Writing Captain America seems like it should be pretty easy. He’s a patriotic fellow with super powers, an indestructible shield and spent the better part of a century frozen in a block of ice. What’s not to get right?
There have been a lot of bad Captain America runs over the years. Ed Brubaker is two issues into this all new run of Cap, and it is safe to say it is a winner. Brubaker and his art team do a wonderful job of capturing the conflict about his past and who he is that Steve Rogers has to deal with every day.
So when a former ally turned adversary returns from being lost in a place called NOWHERE, Rogers has to think of a way to protect his friends, family and teammates. Think about that for a second; you had a friend who knows your secrets and dreams and that friend now has the power to enter your dreams and pop up anywhere on the planet in the blink of an eye… that is the stuff of nightmares.
Steve McNiven, Jay Leisten and Justin Ponsor, are knocking this book out of the park! The cover to your left is a fine example of their talent. However, about half way through the book is a great splash page of Cap leaping from a plane through a hail of anti-aircraft missile explosions still managing to take out a couple of Hydra agents.
There is more action in issue #2 than issue #1, because Cap, Nick Fury, Sharon Carter and Dum Dum Dugan are on the trail of their former ally Code Name Bravo. Bravo was thought to have been lost in NOWHERE and was recently freed when Jimmy Jankovicz (aka Jimmy Jupiter) woke from a coma reopening the door to our world.
I love a good mystery, and I also love seeing Steve Rogers lose some sleep over what to do next. It is the vulnerability Brubaker brings to the Super Soldier that makes him so interesting. I like that Rogers is worried about what will happen next. I also, loved the way this book ended with Code Name Bravo invading Cap and Sharon’s dreams.
Make sure to come back next month for Cap vs. Ameridroid! Here’s a review of Captain America #1 in case you missed it.
