Captain America #600 review
Marvel generated monstrous hype for “Captain America” #600, even shipping the comic book two days early, on a Monday. Did it pay off? Depends on your point of view.
Is there anything so earth-shaking in this comic book that scores of people who haven’t bought a comic book in two years will leap from their couches and dash to the comic book store? Probably not. Is it an enjoyable celebration of the Captain America character and a continuation of Ed Brubaker’s modern classic run on the character? You bet.
First off, “Captain America” 600 provides about four times the content of a regular comic book for less than half the price. So right there, it’s a positive.
The book kicks off with the origin of Captain America, the Alex Ross version. Paul Dini, Ross and Todd Klein originally created this for the “Captain America: Red White and Blue” graphic novel.
The meat of the story is the “One Year After” story, in which Brubaker checks in on key characters one year after the death of the original Captain America, Steve Rogers. Sharon Carter is getting glimpses of memories about the day Steve died, which leads her to track down an important clue.
Brubaker also checks in on supporting characters including the “other” Steve Rogers, the former Grand Director who was the demented 1950s Captain America; Rikki Barnes, Cap’s sidekick in the “Onslaught” universe; Elijah Bradley aka Patriot; the evil Red Skull, Crossbones and Sin; and Captain America’s friends in the Avengers. Of course Bucky Barnes, Captain America’s former sidekick who now has taken on the role of Cap, plays a key part.
In the most surprising moment of the issue, and probably the reason they shipped the issue early (SPOILER WARNING, I suppose) Sharon Carter tells Bucky and the Avengers that she believes they can save Steve.
The other stories in the issue are pretty good: Roger Stern looks at Steve’s former girlfriend Bernie Rosenthal, as he pays homage to Cap in the 1980s. Popular 1990s Cap writer Mark Waid writes a story in which Captain America memorabilia is auctioned off, and what it means to the winners.
The issue also reprints “The Red Skull’s Deadly Revenge,” from “Captain America Comics” #16, and contains an essay by Joe Simon, paying tribute to the 1940s origins of the character.
The issue concludes with a cover gallery of Captain America comic books through the ages.
As a Captain America fan, I felt like this was a blockbuster anniversary issue that was a great read. Brubaker brings the larger Marvel universe into “Captain America” more fully, and hints at future plot threads. I think the issue will be easy enough to follow for those who haven’t been following Captain America, but wonder if interesting hints at future plotlines will be enough to drive the huge sales spike Marvel probably wanted for this issue. However, judged simply as a Captain America comic book and anniversary celebration, Captain America #600 delivers.
- Matt Price
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment