Preface To Captains: Rank

There was a time when I was obsessed with rank.  Maybe it had to do with comic books - SERGEANT Fury had his Howlin' Commandos during the second World War but when he took over S.H.I.E.L.D., he became COLONEL Fury.  Obviously a field promotion.

Or maybe it was because of Star Trek - Captain, Commander, Lieutenant Commander, Lieutenant, Crewman.  I liked to know stuff like the ship's counselor on the Enterprise (under Captain Picard) had a rank of Lieutenant Commander but took the Bridge Officer's test to get the rank of full Commander so she could helm the ship.

Who knows?  When I meet folks who were in the military, I often ask them their rank.  I always liked the difference between enlisted & officer, & between non-commissioned officers & the commissioned kind.  Sometimes the people I talk to are a little sensitive - I understand.  The military, like any enforced hierarchy, breeds resentment & rivalry.

Maybe because the world has always admired heroes in wartime, the comic book world is filled with ranked super-heroes.  Especially captains.  Captain America.  Captain Atom.  Captain Marvel.  Captain Universe.  (Someone listed their ten favorites here.  Some of these fought or were created during World War II - I think we're supposed to believe that Captain America, at least, really holds that rank.  I wonder if anyone's written about the connection between ranks & superheroes.  It's almost as common as colors & super heroes (Green Lantern, Black Panther, Blue Beetle, etc.).

Why captains, though?  Perhaps I'll talk about that tomorrow.