This issue of Daredevil—taking place in between scenes in Captain America #374—features a very critical and outspoken Sentinel of Liberty regarding problems he sees with contemporary America (circa 1990). As we know from the current "Streets of Poison" storyline in Captain America, Cap has not been himself since the explosion in the drug warehouse at... Continue Reading →
Captain America #373-374 (July-August 1990)
These two issues pick up the "Streets of Poison" story begun in the last, which ended with Captain America caught in an explosion in a warehouse where he was investigating a new drug called Ice. We won't see much of the Black Widow, who, as one of the covers above suggests, "meets" Diamondback, but we... Continue Reading →
Captain America #372 and Amazing Spider-Man #335 (July 1990)
This issue of Captain America launches the seven-part "Streets of Poison" storyline, in which Cap tackles the drug war and considers the role that "performance-enhancing drugs" have played in his own life. As a bonus, we get a few panels from a Spider-Man story the same month, in which Peter tries to impress MJ with... Continue Reading →
Avengers #317-318, Silver Surfer Annual #3, and Black Knight #1 (May-June 1990)
These two issues of Avengers finish up the five-part story begun in issue #314 that features new Avengers Sersi and Spider-Man... although only one of them makes it out of this story as a member of the team! Plus: The Silver Surfer updates Captain America about Thanos (after he paid him a visit in Silver... Continue Reading →
Avengers #301-303 and Thor #402 (March-May 1989)
For our purposes, these three issues of Avengers are notable mainly for the conflict they show between Captain America and Reed Richards, both accustomed to leading their teams while only one presently does. As a bonus, we see the opening page from an issue of Thor that does not seem to fit where it's supposed... Continue Reading →
Captain America #341 (May 1988)
This issue follows up on the "disagreement" between Iron Man and the Captain in Iron Man #228 over Tony's ongoing campaign to reclaim or disable all of his tech in other people's hands, including the U.S. government, and by whatever means necessary. This is just one of many examples of Tony's utilitarian approach to ethical... Continue Reading →
Captain America #340 (April 1988)
This issue follows directly from Iron Man #228, in which the Captain and Iron Man fought about Tony's attempts to get his tech back from the U.S. government—specifically, breaking into the Vault, a prison for superhuman convicts, to disable the Stark-designed armor of their Guardsmen. For all his claims to be a futurist, Tony either... Continue Reading →
Iron Man #228 (March 1988)
This issue of Iron Man continues directly from Captain America #339, and contains one of the classic Cap/Tony dust-ups. In case you haven't been following along: In Captain America #332, Steve Rogers resigned the Captain America name, costume, and shield to the Commission, an agency of the U.S. government, after they demanded he start following... Continue Reading →
Avengers Annual #15 and West Coast Avengers Annual #1 (October 1986)
The two parts of this crossover between the two Avengers teams in their 1986 annuals are very different, as reflected in the covers: The Avengers annual focuses more on the big fight with a team of apparent ne'er-do-wells, while the West Coast Avengers annual is much more character-based and tied closely to the mystery figure's... Continue Reading →
Captain America #302-304 and Uncanny X-Men #190-191 (February-April 1985)
These three issues of Captain America, written by Mike Carlin, are part of the short transition between the legendary runs of J.M. DeMatteis, which ended with issue #300, and Mark Gruenwald, which starts with issue #307 (and lasts, with the exception of one issue, to #443!). Although we won't see him much here, this story... Continue Reading →