Captain America: Living Legend #4 - Marvel Comics

CAPTAIN AMERICA: LIVING LEGEND No. 4, February 2014

Managing to shift 20,938 copies in December 2013, Andy Diggle and Eddie Robson’s narrative for Issue Four of “Captain America: Living Legend” probably wrong-footed a fair few of its readers, courtesy of the central alien antagonist surprisingly wanting to actually keep the titular character safe from his deadly mechanical minions so that the Sentinel of Liberty can shockingly kill him. In fact, the entire notion that Joe Simon and Jack Kirby’s creation would willingly gun down an adversary straight through the head, when his motionless target is simply sat alone in a derelict scientific facility, is pretty much unthinkable until it startlingly occurs; “Nghh -- They -- They say old soldiers never die, Volkov --!”

So disconcerting an action however, genuinely appears to be the only logical step the super-hero can take if he is going to save the entire planet from becoming completely possessed by a dark energy entity, with the build up to the First Avenger regretfully blasting a hole in his adversary’s head being extremely well-penned by this twenty-two page periodical’s partnership. Furthermore, even though the bewitched Soviet astronaut has horribly mutilated and murdered numerous hapless scientists and duty-bound socialist troopers, Steve Rogers repeatedly shows the colossal weight his deadly deed has brought to bear upon his conflicted scruples.

Equally as enthralling to this conundrum of the conscience though are the much more dynamic and action-packed exploits of Colonel Gridenko, who almost single-handedly battles a never-ending army of twisted metal monstrosities. Despite the Russian officer’s evident loyalty to the Kremlin, “the only soldier to escape Volkov’s quarantine alive” definitely provides this comic with some much-needed energy whenever the plot appears to be about to get bogged down in Captain American’s inner ethical dilemma. Indeed, quite possibly one of this book’s best moments comes towards its end, when the military man abruptly clocks his corrupt communist superior on the head with the butt of a welding laser, and seeks political asylum with the star spangled war veteran beside him.

Helping to keep ‘the fate of humanity hanging in the balance’ right up until this publication’s truly satisfying conclusion are the layouts of Agustin Alessio, which do a terrific job of mixing up the heightened drama of Roger’s aforementioned confrontation with the extra-terrestrial intelligence at the centre of the long abandoned Siberian facility, and Doctor Lauren Fox’s high octane exploits to destroy the wreckage of her D.E.U.S. Project.

Script: Andy Diggle & Eddie Robson, Illustration: Agustin Alessio, and Lettering: VC's Joe Caramagna