These issues herald a new era for Earth's Mightiest Heroes and their book, as Captain America returns to the team full-time, and writer Kurt Busiek is joined by the legendary team of Alan Davis and Mark Farmer on pencils and inks (respectively) for the first six issues, the last three of which also launch "The... Continue Reading →
Avengers #25, Iron Man #25, and Ant-Man’s Big Christmas #1 (February 2000)
This issue of Avengers continues several plot threads from previous issues, especially the public protests against the team, which may have the influence of the mysterious Triune Understanding behind them, and the abduction of the Juggernaut by the powerful Exemplars at the end of the last issue, whom Captain America engages with strategy and cunning... 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 →
Captain America #20-22 and Black Panther #12 (August-October 1999)
These three issues represent Mark Waid's swansong (for now) as writer on Captain America (although he does provide the plot for issue #23). His run began with the first volume's issue #444 (only to be interrupted by Heroes Reborn), and other than assorted contributions to anniversary issues and collections—and the terrific Man Out of Time miniseries... Continue Reading →
Captain America #19 (July 1999)
This issue wraps up the Red Skull storyline that began in issue #14, returning us to the present day after the time-travel shenanigans of the last issue, in which Captain America convinced (or tricked) Korvac—the villain behind the villain, and the one who had been posing as the Watcher—to return to the original scene of... Continue Reading →
Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #10-12 (June-August 1999)
These last three issues of the first volume of Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty are a mixed bag: the first is literally a joke, the second is a fun and snarky look at the first appearance of "Captain America" in the 1960s, and the third is a heartfelt tribute to James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes, heralded on... Continue Reading →
Captain America #18 and Nova #2 (June 1999)
This issue, the penultimate in the current storyline which began in issue #14, is a unique entry in the Captain America canon, a time-travel story in which he dies a lot, but keeps coming back to fight for liberty and justice. (You may have seen this movie.) In the last issue, Cap leapt into the... Continue Reading →
Captain America #13 (January 1999)
This issue serves as a brief respite between major storylines, an intermission that revisits something that happened during the Skrull/Capmania episode that Mark Waid and company knew couldn't be forgotten, while also injecting some welcome levity, following the (literal) nightmare scenario of the last several issues and the red storm to come. The loose thread... Continue Reading →
Deadpool #23-25 (December 1998-February 1999)
This three-part story in Deadpool's first ongoing series is... something. I'm not going to worry about putting all of this into context, because Captain America is just as clueless through these comics as I am, but I will do my best. Issue #23 ends with the gentleman below, Dixon of the intergalactic law firm of... Continue Reading →
Captain America #10 and Excalibur #125 (October 1998)
This issue continues the story begun in the last issue, which ended with Captain America and Sharon Carter trapped under the collapsed ruins of a construction site after rushing in to save one last worker. We also learn more about the madness affecting prominent heroic American citizens—especially when it affects the title character himself. As... Continue Reading →