These issues are not the most significant, but do include some interesting moments with the Scarlet Witch challenging Captain America's leadership—and speaking of whom, Cap doesn't even appear in issue #13, and no one knows why except the editor (and us). Cap is back by issue #14, most of which deals with the Beast's return to... Continue Reading →
Captain America #13 (January 1999)
This issue serves as a brief respite between major storylines, an intermission that revisits something that happened during the Skrull/Capmania episode that Mark Waid and company knew couldn't be forgotten, while also injecting some welcome levity, following the (literal) nightmare scenario of the last several issues and the red storm to come. The loose thread... Continue Reading →
Avengers Forever #1-12 (December 1998-December 1999)
This maxi-series is a wide ride through the history of the Avengers and the Marvel Universe as a whole. As with most event series, even those focusing on the Avengers, Captain America plays a significant yet limited role, so my discussion of his ethically relevant moments will be sporadic, and will definitely not do justice... Continue Reading →
Captain America/Citizen V Annual 1998
This annual feels more like a Thunderbolts comic than a Captain America, for good reason: Citizen V was Baron Zemo's identity when the team were pretending to be heroes while many of the real heroes were "reborn" elsewhere. The name came from a Golden Age hero, John Watkins, who appeared twice (Daring Mystery Comics #8... Continue Reading →
Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #2-4 (October-December 1998)
These three issues comprise a fantastic Invaders story set in 1942, narrated by Captain America—to whom is not clear, but he does note it's "nearly sixty years" later, so he is probably telling this story in 1998 (or even 2001, when the last issue took place for some reason). Anyway, Grandpa's war story gives us... Continue Reading →
Avengers #8-9 (September-October 1998)
These issues introduce two new heroes (one of whom is prominent on the cover to issue #8 above) as well as a threat who is new to the Avengers (but well known to the X-Men, Spider-Man, and Black Panther), and see one of their own leave the team. After opening with a charming scene of... Continue Reading →
Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #1 (September 1998)
As if one #1 issue for Captain America weren't enough in 1998, we have another: Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #1, a new series exploring the details of Cap's past (and sometimes his near future), launched by Mark Waid and Ron Garney, the team that successfully began volume 3 of Captain America as part of... Continue Reading →
Captain America #5 (May 1998)
This issue starts the three-part conclusion to the Capmania storyline that launched this volume with its first issue. It opens with the fella featured alongside Captain America on the cover, but after they have an interesting exchange about the nature of fame and idol worship, it's all about Hydra, whose plans are revealed at last.... Continue Reading →
Captain America #450-451 (April-May 1996)
These two issues comprise the first half of the "Man without a Country" storyline, the first time in years that our hero has found himself on the wrong side of the United States government. At the end of the first "Secret Empire" storyline, Steve Rogers resigned the Captain America identity out of disgust with his... Continue Reading →
Captain America #446 (December 1995)
This second issue of Mark Waid and Ron Garney's first extended storyline on Captain America finds our hero working very uncomfortably alongside his greatest foe, the Red Skull, and his former love, Sharon Carter, who he (and we) had believed dead since issue #237—and we learn exactly how she has been alive all this time... Continue Reading →