Death of Captain America: The Complete Collection, Ed Brubaker

"Captain America was a hero to millions, an inspiration to America's armed services and the representative of his nation's greatest ideals. He lived for his country - and now, he has given his last final measure for the nation he loved. In the aftermath of the superhuman Civil War, Captain America was shot down in cold blood. Those closest to him must come to terms with his death, finding new roles for themselves that will shock readers. Collecting: Captain America (2005) 22-42, Winter Soldier: Winter Kills"







This one is a mixture of stuff that I've read before plus some that I haven't culminating in my last reviewed book (Captain America Reborn), this is pretty much what you can guarantee from a Brubaker Cap book. It's well told, complex and hugely enjoyable, with great art and plotting that rewards a careful reader.

Following the return of the Winter Soldier, this book collects the death of Captain America after Civil War through to the point of his return. It's an interesting period in the life of the book, as for much of the time it's a book wholly lacking in Captain America. Bucky's step up from Winter Soldier to new Cap, juggling his anger about Steve's death, the guilt of his own crimes and the desire to kick Tony Stark in his shiny metal behind.

Split between a number of artists over the course of 21 issues, there's a consistently high quality, whether illustrating wet World War II missions, brutal one-on-one combat or giant brawls.

It's hard to talk about Captain America under Brubaker without at least mentioning the tone of the book.
This is essentially SHIELD book, pretty much an even split between Agent 13, Nick Fury and Bucky (with very little Captain America-ing). It's not until the last few issues that Bucky takes up the shield to take the fight to the Red Skull.

But it's the maturity of the work that's the biggest difference. This isn't the Red Skull of Uncanny Avengers, using a telepathic brain to control the world. This is a Red Skull who mainpulates stock markets, crashes the American Economy, bribes senators and congressmen and engineers a shoot-out between law enforcement and protesters.

The Red Skull is an incredibly Political villain (most of Captain America's enemies are), and it's nice to see this side of him played up, just as it was in Geoff Johns' Avengers: Red Zone. He works best as the anti-Cap, and positioning him as the architect of the actual threats to real people is a neat touch. It also means Bucky has to face the recession, something he can't punch in the face.

In amongst all that smart stuff though we still get some great action sequences, notably the takedown of a SHIELD team by Bucky's detached arm, and his first pistol packing fight with AIM.

Again, not a great starting point (go back and pick up Winter Soldier), but brilliant if you love Captain America, or comics.

Also Try:

Geoff Johns, Avengers; Red Zone

Rick Remender, Uncanny Avengers

Mark Millar, Old Man Logan

Captain America Reborn, Brubaker

"Steve Rogers was Captain America, the world's greatest hero since the days of WWII, a champion for all citizens of the world. One fateful day, the Sentinel of Liberty was struck down - and how the American Dream died that day. But now there may be a way to bring back the world's greatest hero! Collects Captain America #600 and Captain America: Reborn #1-5."







The sad thing about Captain America Reborn is that it was released so close to that other superhero battles through time to return from the dead epic, Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne. They're totally incomparable, mostly because Batman is utterly insane (although CAR takes a good stab at equalling it). The thing that's always great to read Brubaker on Cap for is that he grounds the character in a more recognisable world than most. Here, that's a problem: it's somehow too serious (I hesitate to say Realistic) a setting for a tale about a man unhinged in time, whose fate is controlled by the brain of his worst enemy, in the body of a robot.

When I say that this ends with Captain America (reborn) and his sidekick, (also) Captain America, fighting a giant robot Nazi on the steps of the Lincoln memorial, it's because I want you to understand that this is a pretty crazy book. But it never really embraces that concept. The best 'thrown through time' stories can go anywhere, but this sticks to Cap's life from WWII through to the present - hardly boring, but not actually all that bizarre by the standards of most Marvel comics.

The main thing about Captain America, and the reason why Reborn works less well than Bruce Wayne does, is that he's better as a symbol than an actual character. One of the most interesting things about the Brubaker Captain America books is that Captain America (the person) transitions from a character to an ideal. Cap (the person) is constantly held up as Captain America (the myth), until his death creates a void that is filled by Bucky Barnes, former sidekick and now the new Captain America.

So the previous stories have been the passing of the torch, just as how Batman has Dick Grayson take up the mantle of Bruce Wayne. But what always felt like a place holding for Batman's inevitable return actually felt natural in Captain America. It felt right that Cap's sacrifice should inspire his friend to become more than just a man.

And in undoing that it lessens Bucky's growth. He's no longer the man struggling to fill the shoes of his mentor. He's the other Captain America. The less good one.

Cap should be an ideal, an icon. He works better that way. It's one of the many reasons why Civil War was so ill conceived. Pitting the very spirit of America ( Marvel's Superman, the embodiment of Truth, Justice and the American Way, who inspires all around him to strive harder) against an alcoholic with a metal suit ran into the brick wall that even in a post-9/11 world fans didn't want to support the 'realism' of Iron Man over the 'idealism' of Captain America.

In a war between the humble patriotism of the past and the hardheaded pragmatism of the present, the only side the audience would ever choose is the one that's less like their own. Why ruin your escapist fantasy with a slice of real life?

The story itself is good, and Brubaker has a handle on all of the characters that works well. The opening #600 issue is by far the best part (it features Rikki Barnes!) but nobody draws people fighting giants as well as Bryan Hitch.

This is worth checking out, but try Batman first. That book is AMAZING!

Also Try:
Batman; The Return of Bruce Wayne, Grant Morrison
The Ultimates, Mark Millar
Thunderbolts: The Geat Escape, Jeff Parker