This issue comes soon after two pivotal events in the life of Tony Stark: falling off the wagon in issue #167, then giving up the Iron Man armor and identity to his pilot Jim Rhodes at the end of issue #169. Both lead into a protracted story, lasting through issue #200 and inspiring much of... Continue Reading →
Captain America #281 (May 1983)
With this issue we begin a three-part storyline featuring Captain America fighting the menace of Viper—originally known as Madame Hydra when introduced in issue #110—and the return of an old enemy who wants to turn over a new leaf, which is the more important aspect of these issues as far as we're concerned. (Oh, and... Continue Reading →
Marvel Team-Up #128 (April 1983)
This issue of Spider-Man's team-up book ties into the current storyline in the Captain America title even more than usual, thanks to J.M. DeMatteis having written both. Specifically, Cap has a heart-to-heart talk with S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Gail Runciter that will be referenced in his own book, making this comic an important part of DeMatteis's run... Continue Reading →
Captain America #279 and Marvel Team-Up #127 (March 1983)
This issue of Captain America wraps up the dangling storyline from the battle with Baron Zemo the Younger that ended in the last issue: namely, the one where Cap has to stop the shapeshifting creature Primus from stealing his life, starting with romancing his girlfriend, Bernie Rosenthal. After Cap deals with Primus, he has to... Continue Reading →
Captain America #278 and Marvel Two-in-One #96 (February 1983)
This issue of Captain America concludes the storyline with Baron Zemo that started in issue #276, although it leaves one thread to be resolved in the next issue (as we'll see on the final page of the main story). It also wraps up the back-up storyline dealing with Sam Wilson's struggles with his past persona... Continue Reading →
Captain America #276 (December 1982)
This issue picks up where the last one left off, following a violent confrontation between the neo-Nazi group holding a rally on Long Island and the Jewish Protection Organization who were protesting it, as well as Bernie Rosenthal realizing that Captain America is actually the man she loves, freelance artist Steve Rogers. We deal with... Continue Reading →
Captain America #275 and Marvel Fanfare #5 (November 1982)
This issue of Captain America revisits a number of recent storylines as well as an important topic raised in issue #269, one that remains all too relevant in the real world of today. (Cap also had a short story in the anthology title Marvel Fanfare this month that makes a valuable point, but very simply,... Continue Reading →
Captain America #272 (August 1982)
This issue welcomes Sam Wilson, aka the Falcon, back into the book that for several years bore his name, in a story that features him and Captain America on separate adventures that test both heroes' resolve and composure in similar ways. We begin with our title hero riding in the rain through "the black heart... Continue Reading →
Captain America #267 (March 1982)
This issue is one of my favorite from J.M. DeMatteis's several years as the writer of the title, in which he address Captain America's understanding of and relationship with the American dream. This story represents another epiphany for Cap, similar to Stan Lee's later stories (such as issue #122) and the end of Steve Englehart's... Continue Reading →
Captain America #266 (February 1982)
This issue wraps the team-up between Captain America, Spider-Man, and Nick Fury begun in the last issue, in which Cap continues to be overly dramatic, using some lines best saved for the Red Skull on Sultan, a would-be world destroyer-slash-dictator. Naturally, this issue begins with the cliffhanger left over from the last, in which Nick... Continue Reading →