This issue introduces a dastardly duo that will reappear in a much more important storyline later, setting up yet another villain... I really like to see how writers adapt and build off the works of their predecessors. Plus, Cap gets back to giving martial arts lessons, gives us a couple classic panels—and takes a crack... Continue Reading →
Don't let the cover, featuring Spider-Man's foe the Scorpion, fool you—the first five pages of this issue are dense with existential introspection and political musings that could keep us busy for days (and which I quoted quite a bit in my book). And later, we see a good old-fashioned fight with an injured Cap... and... Continue Reading →
With these two issues we conclude the five-part tale of the Red Skull and the Cosmic Cube that introduced the Falcon to the Marvel Universe... at the same time that we say goodbye to another supporting character (who will go on to get mixed up—literally—with another Captain). You'll remember from the last issue that Cap—still... Continue Reading →
This issue continues the storyline begun in issues #115-116, in which the Red Skull uses the Cosmic Cube to switch appearances with Captain America, ruining Cap's sterling good name and leaving the real Cap to face his friends and foes in the guise of his worst enemy. At the end of the last issue, the... Continue Reading →
With this run of seven issues of Avengers, issues #34 through 40, we reach a rather fallow period for Captain America as far as ethically interesting content is concerned—in fact, Cap does not appear in issue #39 and in only one panel in #40, warning his fellow Avengers about something that happened in his own... Continue Reading →
Finally… the Red Skull returns! Not only does Captain America’s greatest foe resurface in this issue, but he’s working with AIM (no longer being called Them), and he gets control of their new weapon: the Cosmic Cube, making its debut in the first issue of this storyline. Issue #79 opens with a traditional Cap battle…... Continue Reading →
These six issues see two current Avengers members leave and two originals return... and even more momentous, Captain America and Hawkeye start to heal their wounds (as Clint gets a new punching bag). Issue #26 opens with Cap trying to show his fellow Avengers the new secure messaging device Tony Stark dreamed up, but Hawkeye... Continue Reading →
After eight issues in World War II, we return to the present day, in which Cap battles against a plan the Red Skull launched twenty years ago—and we get the first appearance of Cap’s Kooky Quartet in his own book. Issue #72 begins with Cap telling Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch the story recounted... Continue Reading →
I'm taking this kooky quartet of Avengers issues together because, honestly, there's not a lot of ethical interest to Captain America here. The most interesting thing to me about these issues is that they feature the Avengers breaking up and getting back together, for the first time but definitely not the last, and Cap's tortured... Continue Reading →
