These issues complete Dan Jurgens' first story as the new writer on Captain America, alongside young but already veteran artist Andy Kubert, in which Captain America and the Falcon once again fight the vile forces of white supremacy, whose leader was revealed at the end of the last issue (and reiterated in the double splash... 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 →
Captain America #23 and Contest of Champions II #4 (November 1999)
This issue of Captain America sees our hero investigate a private prison with atrocious conditions and brutal treatment of inmates, where persons who run afoul of immigration law are sent and denied any contact with relatives, legal representation, or due process. Despite obvious parallels to current events, there are important differences too (as we shall... Continue Reading →
Captain America Annual 1999 and Wolverine Annual 1999
Despite the cover, this annual is less about Flag-Smasher and more about the responsibility of the press to investigate the misdeeds of the powerful (to whom Flag-Smasher is little more than an unwitting tool), similar to films like All the President's Men and Spotlight. Captain America himself plays a secondary role here, encouraging the Daily... Continue Reading →
Avengers #2-3 and Thunderbolts #11-12 (February-April 1998)
The two issues of Avengers covered in this post really have to seen in their entirety to be appreciated, presenting us a smorgasbord of George Pérez brilliance as he designed Arthurian-era outfits for dozens of heroes after they were transported by the sorceress Morgana le Fey, using the powers of the captured Scarlet Witch, to... Continue Reading →
Captain America #430 (August 1994)
This issue completes the three-part story featuring the Americop, revealing his identity and backstory, amidst the longer arc involving Captain America's deteriorating health. The double-page below picks up where the last issue ended: Americop has rejected Cap's offer to work together, the former investigating a child-trafficking ring and the latter rescuing Rachel and Zack Moonhunter... Continue Reading →
Captain America #428 (June 1994)
This issue launches a new three-part story within the larger "Fighting Chance" arc in which Captain America endures his ongoing struggle with his health as his super-soldier serum continues to deteriorate. In this specific story, Cap confronts a new threat: the Americop, who presents in the splash page below as a Punisher-type who has, or... Continue Reading →
Punisher War Journal #65-66 (April-May 1994)
These two issues of Punisher War Journal—just one of Frank Castle's three ongoing titles on this time—feature Captain America in a role that's becoming familiar: being called, either by his own sense of duty or by an external authority, to apprehend a rogue anti-hero (as he did with Nomad not long ago). Here, of course,... Continue Reading →
Captain America #424 (February 1994)
This is the last issue of Captain America before the game-changing "Fighting Chance" storyline begins, and it sees our hero reunite with Diamondback at long last... as well as one of her former Serpent Society colleagues, in a story that reminds me of classic Spider-Man tales in which a member of his rogues gallery is... 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 →