This issue leads off a three-issue storyline that welcomes back several old foes as well as one previous identity, as you can see on the cover, although it's a mystery who's under the mask. More exciting, at least for me, this issue introduces one of my favorite Captain America writers, J.M. DeMatteis, to the title.... Continue Reading →
Avengers #210-211 and Defenders #98 (August-September 1981)
These two issues of Avengers see Captain America taking charge of the team and very forcefully at that, with questionable reason to do so. At the end, we have new line-up for the team; before that, though, the Avengers appear in Defenders, where Cap is more than happy to defer to a team better suited... Continue Reading →
Captain America #260 (August 1981)
This fill-in issue calls back to one of Captain America's first solo stories after coming out of the ice, and like the last issue it has a strong theme: prison reform and the rehabilitation of convicted criminals. (Note the striking cover by writer Al Milgrom, which was curiously similar to Frank Miller's cover to Amazing... Continue Reading →
Captain America #259 and Iron Man #148 (July 1981)
This issue of Captain America is a thematic one-shot, a story that fits within, but doesn't contribute to, the status quo of Steve Rogers living in Brooklyn and working as a freelance artist, while focusing on a central idea, specifically personal liberty, autonomy, or self-determination. What's more, it features Captain America facing off against a... Continue Reading →
Captain America #258 (June 1981)
This issue returns us to Captain America's status quo in Brooklyn Heights after adventures and remembrances kept him in England since issue #253 (excepting the origin issue #255). It also welcomes back one of my favorite Cap artists, Mike Zeck, on both interiors and the cover. Best of all, this issue pays tribute to some... Continue Reading →
Avengers #204-206, Incredible Hulk #258, and Dazzler #1-2 (February-April 1981)
These six issues contain minimal Captain American content for our purposes, so I'm bundling them all together for your convenience—and value! As I do in these cases, there will be less story synopsis than stories in which Cap is the focus, though I encourage you to seek out the full stories in the links at... Continue Reading →
Captain America #254 (February 1981)
This issue concludes the story begun in the last issue in which Captain America returned to England to reunite with Lord Fallsworth (the original Union Jack from World War I) and Jackie Fallsworth (Spitfire from Cap's WWII team, the Invaders) to investigate mysterious murders that turned out to be the work of Lord Fallsworth's archfoe... Continue Reading →
Avengers #201-203 and Marvel Two-in-One #69 (November 1980-January 1981)
These issues see a return to normalcy after the controversial Avengers #200, if by "normalcy" you mean the return of Ultron—not to be defeated, unfortunately, by Jarvis, seen above in one of my favorite Avengers covers. (The cover refers more to the solo Jarvis back-up story, from which we'll see only one panel here). Plus,... Continue Reading →
Avengers #200 (October 1980)
As mentioned in the last post, Avengers #200 is very controversial (and rightfully so), and even though Captain America has little to do directly with the controversy itself, the issue merits its own post, with copious links to more thorough treatments below. (Warning: There is discussion of sexual violence later in this post.) The main... Continue Reading →
Captain America #249 (September 1980)
This issue concludes Captain America's battle with Machinesmith that began in issue #247, finally bringing the Sentinel of Liberty face to face with his foe as well as a number of other familiar faces (kind of). We also touch base with Cap's new friend, Bernie Rosenthal, although you'll have to tell Cap about it, as... Continue Reading →