These two issues wrap up the battle with the evil internet service provider Parliamech that began in the last issue and finally brings Captain America face to face with Protocide (as seen in the second cover here). At the end of the last issue, Cap and the Falcon succumbed to gas in the Parliamech headquarters—a... Continue Reading →
Captain America #26-27 and Hulk #11 (February-March 2000)
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 #10-11, Iron Man #10, Quicksilver #13, The Incredible Hulk #470, Silver Surfer #146, and X-Man #46 (November-December 1998)
These two issues of Avengers begin with a celebration of the 35th anniversary of the team's founding (in September 1963's Avengers #1) and end of the somber return of some fallen colleagues, followed by a grab-bag of minor appearances of Captain America and the team across the Marvel Universe. (Even though the cover to #10... Continue Reading →
Captain America #9 (September 1998)
With this issue we begin a new storyline, this one dealing with a madness that seems to afflict a very particular group of people... but you wouldn't know this from the cover, which highlights Captain America's glowy new best friend. The story starts out with Sharon Carter talking to a police detective about a superstar... 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 #450-451 (April-May 1996)
These two issues comprise the first half of the "Man without a Country" storyline, the first time in years that our hero has found himself on the wrong side of the United States government. At the end of the first "Secret Empire" storyline, Steve Rogers resigned the Captain America identity out of disgust with his... 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 →