|
Captain Euro is a fictional comic book-style superhero character, created in 1999 as a way to promote the European Union, and specifically the Euro, the single European currency that arrived in 2002.〔(Die, Europhobe scum ), Dan Glaister, ''The Guardian'', 6 April 1999〕 The character has been featured on a website (first at captaineuro.com, later at captaineuro.eu) since 1999, but has not appeared in any actual comic books. The website's contents are available only in English.〔 The campaign, website and all the characters were created by Nicolas De Santis of the consulting firm Twelve Stars (now Gold Mercury International) for the EU.〔 Twelve Stars was already working for the EU in various projects, including with the European Parliament. The Captain Euro character dresses in a costume which features elements of the flag of Europe, including the twelve stars motif. Elements of the character are clearly reminiscent of Marvel Comics' Captain America (the similar "Captain" moniker and patriotic costume) and Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's Captain Scarlet (which also features a team of international adventurers operating from a central base). In November 2014, De Santis relaunched the Captain Euro website, this time as an independent project not under EU supervision. The relaunch included some changes to the characters, as well as a significant change in tone: the stories became more humorous and more overtly political, with Captain Euro explaining and justifying the European Union to various real-life world leaders.〔(Whimsical Cartoon Character: Captain Euro Returns ), ''Der Spiegel'' Online, 18 November 2014〕 ==Fictional character biography== Captain Euro (real name Adam Andros) is the main character, of unspecified nationality. Originally, he was described as the son of "a famous European Ambassador", a professor of palaeontology and a polyglot; after a motor accident one of his knees was replaced with a metal alloy joint, but he is otherwise "in peak physical condition". After the relaunch, Captain Euro became a former "investigative journalist and a writer with a deep interest in international affairs, social psychology and identity", who "discovered his deep passion for keeping Europe together while reporting on the horrific events of the Yugoslav wars".〔(CAPTAIN EURO- HIS ORIGINS ), Captain Euro website〕 He runs the Twelve Stars Organisation, a group which seeks to "defend the security of Europe and uphold the values of the Union". His team-mates include his sidekick Europa (real name Donna Eden), an environmentalist and archaeologist, and assistants Erik, Helen, Marcus, Lupo the timber wolf and the computer system Pythagoras I. The website claims that "they are the new ambassadors of global peace bearing the European message with them wherever they go." They also apparently represent Europe at sporting events, "competing in a number of championships and triumphing in the name of Europe." The major foe of the organisation is Dr. D. Vider, a "ruthless speculator" and "former financier" who hopes to divide the European Union so that he can more easily conquer it. D. Vider's full name was originally David Viderius, but after the relaunch it became Dexter Viderius, and D. Vider became the head of Dividex, an evil multinational corporation.〔(CAPTAIN EURO’S ENEMIES ), Captain Euro website〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Captain Euro」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|