For those of you that are reading this right now, if you could do me a favor and just take a moment of silence for those that lost their lives on this day.Where were you on Tuesday, September 11th, 2001? What were you doing? Who were you with? This day – unlike any other day in our recent history – is a day none of us will ever forget. I can tell you exactly where I was this day. I was 22 years old, living with two buddies of mine in a house in Big Rapids, Michigan. The night before was like any other night in that house. Video games, beer, surfing the Internet. It was great. On the morning of September 11th I was woken up by a phone call from a friend of mine. He almost sounded hysterical. “Dude! We’ve been attacked! They just hit one of the towers in New York!” I was groggy, it was early, I didn’t want to be up. He was shouting on the phone, saying something about coming over to get me. I remember hanging up the phone with him and turning on the radio in my room. It was the only thing on. Station by station. I rushed into my roommate’s room to wake him up but he wouldn’t budge. My buddy was banging on the door by this time. Rushing downstairs, he said we were going to his house to watch it all on T.V. . I said no. “We’ve got to go to my dad’s. I have to be with my dad.” He didn’t argue.
My dad is an old war horse. Served in the Army during the Cold War. Very patriotic. I was terrified. On the ride to my house my friend and I sat in silence and listened to the radio as he drove to my father’s house. We made it just in time to see the second plane hit. I’ll never forget that. My dad – who was a solid as an Oak tree, as strong as steel – was quiet. He had nothing to say. All of this was happening so fast. Were they our planes? Was it military? Who was on them? Are there more coming? Could one be on it’s way here? I think at least some of those questions crossed people’s minds that morning. What could we do though? We could do noting but watch. We sat there – dumbfounded it seemed – as the towers fell one at at time. News came across the television that the Pentagon was hit. When even more news came that another plane had gone down in Shanksville, we could do nothing. The rest of that day was filled with numbness. When we did talk it was about what we had seen, what we had heard. I can still remember seeing the last plane fly over my small town as the FAA shut down all air traffic. I’ll never forget that either.
All of what you’ve read leads up to this issue. In a world filled with superheroes and villains, how could something like this happen there? How could the likes of Spider-Man, Thor, the X-Men, even Captain America… how could they let this happen? The truth is there was nothing they could do. In a world filled with telepaths, psychics, masters of magnetism and people who could change time, none of them could have been prepared for this. How would they have known? They wouldn’t have. They wouldn’t have even thought to look for it. Though they weren’t there for us when we were at our darkest hour, they were there for us as the dust was settling. They were there when we needed them most. When we needed to know that we still had them on our side.
With that being said, this issue really isn’t about them. It’s about the Police. The Fire Fighters and Paramedics. The First Responders. They are the true heroes. They are the ones that risked and lost, their lives to save people they didn’t even know. They are the ones that committed the real acts of heroism. To those that went up the stairs while everyone else was going down, to those that pulled someone into a building as the dust and smoke raced toward them, to those that fought on board a plane to save a city, this issue is for them. Those are the ones that must never be forgotten.
The cover speaks for itself. At the time of this issues release, we were a nation in mourning. We were all in shock. Reading this issue at that time gave me a sense of pride – it still does now. Reading the words by J. Michael Stracynski and seeing the images crafted by John Romita Jr gave me chills. Seeing the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, Thor, Spider-Man, all of them helping as much as they could. Lifting beams, clearing debris… was it too soon for them to put that issue out? No. It was just what people like me needed. It was something I could relate to. It was in my medium and it was done in a way that helped me to understand.
With all the documentaries, movies, magazines and pictures, this issue is for us. This is our piece of history. This told us, the fanboys, the geeks, the nerds, that it was OK to cry. it was OK to feel anger, hatred, and rage. That was natural. What it taught us most though, was that it was also OK to forgive. To not be quick to judge based on someones race or religion. To not point the finger at someone else. It also told us that we were the heroes. We were the ones that could change, that we could make the difference. Not only to not forget who we lost and what we lost, but to remember to not let it happen again. To stand proud in the face of adversity. To stand tall.
Stand Tall…
Great review Tim and a great account of your personal experience on 9/11.
Thank you very much Jason. This review I think was my hardest to write. I sat up all night working on this, an still felt like it didn’t do this day justice.
Thank you Tim. I read this issue recently on a free download from Marvel. Chilling, honestly brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for such a thoughtful review.
