This is it, the final issue of Mark Gruenwald's epic 137-issue run on Captain America, starting with issue #307 in July 1985. I'll pay tribute to Gruenwald at the end of his post, but for now, let's focus on Captain America himself, who has really been going through it lately. Cap started feeling weak in... Continue Reading →
As Mark Gruenwald approaches the end of his long run on Captain America, he starts to revisit concepts from throughout his run (and even earlier), as well as fixing continuity glitches, as he was wont to do. Plus, the last two issues of the Thunderstrike series see Cap and the Avengers join to watch Eric... Continue Reading →
These issues of Captain America and Avengers complete the "Taking AIM" crossover, in which all of Captain America's friends, Avengers and otherwise, plus the Red Skull, are assembled on AIM Island to investigate Cosmic Cube-related energy blasts. Also present are Diamondback and Superia, the latter of whom gave Cap a small dose of her cure... Continue Reading →
These issues of Captain America and Avengers comprise the first half of the "Taking AIM" crossover, in which Captain America assembles a team of heroes to help him investigate strange energy emissions from AIM Island—which have also attracted the attentions of the Red Skull. The story begins in Captain America #440 as Cap asks his... Continue Reading →
This issue of Captain America continues our hero's process of "taking care of business" in his new Stark-designed armor that grants him mobility after his body completely gave out on him due to depleted super-soldier serum. It also returns to the topic of the new Super-Patriot (who was presumed dead after disappearing in a fire... Continue Reading →
After the valiant efforts in Captain America #437 and Iron Man #314 on the part of Tony Stark and Hank Pym to save Captain America's life after his super-soldier serum finally failed him, leaving him paralyzed and in cardiac arrest, this issue introduces the infamous armored exoskeleton that restores his mobility and allows him to... Continue Reading →
This issue of Captain America is the epilogue to "Fighting Chance," the arc that began a year ago in issue #425 and detailed Captain America's gradual physical decline as his super-soldier serum broke down. At the end of the last issue, he was completely paralyzed and suffered a heart attack while his fellow Avenger Hank... Continue Reading →
This issue wraps up the final trilogy in the long "Fighting Chance" arc, and in it we see Captain America finally succumb to the gradual deterioration of the super-soldier serum in his body, spelling a very uncertain future for the Sentinel of Liberty. (Don't expect a last-minute deus ex machina to restore him at the... Continue Reading →
These two issues feature Captain America, first by himself and then with the Avengers, getting involved in Namor's business in reference to an attack on New York by the giant whale creature Giganto—an attack actually engineered by Llyra, a Lemurian mutant with limited shape-changing abilities, and Llyron, the child Llyra had with Namor's half-brother who... Continue Reading →
This post covers Captain America's appearances with the Avengers during these two months, with only his brief appearance in Avengers referencing the health problems that are coming to a head in his own book. (He also appears with the Avengers in Namor the Sub-Mariner #58, but that's covered in another post.) In Avengers #382, the... Continue Reading →
THE VIRTUES OF CAPTAIN AMERICA 