This issue strikes a solemn note, as Captain America gets reflective about the nature of war and is reminded of the circumstances of the "death" of his young partner Bucky Barnes, while at the same time conflicts deepen between him and his girlfriend Connie Ferrari regarding the legal services she provides to unsavory characters and... Continue Reading →
Captain America #36, Avengers #34-35, Thunderbolts #44, Maximum Security #1 and #3, and Iron Fist/Wolverine #2-4 (November 2000-February 2001)
This is another "grab-bag" post with assorted isolated panels from minor appearances of Captain America, but with one big difference: it includes issues of Captain America and Avengers alongside an issue of Thunderbolts and two thirds of the Maximum Security miniseries. The first two issues we'll cover are a crossover between Thunderbolts and Avengers that draws Cap back... Continue Reading →
Captain America #32 (August 2000)
This issue takes a break from the ongoing storyline to tell a wonderfully poignant story of courage and heroism amidst the horrors of war, written by current writer Dan Jurgens and penciled and inked by Jerry Ordway, one of my favorites going back to All-Star Squadron, my favorite comic when I was a kid. (Recently,... Continue Reading →
Avengers #27 (April 2000) and Avengers Annual 2000
The new story in this issue of Avengers—alongside several reprints, in a conscious callback to the "100-Page Giants" published by DC Comics in the 1970s and again in conjunction with Walmart more recently—sees Captain America return briefly to the team for the Changing of the Roster, a time-honored tradition going back to the original Avengers #16... Continue Reading →
Avengers #25, Iron Man #25, and Ant-Man’s Big Christmas #1 (February 2000)
This issue of Avengers continues several plot threads from previous issues, especially the public protests against the team, which may have the influence of the mysterious Triune Understanding behind them, and the abduction of the Juggernaut by the powerful Exemplars at the end of the last issue, whom Captain America engages with strategy and cunning... Continue Reading →
Avengers #23-24, Fantastic Four #24, and Generation X #59 (December 1999-January 2000)
These two issues of Avengers deal with a number of matters, including the unique romantic triangle between Vision, Wonder Man, and the Scarlet Witch, as well as growing intrigue surrounding the Triune Understanding, but most important for us is the protests regarding the Avengers roster, focusing on the (current) absence of Black heroes and the (also... Continue Reading →
Captain America #24 (December 1999)
This issue serves as a stopgap between Mark Waid's run on this volume of Captain America (which began with issue #1) and Dan Jurgen's upcoming spell (lasting through the end of the volume at issue #50). It's a fun throwback to the early Tales of Suspense days, with Tom DeFalco's old-school story and Ron Frenz's Kirby-inspired... Continue Reading →
Domination Factor: Avengers #1.2-4.8 and Domination Factor: Fantastic Four #3.7 (November 1999-February 2000)
The Domination Factor miniseries featured the Avengers and the Fantastic Four on parallel old-school adventures that revisited past eras in each team's history before converging at the end. Technically it consisted of two four-issue miniseries, one for each team, with the number after the decimal point indicating the order in the overall story; it started with Domination... Continue Reading →
Avengers #19-20 and #0 (August-September 1999)
These issues launch the "Ultron Unlimited" story, which primarily shows Captain America in a leadership role while the emotional weight is placed on Hank Pym, Janet van Dyne, and other Avengers with a closer connection to the homicidal android. The #0 issue, packaged with Wizard Magazine #95, serves as a prelude: It's framed as a... Continue Reading →
Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #10-12 (June-August 1999)
These last three issues of the first volume of Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty are a mixed bag: the first is literally a joke, the second is a fun and snarky look at the first appearance of "Captain America" in the 1960s, and the third is a heartfelt tribute to James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes, heralded on... Continue Reading →