Andy Capp as a social denunciation
A comic that has become an icon because it never wanted to teach us about life.
Between the late fifties and early sixties, while Marvel brings to life its most famous characters (Spiderman, Captain America, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, etc.), all animated by a generic and authentic heroism, from the mind of England Reginald Smythe is born and populated Andy Capp: the anti-hero par excellence. The most human of all.
Instead of muscles, superpowers and metropolises, Smythe prefers to imagine his character with a flat cap that can cover his eyes, a cigarette on his lips and an obviously dark beer. The city in which it takes place is not New York or San Francisco, but one small village in the north of England, Hartlepool is suspected, although the author has never confirmed this. His mission is not to save the weakest, but to live from day to day, avoiding work if possible. In short, Andy is a man like many others and although for many he simply represents the stereotype of the classic English lower class with no great ambitions, he is much more.
It is a social denunciation as it concerns alcoholism, violence (domestic and other) and unemployment. It is a portrait of many young people who saw and experienced the tragedies of the Second World War. He is Rino Gaeatano’s only son and brother, just a little more pissed off. It is, above all, Pasolini’s Accattone. However, comparing the release dates, it is more correct to say the opposite. In fact, despite living in completely different countries, the two seem to be almost the same person: Lower classes who live from day to day without caring (or being able to care) about the future..
