This issue leads off a three-issue storyline that welcomes back several old foes as well as one previous identity, as you can see on the cover, although it's a mystery who's under the mask. More exciting, at least for me, this issue introduces one of my favorite Captain America writers, J.M. DeMatteis, to the title.... Continue Reading →
Avengers #210-211 and Defenders #98 (August-September 1981)
These two issues of Avengers see Captain America taking charge of the team and very forcefully at that, with questionable reason to do so. At the end, we have new line-up for the team; before that, though, the Avengers appear in Defenders, where Cap is more than happy to defer to a team better suited... Continue Reading →
Captain America #260 (August 1981)
This fill-in issue calls back to one of Captain America's first solo stories after coming out of the ice, and like the last issue it has a strong theme: prison reform and the rehabilitation of convicted criminals. (Note the striking cover by writer Al Milgrom, which was curiously similar to Frank Miller's cover to Amazing... Continue Reading →
Captain America #259 and Iron Man #148 (July 1981)
This issue of Captain America is a thematic one-shot, a story that fits within, but doesn't contribute to, the status quo of Steve Rogers living in Brooklyn and working as a freelance artist, while focusing on a central idea, specifically personal liberty, autonomy, or self-determination. What's more, it features Captain America facing off against a... Continue Reading →
Marvel Team-Up #106 (June 1981)
This is a fairly straightforward team-up comic, with the star-spangled guest-star not even appearing until halfway through, and then engaging in a traditional battle alongside the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man against the Scorpion. Nonetheless, as with most of Captain America's guest appearances, his virtues are highlighted throughout, both by Spidey as well as the narrator. When... Continue Reading →
Captain America #258 (June 1981)
This issue returns us to Captain America's status quo in Brooklyn Heights after adventures and remembrances kept him in England since issue #253 (excepting the origin issue #255). It also welcomes back one of my favorite Cap artists, Mike Zeck, on both interiors and the cover. Best of all, this issue pays tribute to some... Continue Reading →
Avengers #207-208, Marvel Two-in-One #75, and Fantastic Four #230 (May-June 1981)
These four issues, like those in the last Avengers post, have minimal ethically-relevant Captain America content, and I will not include as much story context as I often do, but they all contain something of interest for the discerning reader (by which I mean you). In Avengers #207, the mysterious Shadow Lord has raised a... Continue Reading →
Captain America #256-257 (April-May 1981)
These two issues are fill-ins after the end of the Stern-Byrne run on Captain America that began in issue #247 and ended with the last issue. Both of the stories take place in England, where Cap was at the end of issue #254 (not counting the origin issue, #255), and each has its merits, even... Continue Reading →
Captain America #255 (March 1981)
This issue marks the end of the run by Roger Stern and John Byrne and celebrates the 40th anniversary of Captain America by presenting the canonical version of his origin, reconciling previous versions (especially from Captain America Comics #1, Tales of Suspense #63, and Captain America #109) together with the history of young Steve Rogers... Continue Reading →
Avengers #204-206, Incredible Hulk #258, and Dazzler #1-2 (February-April 1981)
These six issues contain minimal Captain American content for our purposes, so I'm bundling them all together for your convenience—and value! As I do in these cases, there will be less story synopsis than stories in which Cap is the focus, though I encourage you to seek out the full stories in the links at... Continue Reading →