
the true essence of *genius*, the *peak* to which few artists
(*Leonardo da Vinci* and *Mr Bean*, to quote two examples) have
achieved thanks to the tip of their... *fingers*, and in which our
spiritual leader *ROB!* moves like rice paper on the light table.
We all know this *great work* in which the artist par excellence
presents the American symbol par excellence, *Coca Cola*.. erm, sorry,
*Captain America!* in a version that not only took the best from the
creations of *Joe Simon*, *Jack Kirby* and *Ana Rosa Quintana*[1], but
raised it to the altar of geniality.
But *Genius* does not only come from innate *talent*. True *genius*
digs below the mere drawing to reach the *essence* of the character.
Just like *Picasso* rejected 50 sketches of the *Demoiselles
d'Avignon*, to tell something about some chicks I haven't really
understood, the great artist *ROB!*, who doesn't need so much
sketching, dived into the character of *Captain America* to show us a
deep portrait of American society.
Before all of us, *ROB!* shows the ideal American, multiracial, who
speaks with an universal language to mankind; the shield, ready to
protect, the chin mighty, firm chest, offering it to the enemy like a
brave man, and a stance that makes us think not only of two pectorals,
but of four.
NOTES:
[1] Ana Rosa Quintana is the Spanish Oprah, and famous for a case of
plagiarism. This is why she's the muse of ADLO!
*******************************************************
(Page 2)
(Image: Same drawing, but without the shield)
However, behind that apparent invulnerability, the great artist
reflects a more complex reality, and a hidden message only for
intelligent eyes. But, *Alas!*, the genius of the artist's mind is far
above ours, mere talentless mortals.
Be grateful that I, after a *revelation*, in which I saw Babylon burn,
a goat with twelve horns and in each horn a name, and in each name a
city, and in each city a... ehem, sorry, I mean, we've accessed the
*Hidden Files* of *ROB!* to show us, readers, what hides *ROB!'s
Captain America*.
Analyzing with spectrographies, chromatographies and X rays generously
handed over by a *Kryptonian* we observe that divesting Captain America
of his shield, the likeness, the strength of the character remain plain
to see, but it's also made patent by the shape of his buttocks, his
pressed abdominals (maybe a *girdle*?) and his swollen mammaries, that
we are not only in front of a watchful *fatherly* figure, but also a
*motherly* one, who waits lovingly for her children.
With this simple picture, we are offered a likeness of *America* as
father - mother of her inhabitants. But, in the manner of *Chinese
boxes*, where one revelation leads to another, lie in this work more
*hidden messages*, that only with a risky communion of hi-tech and
mystical expectation can we guess.
*******************************************************
(Page 3)
(Image: Captain America has been stripped off his clothes below the
neckline and has a tiny tiny penis)
The *Father - Mother* duality of the symbolism inherent in the
character, true believers, is strengthened in a deeper inspection.
Stripping *Captain America* of his clothes the *hermaphroditism* fades
away. Despite the Captain's testicular ostentation, his *member* does
not correlate to his mammary capacity.
What do we have here, then? He's no longer a *perfect* hermaphrodite,
no longer the ideal *father - mother*. Now he is a father that tries to
be a mother, because his authority, his *virile potency*, is reduced.
In a few lines, the *supreme artist* gives us an acute and critical
reflection about the North-American society *Captain America*
represents. From a father watchful for his children (the Army) to a
loving mother (the Motherland) to a being of mere appearance. The
sociologic criticism in a work of such symbolism, hidden to the
majority, could only be made by a peerless genius.
*******************************************************
(Page 4)
(Image: Same as above, but the tiny tiny penis is erect)
But the surprises and the *message* that this *genius* has offered the
world don't end in a mere criticism. If we *investigate* even further,
if we *observe* more with the heart than the eyes, we will be witnesses
of a *revelation*.
YES! Although we all could think that the *member* of the character was
dead weight, *ROB!* shows us that it's *operational*. Ready to
*penetrate*, to *conquer*, to face the adversities.
This is what makes a *hero*, rising above his *defects* to achieve what
others do effortlessly and yet, surpassing them. *ROB!* hasn't made a
mere portrait of a *superhero*, or a mere critic of a *nation*; no,
true believers. *ROB!* has portrayed the whole of *mankind*. A portrait
full of tenderness and love for humankind, which sees us as *heroes*
fighting against ourselves.
We must be aware of the *messages* hidden in the work of the artist.
And neither can we dwell on mere superficial analysis. The simple act
of brushing the *work* of this author, of this *genius*, draws us to
inspect ourselves, to peel off our layers of knowledge like the peels
of an onion. We must *unlearn* our patterns of thinking. Only this way
will we be able, if anything, to take a peek at what happens in the
mind of a *genius*.
Truly thought-provoking stuff, but I'm still trying to work out how it
all fits in with
the
ongoing "Are superheroes fascistic?" debate. (So Cap's tiny
penis means he's
not a fascist? Or does it make him [and,
by analogy, the U.S.] more fascistic as he tries to overcompensate for
his, ahem,
shortcomings?) In the meantime, be sure to
browse the rest of
ADLO's
site for further critical commentary, such as a
page-by-page
analysis of
Liefeld's
"Heroes Reborn" version of Captain America; an
appreciation of
the
perfect Liefeldian female form; an examination of the symbolism
behind
Cap's
size-changing shield; a comparative study of the
many
cases of plagiarism supposedly committed by Liefeld; and
much,
much
more.
