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 →
Captain America #181-182 and Avengers #131 (January-February 1975)
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 →
Captain America #145-148 and Iron Man #44 (January-April 1972)
These four issues—the last of Gary Friedrich's short run—start out with Captain America facing Hydra (for real, not the fakes of the last issue), then confront him with a classic Spider-Man villain (soon to be a legendary Daredevil villain), and back around to Cap's greatest foe (no need to be coy, he's one of the... Continue Reading →
Captain America #143 (November 1971)
This extra-length issue brings us a story of racial tension stoked by an external force (as we see often in this early 1970s era of social relevance in comics), with Captain America and the Falcon in the middle of it. More interesting, we see their own relationship reflect some of the more general conflicts happening... Continue Reading →
Captain America #129 (September 1970)
In this issue, the Red Skull makes a less than astonishing comeback (after the kick glimpse of him in the final panel of the last issue). He doesn't have the Cosmic Cube this time, but come to think of it, to this point he hasn't posed much of a threat with it, usually falling prey... Continue Reading →
Captain America #128 (August 1970)
In this issue, Captain America finally gets away from Nick Fury, Sharon Carter, and the rest of S.H.I.E.L.D., hopping a motorcycle (as he is wont to do from time to time), not so much to find America... as to find himself. (If you didn't "aww" at that, I'm not doing my job.) But before we... Continue Reading →
Captain America #118-119 (October-November 1969)
With these two issues we conclude the five-part tale of the Red Skull and the Cosmic Cube that introduced the Falcon to the Marvel Universe... at the same time that we say goodbye to another supporting character (who will go on to get mixed up—literally—with another Captain). You'll remember from the last issue that Cap—still... Continue Reading →
Captain America #117 (September 1969)
This issue continues the storyline begun in issues #115-116, in which the Red Skull uses the Cosmic Cube to switch appearances with Captain America, ruining Cap's sterling good name and leaving the real Cap to face his friends and foes in the guise of his worst enemy. At the end of the last issue, the... Continue Reading →
Captain America #115-116 (July-August 1969)
As you undoubtedly remember from the last post, the Red Skull interrupted Captain America's melancholy over his identity and purpose in the world to remind him what was really important: his arch enemy holding the Cosmic Cube! (Again.) This begins a five-issue storyline that will test Cap's resolve and sanity, and also introduce a major... Continue Reading →
Captain America #103-104 and Daredevil #43 (July-August 1968)
These two issues of Captain America continue the storyline with the Red Skull that began in issues #101 and 102, now that the villain knows about Captain America's love for Sharon Carter. More important, Cap finally learns Sharon's name (as does the reader)! Maybe now he can stop calling her "girl" and "lady" (not that... Continue Reading →