This issue follows up on the "disagreement" between Iron Man and the Captain in Iron Man #228 over Tony's ongoing campaign to reclaim or disable all of his tech in other people's hands, including the U.S. government, and by whatever means necessary. This is just one of many examples of Tony's utilitarian approach to ethical... Continue Reading →
Captain America #340 (April 1988)
This issue follows directly from Iron Man #228, in which the Captain and Iron Man fought about Tony's attempts to get his tech back from the U.S. government—specifically, breaking into the Vault, a prison for superhuman convicts, to disable the Stark-designed armor of their Guardsmen. For all his claims to be a futurist, Tony either... Continue Reading →
Captain America #339 (March 1988)
This issue looks like a lousy event tie-in—and to a large extent it is—but Mark Gruenwald ties it in to Steve Rogers' inner turmoil very well, ensuring that there is more than enough quality content here to keep us busy, starting with an airplane conversation among the Captain's New Kooky Quartet and ending with more... Continue Reading →
Captain America #338 and Iron Man #227 (February 1988)
This issue picks up from the last, after Captain Am... I mean, the Captain... and his friends Nomad, D-Man, and the Falcon violated police orders in order to catch four snake-themed villains in Las Vegas, representing the first real test of Steve Rogers' new "outlaw" status. The cover, on the other hand, shows John Walker... Continue Reading →
Captain America #337 (January 1988)
After the last issue debuted Steve Rogers' new hero identity, "The Captain," this issue reveals his new costume, shown on the cover to the right, itself an homage to Cap's first modern appearance in Avengers #4. We also see Cap pushed even closer to the side of lawbreaking—and not because he's almost violating the court... Continue Reading →
Captain America #336 (December 1987)
After three issues without his presence (but not without his influence), Steve Rogers returns to his title, as he chooses what to do with his life now that he's longer Captain America. Meanwhile, his Partners Three, shown in floating heads on the cover, band together to look for him as well. (Does anyone remember the... Continue Reading →
Captain America #333-335 (September-November 1987)
It's understandable that, after the events of the last issue, Steve Rogers doesn't appear in these issues (except in flashback or on screens). But his influence is definitely felt as the Commission debates what to do next with the name and the shield, and his chosen successor adapts to his new role and has to... Continue Reading →
Captain America #332 (August 1987)
I'm not sure if I said anything about this before, but this issue is a game-changer—any comic with Abraham Lincoln weeping in the corner box has to be important, right? And just look at that Mike Zeck artwork on one of the most iconic Captain America covers ever: His defeated posture, head hung down, while... Continue Reading →
Captain America #331 (July 1987)
In this issue, the ongoing storylines about the Power Broker, D-Man, and the U.S. government all collide as they lead into the game-changing next issue (#332). Plus, we learn a little more about Sharon Ventura (for those not familiar with her from The Thing and Fantastic Four) and meet the big fella on the cover,... Continue Reading →
Captain America #329-330 (May-June 1987)
These two issues continue the build-up to the game-changing issue #332 as Captain America, accompanied by strength-augmented wrestler Dennis Dunphy, a.k.a. D-Man, continues to hunt for information about the Super-Patriot (John Walker) and the Buckies, as well as their enabler, the Power Broker, while the U.S. government steps its investigation into Cap behind the scenes.... Continue Reading →