These five comics comprise the "Bloodties" storyline, a crossover event that commemorated the 30th anniversary of both the Avengers and the X-Men. The huge cast of this story necessarily minimizes Captain America's role (other than many impressive heroic poses), but a central theme of the Avengers aspect of the story deals with the obligations under... Continue Reading →
Secret Defenders #6-8 (August-October 1993)
This three-issue story is from Secret Defenders, which started out as a second Doctor Strange book after his powers were reduced in his main book, and he was forced to assemble specific teams to handle different cases. (Starting with issue #12, other people brought together teams, starting with the Mad Titan himself, Thanos.) Captain America... Continue Reading →
Captain America #412-413 and Slapstick #4 (February-March 1993)
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 →
Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD #43-44 (January-February 1993)
In these two issues—OK, mostly the second one—we see Captain America checking in on his old World War II buddy Nick Fury at the request of the US government, after Nick seems to have gone rogue, investigating the apparent return of deceased SHIELD agents now under the sway of Hydra. We only see Cap twice... Continue Reading →
Punisher – Captain America: Blood and Glory #2 (November 1992)
This second issue of the miniseries Blood and Glory opens after Frank Castle's apparent assassination of Captain America at the end of the first issue, as Cap was gradually uncovering a government conspiracy involving drugs, guns, and General Navatilas, the dictator of the (fictional) South American country of Medisuela, whom forces in the American government... Continue Reading →
Punisher – Captain America: Blood and Glory #1 (October 1992)
This three-part miniseries brings Captain America and the Punisher together for their first substantial team-up, having occasionally encountered each other in passing since they first met in Captain America #241. They don't actually meet in this first issue, although Frank definitely has an impact on Cap by the end—we do, however, get some fascinating thoughts... Continue Reading →
Captain America Annual #11, Thor Annual #17, and Avengers Annual #21 (October 1992)
These three annuals—plus Fantastic Four Annual #25, in which Captain America does not appear—comprise the "Citizen Kang" storyline, in which the master time manipulator puts the various heroes through their paces before bringing them together at the end for a grand showdown. (Sadly, he does not escape at the end on his time-sled Rosebud.) Most... Continue Reading →
Captain America #408 (October 1992)
This issue serves several functions: It provides the aftermath to the "Man-Wolf" storyline that began in issue #402, resolving the entire Capwolf fiasco; it wraps up one of Cap's missing-person cases; it is the title's sole "Infinity War" tie-in (thankfully); and it reunites former partners as it sets up the next storyline. (And that's not... Continue Reading →
Avengers #347 and Thor #447 (May 1992)
As of this supersized issue of Avengers we arrive at the conclusion of the "Operation: Galactic Storm" event, and it does not disappoint—except for Captain America, who is very disappointed in the decisions taken by some of his fellow Avengers, which will have serious consequences for years to come (starting with next month's Captain America... Continue Reading →
Captain America #400 and Namor the Sub-Mariner #26 (May 1992)
This low-key anniversary issue of Captain America manages to use the main story to pay tribute to the title character and also continue the larger storyline in which this issue fell. There are two other stories in the bonus-sized issue, neither featuring Cap; our hero does, however, appear briefly in this month's issue of Namor... Continue Reading →