This issue celebrates Captain America's 50th anniversary, based on the March 1941 cover date of Captain America Comics #1. Of course, Cap didn't appear regularly for all of those fifty years, as he acknowledges at one point in the main story—and it wasn't always Steve Rogers wielding the shield—but it's still a notable date to... Continue Reading →
Since issue #16, Avengers comics that herald new line-ups have always been special, and this one is no exception. But as with most such issues, it is much more than a roll call, culminating in a continuation of the storyline begun in issue #326, focused on new character Rage as well as inter-dimensional shenanigans. The... Continue Reading →
These two issues of Avengers finish the storyline that introduces Rage, "guest-stars" founding member Iron Man, and leads into the landmark issue #329, in which yet another new line-up is introduced. Also, at the end we see a few panels from a Vision story in Avengers Spotlight and a Thor story in... well, Thor. (Surprise?)... Continue Reading →
These are the first two issues of Jack Monroe's first miniseries, which followed a short tale in Captain America Annual #9 (which wasn't covered in the post on the issue). There, the former Bucky of the 1950s, who later adopted Steve Rogers' short-lived Nomad identity, decided to abandon Captain America's noble mission and methods altogether... Continue Reading →
This issue is the first of three that, among other things, introduce a new character named Rage who will play an important part in the title going forward. Also, these issues prominently feature Iron Man, a founding Avenger if not a currently active one, who nonetheless receives the "guest-star" treatment, with prominent cover placement. (And... Continue Reading →
This "giant-sized issue" picks up where the last left off and wraps up the serpent-saturated storyline of late, with Viper's attack on the White House bringing the Captain back to Washington, DC, for the first time since he relinquished the shield and stripes to the Commission in issue #332. And yes, just to get it... Continue Reading →
This post mainly covers the last adventure Captain America joins the Avengers on in their regular title before the events of Captain America #332—a comic which, you should be warned, is slightly spoiled by the end of Avengers #285. Also, we see the Avengers' installment in a curious little miniseries in which Mephisto tussles with... Continue Reading →
This looks like a miniseries about the Avengers fighting the X-Men—and, to be sure, it is—but at its heart it's a story about Magneto and his continued struggle to try to be the hero Charles Xavier believes he is, while protecting mutantkind the only way he knows how (which is not Charles' way). There are... Continue Reading →
This annual is significant for (at least) two reasons. First, it is the first significant meeting between Captain America and Wolverine aside from brief interactions in team and event books, most notably Secret Wars, and later retcons, such as Uncanny X-Men #268, which show them meeting during World War II. Second, it marks the return... Continue Reading →
This final issue of the legendary "Born Again" storyline in Daredevil, by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli, finds Captain America helping Matt Murdock battle against the Kingpin's final attempt to break him. Although the entire Daredevil story is deservedly heralded as a classic, the portrayal of Captain America in this issue is simply stunning, and... Continue Reading →
THE VIRTUES OF CAPTAIN AMERICA 