In these issues we see Captain America’s first two adventures leading the Kooky Quartet with Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch. Much of these early stories are spent laying out the three new members’ attitudes toward Cap and each other, as well as Cap testing out his new leadership role, tested for real for... Continue Reading →
Things are a-changin’ as the Avengers roster turns over almost completely, leaving Captain America as the only member without a criminal record. But first, we get some resolution to Cap’s “hunger for revenge” against Baron Zemo. As issue #15 begins, we see that Cap is once again having existential doubts about his meaning and purpose... Continue Reading →
We’ll tackle these two issues together because they are actually linked in a way unusual to the Avengers (or any Marvel Comics) at this point—with an actual cliffhanger (which, to be honest, is the only truly interesting thing to happen in the first issue). TWO FUNNY THINGS IN ISSUE #13 During a battle, Iron Man... Continue Reading →
A pair of tales featuring very stupid villains. ('Nuff said!) PLUS the first "Avengers Vs. X-Men" story. (If only it had been the last, right? I kid, I kid...) In Avengers #11, the Mighty Avengers meet the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man… almost. Actually, they meet a robot duplicate of Webhead built by Kang, master of… robotics?... Continue Reading →
In this story we meet Immortus, a far-flung future version of Kang, with all the time-travel shenanigans you’ve come to expect. (Groan.) But also, we see more physical prowess on the part of Captain America, who also revisits the issue of Rick Jones becoming his new partner (and possibly even an Avenger) and loses control... Continue Reading →
This issue introduces Simon Williams, who was transformed into Wonder Man by Baron Zemo to infiltrate the Avengers and destroy them from within. Of course, he doesn’t succeed—neither Williams nor Zemo—and Simon goes on to become a long-standing member of the Avengers (and, in a very interesting recent turn, a declared pacifist). Oh, and Cap?... Continue Reading →
"KANG!!!" (In the voice of Captain James T. Kirk, fist clenched tightly.) I have to tell you, I can't stand time-travel stories, and any story with Kang is guaranteed to be one convoluted time-travel story. On the bright side, this story exemplifies the interconnectedness of the Marvel Universe even at this early stage, as it... Continue Reading →
In this issue we see a Captain America not at his best, as he is rattled at a vision of his fallen partner, is duped by Zemo and his amazing friends, and once again expresses his desire for vengeance. This is a more emotional Cap then we're used to seeing, but as I explain, it's... Continue Reading →
This issue introduces us to Baron Zemo (glimpsed merely in silhouette in Cap and Bucky’s death scene in Avengers #4), who is shocked to hear that Captain America is still alive—both because he thought he died along with his teenaged partner, and because he bears a slight grudge over Cap’s role in gluing Zemo’s hood... Continue Reading →
Captain America’s second issue back from the frozen deep is fairly light on explicit demonstrations or descriptions of his virtues, but nonetheless there are interesting (or at least funny) things to note. And as a bonus, the Avengers appeared in the same month’s Fantastic Four #26, so I will describe them together. (Twice the value... Continue Reading →
THE VIRTUES OF CAPTAIN AMERICA 