These five comics are, to put it lightly, a mixed bag. The first two are partially reprinted panels and pages from throughout Avengers history, stretched out over two issues because writer Steve Englehart quit in the middle. Then an old friend returns to the fold, the team takes a trip to New Orleans, and... Continue Reading →
Released in June 1976, this 84-page Marvel Treasury Special—really more of an early graphic novel than a comic—is a massive tribute to Captain America and America herself from Jack "The King" Kirby on the year of the country's bicentennial. In it, Cap is sent by a strange being named "Mister Buda" on a time travel... Continue Reading →
Amongst the 22 regular issues of Captain America that Jack Kirby write and drew in 1976 and 1977, he also produced two annuals and the massive Bicentennial Battles Treasury Edition. (If you think this is a lot of output, consider that this was not the only book Jack was writing and drawing at the time.)... Continue Reading →
These four issues of Invaders introduce several characters who will become important elements of the book going forward (as well as the broader Marvel Universe). As I explained in the first Invaders post, these World War II-era stories feature a younger, less experienced Captain America, with the same virtues that we know well, albeit less emphasis... Continue Reading →
These three issues finish out Jack Kirby's "Madbomb" storyline, with which he began his return to writing and drawing Captain America earlier in 1976. As I explained earlier, Kirby's 1976-1978 run was light on explicitly ethics-related content, so I cover these issues in batches and fairly quickly. In fact, the most interesting part of these... Continue Reading →
These three issues finish the Serpent Crown storyline begun in Avengers #141 and interrupted by the two-part fill-in story in issues #145-146. This second half of the story actually brings in the Serpent Crown itself and its implications for the politics on the Squadron Supreme's world (and its links with the Avengers' own). Issue #147... Continue Reading →
These three issues continue Jack Kirby's "Madbomb" storyline that he began in issue #193 upon his return to writing and drawing the character he co-created in 1940. Just in case you didn't read the last post on this series—and if so, why not?—Captain America and the Falcon are looking for Madbombs, devices that emit mental... Continue Reading →
This two-issue tale, inserted in the middle of the Serpent Crown story, was originally planned for Giant-Size Avengers #5 (which ended up being a reprint issue), but was instead used as a fill-in story in after Avengers #144 because of deadline difficulties. As such, it's a relatively self-contained story, apparently fitting in continuity-wise between issues... Continue Reading →
These four issues, a crossover between Invaders and the anthology series Marvel Premiere (best known for some amazing Doctor Strange stories by Steve Englehart and Frank Brunner), introduce the Liberty Legion, yet another retconned assemblage of once-forgotten Timely Comics heroes from the 1940s, several of whom would live on in Marvel infamy. Captain America doesn't feature... Continue Reading →
