I apologize for the lateness of this review, but with all of the noise in the mainstream and comics press surrounding the return of Captain America, I thought it prudent to see if the 34th issue of the series actually merits your attention. I can happily report that, though Ed Brubaker writes with a breathless pace, it serves as an exciting introduction to the new Captain America. At this point, we know that as Cap, Bucky operates as a free agent – an unregistered superhero with unofficial S.H.I.E.L.D. approval. We also know that he remains free of any lingering fail-safes left over from his days working for the Soviet Union. The main conflict in this issue centers on the Red Skull’s attempt to bring the United States to its knees through economic sabotage, tying into the current and very real subprime mortgage crisis. The Skull has also dispatched A.I.M. and R.A.I.D. agents to steal Wall Street’s gold reserves, thus throwing the country into deeper turmoil. James “Bucky” Barnes – the former Winter Soldier – and Natasha Romanov – the Black Widow – hit the ground running and disrupt the robbery. Unfortunately, they remain far away from Washington D.C., where a group of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents brainwashed by Dr. Faustus – working for the Skull, naturally – stand before a crowd of protestors. I’ll leave the rest to your imagination, but I’ll say that Brubaker pulls no punches in his portrayal of the Skull as a dictator without a country, determined to bring down our own.
I think Marvel and Brubaker decided correctly in making Cap a free agent, outside of the purview of S.H.I.E.L.D. The character shouldn’t stand for any particular administration or agency, but the spirit of America itself – an ideal representative of the founding principles of this country. At the same time, this new version of the character comes with a scarred psyche and a dose of realism. Bucky, of course, carries a gun. However, at least in this issue, he shoots to wound. While the fan of realism in me finds that obnoxiously naïve, it reinforces Bucky’s redemptive turn from the Winter Soldier to Captain America.
Steve Epting continues to draw Captain America very well, with the right combination of realism, superheroic flash, and espionage grit. The bright colors of spandex look far more plausible under the cryptic shadows that sit on top of his piece of the Marvel Universe.
There’s never been a better time to start reading Captain America. Jump on now.
Questions? Comments? Let us know what you think at comicscape@mania.com.
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