These two fairly light issues—straddling issue #24, which reprinted a Golden Age tale—involve a sidetrip to Egypt during the ongoing struggle to save young Toro's life (after his critical injury in issue #21) and sets up the next storyline with tremendous resonance for the World War II era as well as today. (We'll see a... Continue Reading →
With this issue, the Captain America series launches an examination of "Who is Steve Rogers?", which unfortunately is not the sort of juicy existentialist dilemma that might interest us here, but merely a matter of Captain America being unable to remember anything about his life before Project Rebirth transformed him into the Sentinel of Liberty.... Continue Reading →
In this issue (falling between issues #15 and #16 of the main series), writer Roy Thomas demonstrates his original concept of "retroactive continuity," filling in details in comics history to fill in gaps or explain current-day curiosities—this time, as he explains on the ending text page, correcting some goofs he admits he made in the... Continue Reading →
Roy Thomas is up to his old tricks again. These two issues introduce the British WWII team the Crusaders, who bear a striking resemblance to the Freedom Fighters, DC's team that, like the Invaders themselves, was retroactively formed from 1940s characters—in this case, Quality Comics heroes that DC acquired the rights to, including... Continue Reading →
Released in June 1976, this 84-page Marvel Treasury Special—really more of an early graphic novel than a comic—is a massive tribute to Captain America and America herself from Jack "The King" Kirby on the year of the country's bicentennial. In it, Cap is sent by a strange being named "Mister Buda" on a time travel... Continue Reading →
These three issues finish the Serpent Crown storyline begun in Avengers #141 and interrupted by the two-part fill-in story in issues #145-146. This second half of the story actually brings in the Serpent Crown itself and its implications for the politics on the Squadron Supreme's world (and its links with the Avengers' own). Issue #147... Continue Reading →
As you can guess from the cover, this is quite the eventful issue, bringing Steve Rogers' time as Nomad to a sudden end in the most painful possible—although less painful for him than for someone else. (Look at me, trying to be coy while it's right there on the cover, beautifully rendered by legendary artist... Continue Reading →
These two issues of Captain America—and one page from Avengers #131—show Steve Rogers adapting to his newly chosen role as Nomad, "Man without a Country" as the storyline with Viper and the new Serpent Squad continues, young Roscoe steps into some very big shoes, and a major foe returns. Oddly, the opening splash page to... Continue Reading →
This is perhaps the most pivotal and significant issue we've covered yet on this blog, encapsulating so many problems that Captain America has struggled with, not only since the beginning of the "Secret Empire" storyline (in issue #169) but ever since emerging from the ice as a "man out of time" in Avengers #4. Also,... Continue Reading →
These two issues close out the "Secret Empire" storyline, as all is revealed, including the identity of the evil organization's leader. This leads to a different kind of existential crisis for Captain America that culminates in the next issue and will be traced out throughout the next extended storyline. At the end of issue #173,... Continue Reading →
THE VIRTUES OF CAPTAIN AMERICA 