Secret History of EL Comics 19
In a bizarre turn of narrative, surrealism takes over Capt. Fantastic’s adventures. Though in the end, the whole issue is revealed as a dream, that isn’t giving anything away to those who might be reading this analysis first. Instead, it heightens the experience, allowing the reader to understand that this issue peers into the psyche of Capt. Fantastic. It is the story of his brain.
The idea that a superhero’s worst nightmare is weakness is not a surprising revelation, but in context of the character of Fantastic, it’s chilling. Don’t forget that we still know little of the Capt.’s background. As far as we can tell, he was sprung fully realized and his entire lifespan — everything he remembers at all — is but a few days, perhaps weeks. All he has ever known is an existence as an ultra powerful god-like being who walks elevated above mankind — of course one of his worst fears is surgery, that is, being brought down to the level of a regular human.
Or is it a fantasy?
Does Capt. Fantastic actually wish to be human? Is his desire actually for weakness? Perhaps that is how he equates childhood — certainly, that is a period of mandatory weakness that every human must go through, for some a call to shape themselves into the close approximation of a super being that they can. What does it do to a psyche who did not have this formative period?
While other superheroes do not take siesta under a tree to contemplate such matters, Capt. Fantastic does and that is what makes him a revolutionary turn in superhero lore. Most superheroes just do, their actions are their introspection. Ironically, by taking the time to think and reflect, to not take action, Capt. Fantastic is becoming more human and creating a facsimile of a real human life through his inner one.
At the same time, the EL creators poke fun at themselves by pronouncing the revelation of a dream as “the dumest ending” and then scratching off the admonishment. In this manner, they are challenging the jaded inclinations of their own readers, they are twisting a stock plot — “It was all a dream!”; — into something that is once again refreshing and important.
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Tags: Capt. Fantastic, Captain Marvel, Shazam, superheroes
