This is the last issue of Captain America before the game-changing "Fighting Chance" storyline begins, and it sees our hero reunite with Diamondback at long last... as well as one of her former Serpent Society colleagues, in a story that reminds me of classic Spider-Man tales in which a member of his rogues gallery is... Continue Reading →
Captain America #418-419 and Silver Sable and the Wild Pack #15 (August-September 1993)
The first of these three comics focuses mainly on Dennis Dunphy's subterranean struggles and his eventual emergence into daylight, with Cap playing a lesser role—but he has a much larger one in the following two-issue crossover with Silver Sable and the Funky Bunch, which contains some fine examples of necessary moral compromise (an issue also... Continue Reading →
Captain America #416-417 and Mys-Tech Wars #4 (June-July 1993)
These two issues of Captain America wrap up the sprawling storyline begun in issue #411, which now finds Cap, Falcon, Diamondback, and Black Panther in the Savage Land in Antarctica, dealing with Ka-Zar and Zabu, multiple threats, and many narrative threads (which come together at the end). Plus, Cap makes a quick appearance in Mys-Tech... Continue Reading →
Captain America #414-415 and Iron Man #292 (April-May 1993)
These two issues continue the storyline that started in issue #411, in which Captain America, Falcon, and Diamondback infiltrated an illegal weapons expo on AIM Island to find Rachel's old foe Snapdragon, whom Rachel eventually killed in the last issue (unbeknownst to Cap). The current issues take us around the world, first to Wakanda and... Continue Reading →
Captain America #411 and Thor #458 (January 1993)
Having found Rachel Leighton, aka Diamondback, in the previous story, in this issue Captain America can now turn his attention to searching for his other missing friend, Dennis Dunphy... but he doesn't. D-Man will have to wait some more, because Cap chooses instead to help Rachel hunt down one of her foes, Snapdragon, which happens... Continue Reading →
Captain America #409-410, West Coast Avengers #88, and Soviet Super-Soldiers #1 (November-December 1992)
These two issues finally reconnect Captain America with Diamondback, aka Rachel Leighton, his sort-of ladyfriend, who was abducted in issue #396 and held hostage by Crossbones, as shown in recent back-up stories (for the most part not covered here). To be fair, Cap's been busy, what with Operation: Galactic Empire, Citizen Kang, and being a... Continue Reading →
Captain America Annual #11, Thor Annual #17, and Avengers Annual #21 (October 1992)
These three annuals—plus Fantastic Four Annual #25, in which Captain America does not appear—comprise the "Citizen Kang" storyline, in which the master time manipulator puts the various heroes through their paces before bringing them together at the end for a grand showdown. (Sadly, he does not escape at the end on his time-sled Rosebud.) Most... Continue Reading →
Captain America #401 (June 1992)
This issue of Captain America serves as a coda to the "Operation: Galactic Storm" event that started in issue #398 and ended in last month's Avengers #347. It's also one of the most significant comics we've covered so far at this blog—and if you've been following along in recent posts, you can guess why. After... Continue Reading →
The Adventures of Captain America #4 (January 1992)
This final issue of Captain America's first miniseries shows us his first encounter with the Red Skull, as well as the fallout from the revelation about Lieutenant Cynthia Glass from the last issue, and sets the stage for Cap and Bucky's lives going forward. (Warning: Some of the imagery in this issue may be disturbing.)... Continue Reading →
The Adventures of Captain America #3 (December 1991)
The third issue of this expanded retelling of Captain America's origin and early years brings in more familiar moments and some new ones, as our hero heads overseas in pursuit of the enhanced Nazi agents we met in the last issue—but he will not go alone. As our story resumes, Cap checks out the diner... Continue Reading →