This is the last issue of Captain America before the game-changing "Fighting Chance" storyline begins, and it sees our hero reunite with Diamondback at long last... as well as one of her former Serpent Society colleagues, in a story that reminds me of classic Spider-Man tales in which a member of his rogues gallery is... Continue Reading →
We start 1994 with a flashback issue of Captain America written by Roy Thomas—breaking Mark Gruenwald's streak begun with issue #307—telling the story of our hero's first meeting with Namor the Sub-Mariner. Fittingly, this month also sees the debut of Marvels, the landmark miniseries by Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross, the first issue of which... Continue Reading →
Captain America #422 is very much a "day in the life" story, touching on a number of aspects of Captain America's routine, including touching base with various members of his supporting cast (as well as tangling with the "nut job" on the cover). Most important, we start to see hints of the next big challenge... Continue Reading →
These two issues comprise a mini-crossover (that technically began in the last issues of both titles) that brings Captain America together once again with Jack Monroe, the Bucky of the 1950s who later took up Cap's former identity of Nomad, but went in a decidedly different direction with it. (Hint: the rifle.) Captain America #421... Continue Reading →
Captain America #420 starts off a run of five relatively disconnected issues that suggest the creators are running out the clock until the beginning of "Fighting Chance" storyline in issue #425. Here, we meet a new Blazing Skull—and the existence of another Blazing Skull, seen in the recent Invaders miniseries, is not even mentioned until... Continue Reading →
The first of these three comics focuses mainly on Dennis Dunphy's subterranean struggles and his eventual emergence into daylight, with Cap playing a lesser role—but he has a much larger one in the following two-issue crossover with Silver Sable and the Funky Bunch, which contains some fine examples of necessary moral compromise (an issue also... Continue Reading →
These two issues of Captain America wrap up the sprawling storyline begun in issue #411, which now finds Cap, Falcon, Diamondback, and Black Panther in the Savage Land in Antarctica, dealing with Ka-Zar and Zabu, multiple threats, and many narrative threads (which come together at the end). Plus, Cap makes a quick appearance in Mys-Tech... Continue Reading →
The Marvel Comics annuals of 1993 each introduced a new character who received the majority of the issue's focus, in this case the Bantam (seen to the right), a welcome Puerto Rican addition to the ranks of Marvel heroes (who unfortunately was little used afterwards). Captain America only appears in the second of the three... Continue Reading →
These two issues continue the storyline that started in issue #411, in which Captain America, Falcon, and Diamondback infiltrated an illegal weapons expo on AIM Island to find Rachel's old foe Snapdragon, whom Rachel eventually killed in the last issue (unbeknownst to Cap). The current issues take us around the world, first to Wakanda and... Continue Reading →
These two issues continue Captain America's search for his good friend Dennis Dunphy his girlfriend's archrival Snapdragon, which began in the last issue. As the first cover above notes in the corner, Shang-Chi shows up to meet Cap, setting the stage for Cap's recruiting him to his Secret Avengers years later. As a bonus, we... Continue Reading →
THE VIRTUES OF CAPTAIN AMERICA 