These two issues comprise the penultimate episode in the Red Skull's most recent campaign against Captain America, which began in issue #290. The first issue is mostly the Red Skull recounting his origin story to Cap, whose reactions and responses are of more interest to us, and the battle itself starts in the second (culminating... Continue Reading →
This issue comes soon after two pivotal events in the life of Tony Stark: falling off the wagon in issue #167, then giving up the Iron Man armor and identity to his pilot Jim Rhodes at the end of issue #169. Both lead into a protracted story, lasting through issue #200 and inspiring much of... Continue Reading →
This issue sees Captain America take on the Scarecrow, whom he last fought in Captain America Annual #6, and also confront the mysterious Coalition for an Upstanding America, who have been placing posters with his image on them around the city for the last few issues. After we see Scarecrow kill a man in his... Continue Reading →
These three issues wrap up the tale of Hank Pym's struggles since issue #212, and even if Captain America is only tangentially involved in this, we still see plenty of him, especially as he gives emotional support and encouragement to his fellow Avengers. Here's the opening splash page of issue #228, just to remind you... Continue Reading →
This issue serves as the epilogue to the previous one, which included not only the court-martial of Hank Pym (Yellowjacket) for a potentially deadly mistake in the field, but also the scene of Pym striking his wife, Janet van Dyne (the Wasp). Here, we see the aftermath through the eyes of not only Janet and... Continue Reading →
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 →
In this issue—a fill-in before the legendary run by Roger Stern and John Byrne begins in the next issue—Captain America once again encounters a villain with more to his story than he initially appreciates, emphasizing the theme of mercy made at the end of the last issue. The issue opens with a NYC school board... Continue Reading →
The three issues of Captain America covered here make up the second extended storyline of Jack Kirby's return to the character he co-created before World War II (not including the massive Bicentennial Battles Treasury Edition and Captain America Annual #3). Our story starts in issue #201, in which Cap and Falcon take on the "Night... Continue Reading →
We have reached the conclusion of "The 50s Cap Saga," the storyline which began in issue #153. To summarize (most from the last issue): the Captain America and Bucky from the 1950s, who were cryogenically frozen after they became unhinged and went from fighting Communists to attacking anyone they regarded as not "real Americans," were... Continue Reading →
In this installment of the current storyline (which began in issue #153), we finally learn the identity and origin of the "impostor" Captain America and Bucky. Aside from the insights we get into the other Cap's character—as well as "our" Cap's reaction to him, on which more in the next issue—this story is a classic... Continue Reading →
THE VIRTUES OF CAPTAIN AMERICA 