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 →
Avengers #372-375, Darkhawk #37, Silver Surfer #93, War Machine #1, and Warlock and the Infinity Watch #26-28 (March-June 1994)
Like the previous Avengers post, this one is a catch-all of sorts, gathering all of Captain America's appearances with the team these four months—and the number of them is quite impressive, considering his reduced physical capabilities (explained in March's Captain America #425). We'll see in the Avengers storyline that he is even less active in... Continue Reading →
West Coast Avengers #102 (January 1994)
The final issue of West Coast Avengers (or Avengers West Coast, if you're so inclined) sees the team calling it a day—not entirely voluntarily, though. And as you may have guessed based on the subtle hints on the cover, this does not sit well with some of its members, most of whom immediately make plans... Continue Reading →
Captain America #421 and Nomad #19 (November 1993)
These two issues comprise a mini-crossover (that technically began in the last issues of both titles) that brings Captain America together once again with Jack Monroe, the Bucky of the 1950s who later took up Cap's former identity of Nomad, but went in a decidedly different direction with it. (Hint: the rifle.) Captain America #421... Continue Reading →
Captain America #418-419 and Silver Sable and the Wild Pack #15 (August-September 1993)
The first of these three comics focuses mainly on Dennis Dunphy's subterranean struggles and his eventual emergence into daylight, with Cap playing a lesser role—but he has a much larger one in the following two-issue crossover with Silver Sable and the Funky Bunch, which contains some fine examples of necessary moral compromise (an issue also... Continue Reading →
Amazing Spider-Man #380, Spectacular Spider-Man #202-203, Spider-Man #37, and Web of Spider-Man #103 (July-August 1993)
This post covers the five issues featuring Captain America in the 14-part "Massive Carnage" event that ran through the Spider-Man titles from May through August 1993, with Spidey and his amazing friends fighting Carnage and his gang of Carnies. (Wait, no, that's not right... or is it? We'll see.) Not only are Carnage and friends... Continue Reading →
Avengers #364-367 and Sensational She-Hulk #55 (July-October 1993)
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 →
Invaders #1-4 (May-August 1993)
This miniseries marks the return of the Invaders in their first title since their ongoing series in the 1970s, and it picks up right where the first series left off in mid-1942. (Writer Roy Thomas was always very precise with his dates in his WWII-era comics, including both Invaders and his All-Star Squadron series at... 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 #412-413 and Slapstick #4 (February-March 1993)
These two issues continue Captain America's search for his good friend Dennis Dunphy his girlfriend's archrival Snapdragon, which began in the last issue. As the first cover above notes in the corner, Shang-Chi shows up to meet Cap, setting the stage for Cap's recruiting him to his Secret Avengers years later. As a bonus, we... Continue Reading →