Looking at the cover, you might think Captain America is back as "The Captain"... but didn't he just reclaim his original identity four issues ago? Maybe it's someone else in the red, white, and black costume? But whoever could it be? I mean, sure, there's that "other guy," but he's dead, isn't he? This issue... Continue Reading →
These two issues introduce a little (very little) bit of international intrigue as Captain America confronts opposed factions within the Soviet superhero world, including a trip behind the Iron Curtain (which would fall later that year) himself. Issue #352 opens with Cap holding auditions for Avenger Idol across the top half of a double-page spread,... Continue Reading →
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 →
These two issues see the Captain assemble the latest Avengers team and it is... definitely something. It is also his last story before the landmark Captain America #350, after which everything changes (in Stan Lee's sense of "change," at least). I'm impressed by how tightly the Avengers and Captain America comics were coordinated in these... Continue Reading →
This issue continues Steve Rogers' gradual return to the Avengers that began in Avengers #298, although this annual does not feature any Avengers team we've seen before (which will be explained later). It is also part of a multi-part storyline, "The Evolutionary War," stretched across the 1988 annuals, in a practice that would continue for... Continue Reading →
Each of these two issues heralds a return: Captain America #348, as you can see from the cover, features everybody's favorite anti-nationalist, Flag-Smasher, who's looking for Captain America and is not happy with the one he got, while Avengers #298 welcomes the Captain back to the Avengers title, if not, quite yet, the team itself... Continue Reading →
To say this issue is pivotal in the histories of both Captain America and Thor is an understatement... and we'll find out why soon enough. For now, just know that this is the second half of the Captain's side-trip on the way to confront Tony Stark for his actions in Iron Man #228, the first... Continue Reading →
This issue sees the Captain return to the Avengers' side temporarily, before rejoining on a more permanent basis in issue #298—and no time like the present, when the Avengers are facing "Heavy Metal," a short-lived group of malevolent androids/AI. The main threat among them is the Super-Adaptoid, an invention of A.I.M. based on a Cosmic... Continue Reading →
The final Avengers story featuring Captain America before the cataclysmic Captain America #332 is this crossover between the annuals of the two teams. These comics were actually published after Captain America #332, but for continuity reasons I'm letting them jump the line and be covered first. It's a fairly routine "split up and fight" story,... Continue Reading →
This post mainly covers the last adventure Captain America joins the Avengers on in their regular title before the events of Captain America #332—a comic which, you should be warned, is slightly spoiled by the end of Avengers #285. Also, we see the Avengers' installment in a curious little miniseries in which Mephisto tussles with... Continue Reading →
THE VIRTUES OF CAPTAIN AMERICA 