NewsOK Comics Podcast: Captain America Reborn 3, Blackest Night 3, Archie 601
Two of the year’s biggest series hit their third issue, and Archie ties the knot. Listen to Kyle Roberts and Matt Price discuss the eternal question, “Betty or Veronica”?
NewsOK Comics Podcast: Superman World of New Krypton 6, Doom Patrol 1, Irredeemable 5, Captain America Reborn 2, Ultimatum: X-Men Requiem
It’s Boom! and Doom this week on the NewsOK Comics Podcast. Irredeemable from Boom! Studios just is 99 cents, and Doom Patrol launches a new series – with a Metal Men backup! Also find out the latest about Captain America, Ultimate X-Men and Superman.
Review: Captain America Reborn 2
The time-lost Steve Rogers, the original Captain America, is at the center of Captain America Reborn 2. Rogers has come unstuck in time, and jumps through his own personal history in the World War II era, reliving key moments, but unable to affect them. Meanwhile, in the present, the new Captain America faces off against Norman Osborn’s Dark Avengers. Also, the Fantastic Four’s Reed Richards finds a curious clue.
Writer Ed Brubaker, whose Captain America run has largely stayed out of the bigger Marvel crossover events, gets pulled definitively into Dark Reign in this issue. The way Brubaker writes it, it’s as if it had been planned all along. More is revealed about the Red Skull’s overall plan, and Osborn approaches Crossbones and Sin to get in on the deal.
The flashbacks to Cap’s past bring readers up to speed about what’s so great about the character Steve Rogers. It works as a primer while seeming fresh. Meanwhile, the modern Cap, the former Bucky, shows how he’s grown as a hero through Brubaker’s run.
Artist Bryan Hitch’s art is solid, but really shines in the World War II era battle scenes. Hitch is working with Butch Guice on the series, and the artwork is pretty seamless.
Reborn fits in well with the Captain America saga Brubaker has been chronicling in the regular title for more than 50 issues, and is a successful outing especially for those who have been patiently awaiting Steve Rogers’ return.
- Matt Price
NewsOK Comics Podcast: Captain America 601, Phantom Generations 3, Blackest Night 1
Matt Price and Kyle Roberts discuss this week’s comics, including Captain America 601, Phantom Generations 3 and Blackest Night 1. Kyle must deal with his fear of zombies and vampires.
Happy Independence Day!
Be safe, and best wishes to everyone celebrating the American Dream today.
Here’s a pretty good Independence Day quote from Captain America himself in Captain America 250, written by Roger Stern:
“We must all live in the real world…and sometimes that world can be pretty grim. But it is the Dream…the hope…that makes the reality worth living.”
(Image from Captain America 250 via Fantastic Fangirls.)
Comics Q&A: Captain America
Have a great Fourth of July weekend. Feel free to celebrate with classic Steve Rogers storylines. As the original Captain America returns, Kyle Roberts and Matt Price discuss classic Cap storylines, including “Secret Empire,” “Nomad,” “War and Remembrance” and “President Fires Cap.”
Brubaker likely to consult on Captain America movie
In news that bodes very well for the upcoming Captain America movie, comic-book writer Ed Brubaker tells MTV that he expects to be brought in as part of the “brain trust” on the film.
“I know Kevin Feige was talking about bringing me in when they put together the ‘Captain America’ brain trust for the movie – like they did for ‘Iron Man’ with Matt Fraction and [Brian] Bendis,” Brubaker told MTV News.
Brubaker’s first issue of “Captain America Reborn” hits comic-book stores today. There’s a free prequel to the series available to view online at www.marvel.com/reborn. Brubaker has written the past 51 issues of the “Captain America” comic-book series.
- Matt Price
Captain America returns: A military perspective
With the return of the original Captain America, Steve Rogers, kicking off today in “Captain America: Reborn,” I was curious about a military perspective on the original Cap. Penny Cockerell pointed me in the direction of Daniel J. Calderón, Senior Public Affairs Specialist with the Army Corps of Engineers – Los Angeles District Phoenix Area Office. His thoughts about Captain America’s return, influence and symbolism are as follows.
Matt Price: What do you think about the return of the original Captain America?
Daniel J. Calderón: Oddly enough, I have mixed feelings. I expected to be deliriously happy
Daniel J Calderón shooting photographs over the border in Calexico. Photo credit: Brooks O. Hubbard IV, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
to hear Steve Rogers would be returning to pick up the shield he’s been carrying for more than six decades. However, when I found out about it, I found myself wondering whether or not the decision to “kill” him was less about story and more about sales – much like the “Death of Superman” story arc that ran a few years ago.
I understand Captain America (the original – not the substitutes given over the years) is a character, a creation, a work of fiction. But, it’s not like James Bond. Cap, within the confines of his universe, is nearly ageless.
Bond, on the other hand, ages with the men who bring him to life on the big screen. Captain America, though, represents an ideal, a notion that people can reach their greatest dreams and that there will be someone to help them in their times of greatest need. It’s cheesy, but people do need heroes.
Right now, I’m hard-pressed to think of a hero that can be lifted above the masses. Naturally, there are the uniformed heroes, but I don’t think the people readily accept them for one reason or another. I think it’s because Americans like to build people up just to tear them down. It’s a strange mindset and one I don’t understand at all.
So, am I happy Steve Rogers is coming back? Yes. Yes, I am. I’m hoping no one tries to kill him off again anytime soon.
NewsOK Comics Podcast: Captain America 600, Young Allies Special 1, Supergirl 42, X-Men Origins Gambit
Kyle Roberts and Matt Price discuss Captain America #600, Young Allies Special #1, Supergirl #42 and X-Men Origins: Gambit.
Captain America 600 goes to second printing
Marvel has announced that the much-hyped Captain America #600 has sold out at the distributor level. (Copies may still be available at retail.) Marvel will go back to press on the book, with a release date of July 15.
Judging from a Thursday sellout report, moving the release date to Monday was a gamble that paid off at least for Marvel. There have been mixed reports at retail, but the book looks to have performed to Marvel’s expectations, anyway. Marvel quotes large New York operations Midtown Comics and Jim Hanley’s Comics in the press release trumpeting the sellout, while the Robot 6 report quotes less excitement from San Francisco stores Isotope and Comic Relief. Could it be an East Coast vs. West Coast thing? My own conversation with Oklahoma stores indicated a reasonable amount of excitement about the news. Overall, I think “Captain America” #600 will be big with the existing Marvel Comics fanbase.
Craig Lopacinski, of Neptune Comics, praised Marvel’s attempt at creating a Monday buzz.
“People all day were excited and upbeat wondering what was in store for them when they read the issue,” Lopacinski said in the release. “A big thank you goes out to you and Marvel for making this possible. I know that thinking out of the box can be challenging in the selling of comic books, and not everyone is on board. However, it is nice to see a publisher try to make a historically slow sales day into a fun, and profitable one for us.”
David Gabriel, Marvel Senior Vice-President of Sales & Circulation, praised retailers for getting on board with the Monday release plan.
“Despite what might have been the largest overprint we’ve ever done for a book, copies sold out well before even the early on sale date,” Gabriel said in a release.
I assume that “largest overprint” means in recent history, in the direct market, as obviously books prior to the direct market system were overprinted much more heavily.
I think you have to call the Monday experiment a success for Marvel; was it a success for stores? It appears that at least some of the stores who participated received a significant boost. While the news of Steve Rogers’ planned return wasn’t earthshaking – and probably hyped the “Reborn” book more than “Captain America” #600 – it did catch quite a bit of attention. I don’t think anybody expected “Captain America” #25 numbers, but a quick sellout and healthy nationwide buzz are positive indicators for Marvel.
- Matt Price
