These four issues of Avengers continue Captain America's recent return to the team as a rank-and-file member rather than leader, although he has trouble avoiding that role entirely. (He's not even on any of the covers—only his shield is on the one you see here!) Although Cap's participation in these stories is not front-and-center, we... Continue Reading →
Captain America Annual #12 (May 1993)
The Marvel Comics annuals of 1993 each introduced a new character who received the majority of the issue's focus, in this case the Bantam (seen to the right), a welcome Puerto Rican addition to the ranks of Marvel heroes (who unfortunately was little used afterwards). Captain America only appears in the second of the three... Continue Reading →
Avengers #360-363 (March-June 1993)
With these issues, Captain America returns to the Avengers for the first time since Operation: Galactic Storm ended, finding himself in the middle of a typical 90s Avengers story full of evil doppelgängers, evil space aliens, and evil jackets. (OK, maybe the jackets aren't evil... but do we really know?) It's an auspicious return for... Continue Reading →
Captain America #411 and Thor #458 (January 1993)
Having found Rachel Leighton, aka Diamondback, in the previous story, in this issue Captain America can now turn his attention to searching for his other missing friend, Dennis Dunphy... but he doesn't. D-Man will have to wait some more, because Cap chooses instead to help Rachel hunt down one of her foes, Snapdragon, which happens... Continue Reading →
Punisher – Captain America: Blood and Glory #3 (December 1992)
This issue concludes the miniseries that brings Captain America and the Punisher together for the first time as partners, to combat a government conspiracy involving money, drugs, guns, and fascism abroad and at home. Just as the first issue ended with Frank (unsuccessfully) assassinating Cap, the second issue ended with General Navatilas, the dictator of... 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 #402-403 (July 1992)
These two issues launch the summer of 1992's six-part biweekly storyline, "Man and Wolf"—and if you don't know what this, you can all too easily guess. It's not a particularly ethically deep story—especially compared to the last issue—but we still find things to discuss, more so in the first half than the second (which we'll... Continue Reading →
Marvel Holiday Special #1 (December 1991)
"Wait a minute," you say, "are you telling me he's covering a story from a holiday special as a standalone post? Not tacked on to the end of the post for this month's issue of Captain America or Avengers, but actually dedicating an entire post to it?" My friends, it's true: The seven-page story featuring... Continue Reading →
The Adventures of Captain America #3 (December 1991)
The third issue of this expanded retelling of Captain America's origin and early years brings in more familiar moments and some new ones, as our hero heads overseas in pursuit of the enhanced Nazi agents we met in the last issue—but he will not go alone. As our story resumes, Cap checks out the diner... Continue Reading →
The Adventures of Captain America #1 (September 1991)
This amazing four-part miniseries—the first devoted solely to Captain America—is written by Fabian Nicieza and drawn by master of facial expressions Kevin Maguire, and elaborates significantly on Cap's earliest days, providing additional details and emotional weight to Steve Rogers' desire to serve his country, the Project Rebirth procedure and the training that preceded and followed... Continue Reading →