This issue continues the story on terrorism that began in the first issue of this fourth volume of Captain America, with our hero intervening in a hostage situation in the small American town of Centerville, which prompts some thoughtful insights about the nature of evil and war.
Even though he had feet on the ground by the end of the last issue, Captain America is seen here still conferring with Nick Fury on the plane wot he jumped from. The latter is describing the scene in the church, in which hundred of small bombs with trip wires extending like a spider web have trapped many of the townspeople inside, with the terrorist leader al-Tariq demanding one thing in particular.
Below, al-Tariq himself instructs a TV reporter on the scene to read his request that Cap appear from him, finishing the script himself when she refuses and revealing his motivation is revenge for what he believes are American crimes against his people. (Why he chose Centerville in particular will be revealed in the next issue.)
As Cap runs toward the church, he realizes that the bombs fell from a plane and makes a mental note to investigate how this was allowed to happen.
(For reference, 300 miles from—I assume—the east coast of the United States would be near the western edge of states like New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia.)
After racing through another spider-web of small mines outside, Cap leaps onto a building, determined but still in a bantering mood.
He easily dispenses with the three gunmen on the roof, knocking one off the edge in the process.
As we can still expect at this point, Cap is careful to make sure he doesn’t die, but the terrorist is less than grateful; instead he is more than eager to die and take the hero with him.
However, Cap doesn’t let either happen.
Before moving further, Cap takes a moment to reflect on the horror he’s witnessing, in his own country, and perhaps to ponder the classic philosophical problem of evil (how a benevolent God can allow such heinous acts).
His inner monologue continues as he confronts more terrorists outside the church, criticizing the phrase “blood on your hands” for not going far enough to describe men like this.
He remembers back to his early days in World War II, when despite having had training, preparation, and combat experience…
…he still had not experienced the human devastation of war until then, just as he sees before him now.
The irony of saying he became a soldier at the moment that he learned the true nature of war strikes me as very poignant.
Cap approaches the church as the issue concludes, and hears his name…
…and is confronted by a dimension of modern terrorist warfare that he could not possibly have been prepared for.
As it says, to be continued in the next issue…
ISSUE DETAILS
Captain America (vol. 4) #2, July 2002: John Ney Reiber (writer), John Cassaday (pencils and inks), Dave Stewart (colors), Richard Starkings and Wes Abbott (letters). (More details at Marvel Database.)
Collected in: Captain America Marvel Knights Volume 1.
LAST ISSUE: Captain America #1 (June 2002)
ALSO THIS MONTH: Avengers #54 (July 2002)
NEXT ISSUE: Captain America #3 (August 2002)
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