CREDIT: Marvel
Rating: 4/5 – A Story that’s Much Better than the Internet Click-Bait
By ComicSpectrum senior reviewer Shawn Hoklas.
Last week I did my best to avoid any and all spoilers for DC’s Rebirth release since it was the book/event I was most looking forward to this year. Except for seeing that Wally West was the main character and narrator, I avoided most if not all the major and minor story points which led to my overwhelming enjoyment of all the wonderful surprises. While doing my best to dodge and stay clear of those Rebirth rumors, the first issue of Captain America was ruined for me many, many…many times. I’ve tried waiting to write this review to allow the “hysteria” to die down, with Memorial Day passing, it seemed like the right time to talk about Marvel’s first soldier.
I thought Captain America number one was pretty good! Steve Rogers is back in the costume after Standoff’s convoluted and “only in comics” way of de-aging Steve Rogers from a man in his late 60s, back to the young man he is now. The story written by Nick Spencer opens in the past to a flashback scene involving Steve and his parents that will lead to a scene towards the end that looks to contribute to this issue’s surprising ending. We then flash forward to the present with Captain America attempting to stop a man who has ties to Hydra with a bomb strapped to his chest aboard a moving train.
We also see guest appearances by Jack Flag who I am aware of and Free Spirit, who honestly I had to look up as I don’t remember her ever being introduced (she made her first appearance in Captain America #431 in 1994). We also see Baron Zemo’s attempt to form a new Masters of Evil which doesn’t go as planned and, in my opinion, somewhat diminished the intelligence and threat of this longtime Cap villain. The art by Jesus Saiz is great throughout and his panels all feel as though they’re zoomed in on the action, but still provide a crystal clear picture. Despite Sharon looking a little scary as Saiz tries to give her an older appearance after being aged in Rick Remender’s run, his character work is strong throughout in a first issue that has a pretty large cast.
Captain America has been shot and killed, he’s turned into a werewolf, and he also lived in an alternate dimension where he adopted a son and was aged into an old man. I could go on about crazy things that have happened to the character, but you get the idea. Despite all of that, we’re back with a first issue that has the Captain America we all know, back in the form we’re all familiar with. Shocking story reveals and complications are ways the writers and editors try to bring some temporary change and excitement to the character before setting things back to normal. Unfortunately, the story of fan outcry and outrage has become bigger, and has regrettably gotten far more readers than the comic itself, with people judging this comic based on what they read about it on the internet as opposed to reading the actual comic. I look forward to issue number two of this all new series because it was a solid debut for a character who has had his fair share of crazy, fun, and outrageous stories. That’s what comics are all about. Thank goodness for that!
Reviewed by: Shawn Hoklas
(shawn@comicspectrum.com)
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