These four issues of Avengers contain little Captain America content, ethically interesting or otherwise: The first reveals a new relationship within the Avengers, about which Cap has opinions; the next two contain an adventure in 12th century Avalon with the Black Knight; and the last one regards the new Captain Marvel, introduced in the Amazing... Continue Reading →
Avengers Annual #11, The Incredible Hulk Annual #11, and Marvel Two-in-One #92 and Annual #7 (October 1982)
This post is somewhat of a grab-bag, centered on Avengers Annual #11, written by then-regular Captain America and Defenders writer J.M. DeMatteis, followed by a few panels from assorted other Cap appearances that month, including two other annuals. (The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #16 from the same month—which introduced Monica Rambeau, the new Captain Marvel—is covered... Continue Reading →
Avengers #221-222 (July-August 1982)
These issues are heavy on humor but light on ethically interesting content regarding Captain America, so we'll dispense with them fairly quickly. Issue #221 is a recruitment drive story, as made obvious by the cover and the opening splash page. After declaring their optimal number of members to be six, Janet asks "the boys" what... Continue Reading →
Avengers #218 and The Death of Captain Marvel (April 1982)
This issue of Avengers was co-written by the regular writer of the title, Jim Shooter, and the writer of Captain America at the time, J.M. DeMatteis; like Captain America #268, it is a sequel of sorts to DeMatteis's story in Captain America #264, which dealt with a man who harnesses and magnifies psychic forces in... Continue Reading →
Avengers #215-216 (January-February 1982)
These two issues comprise a two-part tale highlighting Tigra and featuring the Silver Surfer, who helps the Avengers battle Owen Reece, a.k.a. the Molecule Man, a classic Fantastic Four villain with near-infinite power over matter (although we only see hints of it here). This is an... odd story, to say the least, but it does... Continue Reading →
Avengers #213 (November 1981)
This is a pivotal issue in the lives of Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne, changing how both characters and their relationship were seen from this point on. It also contains some significant reflection on the part of Captain America and other members of the Avengers, and puts Cap in the unique situation of holding... Continue Reading →
Avengers #210-211 and Defenders #98 (August-September 1981)
These two issues of Avengers see Captain America taking charge of the team and very forcefully at that, with questionable reason to do so. At the end, we have new line-up for the team; before that, though, the Avengers appear in Defenders, where Cap is more than happy to defer to a team better suited... Continue Reading →
Captain America #259 and Iron Man #148 (July 1981)
This issue of Captain America is a thematic one-shot, a story that fits within, but doesn't contribute to, the status quo of Steve Rogers living in Brooklyn and working as a freelance artist, while focusing on a central idea, specifically personal liberty, autonomy, or self-determination. What's more, it features Captain America facing off against a... Continue Reading →
Avengers #207-208, Marvel Two-in-One #75, and Fantastic Four #230 (May-June 1981)
These four issues, like those in the last Avengers post, have minimal ethically-relevant Captain America content, and I will not include as much story context as I often do, but they all contain something of interest for the discerning reader (by which I mean you). In Avengers #207, the mysterious Shadow Lord has raised a... Continue Reading →
Captain America #250 (October 1980)
This well-timed anniversary issue, published just several months before the 1980 United States presidential election, deals with an obvious hypothetical: Should Captain America be president? I actually dealt with this issue years ago when the Ultimate Universe version of Cap actually did become president in his world, but in a very different political context—there, the... Continue Reading →