Captain America, Captain America Annual

Captain America 13

The writing for this issue, if not engaging, is at least thought provoking.  Mark Waid wraps up a subplot that’s been running through the title for a year: Should Captain America support a candidate in a political race?  He struggles with the dilemma when he finds a contender who’s demonstrably better than the opponent.  After deciding, understandably so, that Captain America needs to stay above partisan politics, he opts to campaign for his choice as Steve Rogers, going door to door to prospective voters.  It’s a quietly positive message about staying involved in your community and actively engaging when you find something that you you believe in.  

Captain America 14-17

The Red Skull returns, starting with a depiction of his nightmare scenario as he’s trapped in the Cosmic Cube (from Waid’s original Cap storyline).  Apparently that means working as a menial bellboy to people of all races and creeds.  

While visually interesting (the story’s colored in grey tones, with Skull’s head the only spot of color on each page), I wasn’t impressed by the issue.  It was fine on its own, but the readers are told three times - on the cover, the intro page, and the final page - that the Red Skull is EVIL.  And the story does nothing to illustrate that assertion.  All we get is a sad Nazi who’s unhappy that the world’s becoming more and more integrated around him with each passing day.   

Waid does better with the next couple issues.  Once Skull gets possession of the Cosmic Cube, he does some things that I would grant are pretty evil.  And Waid’s words do a evocative job of conveying the gravity of the situation.  

Okay, this is pretty evil.

I got though the Skull part of this storyline, then quit once Korvac entered the scene.  Looking back now, I could have stopped before this storyline and not missed too much.  

Also, it makes zero sense that Captain America would not consider killing the Skull when faced with the future that would unfold if he was not thwarted.  Sharon Carter even brings it up, and she makes perfect sense - As a soldier, Cap should not have any qualms about it.  He would have shot Hitler for the greater good back in World War II; He would have shot Skull as well.  

Other notes:

Slapstick Cap upon seeing his shattered shield.  Slack-jawed Cap is a new look.

I like Kubert's Watcher.  Very alien.

Regret buying? No

Would buy again? No

Would read again? Yes

Rating: Fine

Captain America Annual ‘98

Kurt Busiek wrote this while he was working on Thunderbolts, and it reads more like an annual for that than Captain America.  Baron Zemo and Techno are the villains, and Busiek uses this issue to build up a new Citizen V, Dallas Riordan.  I like her visual, but a quick wiki read shows that she

doesn’t keep the identity for very long.

Not enough female fencers in comics.  Not sarcasm.

Regret buying? Yes

Would buy again? No

Would read again? No

Rating: Didn’t suck