KIRBY IS BACK! As America's bicentennial year opens, we see Captain America co-creator return to his title as writer, penciller, and editor, where he'll remain for almost two years, from issue #193 to #214 in October 1977, plus two annuals and a special "Bicentennial Battles" issue. Kirby injects a science-fiction feel to his run, where... Continue Reading →
These four issues see Captain America's return to the Avengers after a long spell away while he was battling the Secret Empire, abandoning his superhero identity to become Nomad, and then dealing with the Red Skull and the revelations about the Falcon's past. (See the posts on Captain America from issue #169 to issue #192.)... Continue Reading →
In this post we cover the last three issues before Jack Kirby takes over with issue #193. In the first two issues by short-lived regular writer Tony Isabella (with Bill Mantlo helping on the second), we resolve the situation with the Deadly Nightshade begun in issue #189, and we see how the Falcon accounts for... Continue Reading →
Just two months after Giant-Size Invaders #1, the (mostly) monthly Invaders title began (the first two issues originally intended for a second giant-size comic). As I wrote in the post for the last issue (after some background regarding its origins), this series is heavy of the action and light on the moral dilemmas—this being an... Continue Reading →
This post covers the first three of the six issues of Captain America between Steve Englehart's run, which began in issue #153, and Jack Kirby's heralded return to the title with issue #193. Most of them pick up on threads from the end of Englehart's run, particularly the fate of Sam Wilson, revealed by the... Continue Reading →
We have finally come to the first extended treatment of Captain America's World War II adventures in writer Roy Thomas's brainchild series, Invaders, drawn by Frank Robbins and others. Please indulge me for a minute: my favorite comics series when I was a little nipper (and exclusively a DC Comics reader) was All-Star Squadron, in... Continue Reading →
The spotlight is on the Falcon in these last two issues of Steve Englehart's run (with a co-write from his successor John Warner on issue #186), as the Red Skull reveals secrets about him that will shake both heroes (although we see more of the effects on Captain America, for reasons that will become clear).... Continue Reading →
This issue is the first of Steve Englehart's final story, taking up his last three issues on Captain America, after a run that took the title to a higher level in terms of ethical substance (and sales). It features Cap and Falcon facing off against the Red Skull, allows Cap to get off his chest... Continue Reading →
As you can guess from the cover, this is quite the eventful issue, bringing Steve Rogers' time as Nomad to a sudden end in the most painful possible—although less painful for him than for someone else. (Look at me, trying to be coy while it's right there on the cover, beautifully rendered by legendary artist... Continue Reading →
