Captain America: Steve Rogers #16 - Marvel Comics

CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS No. 16, June 2017

Considering that this thirty-page periodical is undoubtedly the premier precursor to “Marvel Comics” 2017 limited series event “Secret Empire”, “in which Captain America has been transformed into a sleeper agent loyal to Hydra and has been covertly setting the stage to establish Hydra as the main world-power”, the vast majority of its 37,366-strong audience must surely have felt ‘betrayed’ by its contents' creative shoddiness. It’s certainly hard to imagine a worse gestalt of a comic than Nick Spencer's collection of choppy, poorly thought-out sub-plots, which amongst its more startling elements includes the ludicrous return of Steve Roger’s murdered mother after twenty years, and its ‘mishmash’ of arguably lower tier artistic talents such as Kevin Libranda, Yildiray Cinar and Jon Malin…

Foremost of the problems to Issue Sixteen of “Captain America: Steve Rogers” is that this title has primarily focused upon the Sentinel of Liberty’s distasteful transformation by Kobik since its first sensationally contentious issue, and yet suddenly, without any warning whatsoever, the two-time Cincinnati City Council candidate astoundingly has the Cosmic Cube “shattered” ‘off-screen’ and this publication’s readers must scratch around for scraps as to what happened from Baron Zemo’s contemplative musings on the matter; Forgive my impatience, Fixer… Perhaps it is because I watched your miscalculations send the fragments we’d worked so hard to retrieve miles away, lost to us across the Arctic!”

To make matters worse, “Secret Empire: Opening Salvo” also suddenly depicts Doctor Erik Selvig as a disobedient servant, whose heart-strings have apparently been pulled on by the “adorable little rug rat” Kobik, and resultantly sends his fragmentised “little girl… far from here” whilst he commits suicide within his laboratory. Just why the Danish scientist has become so infatuated with the square-shaped matrix’s human form is admittedly somewhat understandable, considering that he is “one of the leading experts in Cosmic Cubes” and had “became its caretaker.” But such a deeply emotional tie to the ‘child’ has never debatably been alluded to within Spencer’s narrative before, and definitely not with such strength as to suggest the former S.H.I.E.L.D. consultant would be willing to die rather than destroy her sentience.

Sadly, none of these irregularities are helped by this comic’s constant carousel of illustrators, especially Jon Malin’s Thunderbolt-themed contributions, in which he coarsely pencils the demise of Bucky Barnes whilst strapped to a “perfect replica” of the missile which killed Zemo’s father during the Second World War. Fortunately, there is a modicum of entertainment to be gleaned from Kevin Libranda’s impressive, subtly-coloured treatment of Steve Rogers’ return to London in 1945. However these sequences never last longer than three pages and completely disappear from view half-way through the book.

Writer: Nick Spencer, and Artists: Kevin Libranda, Yildiray Cinar & Jon Malin

Captain America: Steve Rogers #15 - Marvel Comics

CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS No. 15, June 2017

It’s hard to imagine that very many of this comic’s 34,863 readers were particularly happy or impressed with the opening preamble to Issue Fifteen of “Captain America: Steve Rogers”, as alongside Nick Spencer’s highly contentious narrative sticking to its premise that the titular character is both an Avenger and “Agent of Hydra”, this particular publication also includes a disconcerting demand for its audience to purchase an entirely different comic book first, courtesy of a “Warning!” that any perusing bibliophile must only gaze upon this edition after reading "Uncanny Avengers #22”; a magazine which in April 2017 was fortunately “on sale now!”

Such blatant and aggressive marketing, which infuriatingly appears without any prior notice whatsoever, really proves a sore point to the enjoyment of this magazine, and despite the two-time progressive Charter Party candidate’s use of three pages within which he tries to explain Captain America’s manipulation of “a team of Avengers, X-Men and Inhumans who could be lead to believe that they themselves had the idea to bring” the Red Skull down, it’s hard to forgive Editor Tom Brevoort for allowing such fundamental events involving this title’s lead to take place within the cover of another comic.

Plot-wise, this magazine is also rather disappointingly dull and straightforward, in that it focuses almost entirely upon Shield-slinger’s final congregation with Hydra’s so-called Supreme Leader, Johann Schmidt. Ordinarily, such a cataclysmic confrontation would certainly be the stuff of legend, such as “Captain America #300” when Cap fought the Red Skull “to the death”, but on this occasion Der Rote Schädel has been so badly weakened by having his (or rather Charles Xavier’s) brain removed, that Roger’s brutal murder of the incapacitated invalid appears simply overly sadistic and potentially distasteful; “Y-You idiot -- You think you can replace me?!”

Just as poor a decision is allowing Javier Pina and Andres Guinaldo to both contribute artwork for this book. The Zaragoza-born penciller’s illustrations, depicting both a flashback fight between the Sentinel of Liberty and his Nazi foe, as well as the aforementioned final fatal tussle, is undoubtedly well-drawn and adds greatly to Spencer’s storytelling. Sadly, however, the same cannot be said for the work of the former “DC Comics” backup artist, whose scratchily-detailed depiction of Commander Carter’s argument with the World Security Council gravely jars with the professionally-smooth look of his counterpart’s pages.

The regular cover art of "CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS" No. 15 by Gabriele Dell'Otto

Captain America: Steve Rogers #14 - Marvel Comics

CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS No. 14, May 2017

A highly illogical plot, as well as an over-reliance upon his 31,592-strong readership perusing this title’s pre-story summary of events in order to simply keep up with the narrative, are just two of the problems with Nick Spencer’s script for Issue Fourteen of “Captain America: Steve Rogers”, and that’s before anyone has arguably even turned more than a page or two. Indeed, it’s wholly apparent from the very start of this comic just why the book’s popularity tumbled by eight thousand copies with its 1944 flashback of the First Avenger irrationally attacking a squad of Hydra guards in order for him to try and cold-bloodedly murder his mentor Elisa Sinclair.

This entire sequence seemingly makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, as it’s based upon the premise that despite identifying, recruiting and protecting the fascist organization’s greatest super-soldier asset, the high-ranking official would allow her protégé’s best friend to sit in an allied prison cell and his father, a man Rogers “greatly admired”, be killed by Bucky Barnes. This bizarre scenario becomes even more unbelievable when an angry Winghead discovers that his so-called traitor is actually an all-powerful sorceress who can suddenly transform herself into a truly formidable-looking multi-tentacled siren who instantly overpowers the ‘hero’; I drank the blood of my enemies firstborn with the ancient kings and felt the stars fall…” 

Equally as bizarre, is the Living Legend’s belief that Agent Kincaid can bring down the Earth’s planetary defence shield using Quasar’s Quantum bands, when a multitude of the Marvel Universe’s “big guns” can’t do it with a concerted team effort. Admittedly, the S.H.I.E.L.D. operative’s power stems from “the offspring of Eternity and Infinity and the Celestial Axis”, but when the likes of Thor, Photon, Hyperion and Star Brand united can barely dent the protective force-field, just what chance does a lone rookie hero have..? The director’s back-up plan to have Rick Jones sabotage the shield’s cybersecurity seems far more likely to work surely..? 

Sadly, the artwork of Jesus Saiz is also bitterly dissatisfying throughout much of this twenty-one page periodical. The Spanish penciller’s flashback scenes, despite the majority of them being somewhat sedentary in nature, are well-handled enough, especially when Sinclair manifests her multi-suckered appendages and ensorcels the titular character. Yet, every time the storyline returns to the present, and focuses upon either Madame Hydra’s recruitment drive or Captain Marvel’s machinations there’s a noticeable decline in the illustrator’s drawings, and some of his storyboards, such as Colonel Danvers team testing out the planet’s shield, don’t quite seem to gel.

Writer: Nick Spencer, Artists: Jesus Saiz, and Color Artist: Rachelle Rosenberg

Captain America: Steve Rogers #13 - Marvel Comics

CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS No. 13, May 2017

Just why Issue Thirteen of “Captain America: Steve Rogers” saw an incredible increase of seven thousand readers over its previous publication is arguably anyone’s guess, as such a significant surge of popularity can surely not be placed exclusively at the feet of Nick Spencer’s script? True, the two-time Cincinnati City Council candidate does finally explain within this book just how the titular character fought during World War Two on the side of the Allies when “he had been an agent of Hydra since childhood.” But in many ways, this “untold story” is actually secondary to the twenty-page publication’s prevalent plot of Baron Helmut Zemo enlisting “more resources” for Steven’s plan from within the criminal community.

Perhaps therefore this edition’s success can be assigned to the wonderfully detailed Arthur Adams (and Jason Keith) cover, which flamboyantly depicts the Invaders in their heyday brutalising an entire regiment of Nazi goose-stepping goons in an effort to dismantle a salvo of giant rocket shells? This dynamically-charged illustration really is as characterful as it is colourful, and smacks of the super-team’s Bronze Age shenanigans by portraying plenty of fisticuffs, as well as smiles; something which soon proves to be in direct contrast to the actual interior script which emotionally describes a mortified Rogers realising that his actions have caused the death of his best friend’s father.  

What should be easily agreed upon however, is that this magazine’s focus upon the thirteenth Baron Zemo and his trek through some of the Marvel Universe’s most recognisable villains, proves a highly entertaining experience, especially when Spence simply leaves the storytelling to artist Ro Stein. Indeed, the six-sheet sequence of Heinrich’s son ‘socialising’ with the likes of the Wrecker and his Wrecking Crew, Kraven the Hunter, Yellowjacket, Mister Hyde, Graviton, Serpent Solutions, the Circus of Crime and the Grey Gargoyle (politely sipping tea outside a shop front) makes for a fantastically fun visual journey…  And what better way of concluding the master swordsman’s massive ‘recruitment drive’ than by having it culminate with a double-splash featuring the fruits of Helmut’s efforts in their entirety; “You are with your true family now.”

Writer: Nick Spencer, Artists: Ro Stein & Ted Brandt, and Color Artist: Rachelle Rosenberg

Captain America: Steve Rogers #12 - Marvel Comics

CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS No. 12, April 2017

Shifting 32,567 copies in February 2017, at least according to “Diamond Comic Distributors”, it’s hard to imagine that many followers of Issue Twelve of “Captain America: Steve Rogers” weren’t enthralled by its cacophony of conflict and marvellously realised “Universal Newsreel” footage of Captain America “leading the charge against the [Third] Reich and their allies in the evil organization known as Hydra!” True, the vast majority of Nick Spencer’s writing is frustratingly as erratically penned as the inconsistent artwork of Javier Pina & Andres Guinaldo is poorly pencilled. But that still doesn’t stop the comic’s patriotic pulse from pounding when the titular character, fighting “alongside his best pal, Bucky”, confronts Nazi automatons and gas-masked goose-stepping troopers or, some seventy years later, “the creation of the Mad Thinker”.

In fact, the S.H.I.E.L.D. director’s ‘fist-fight’ with the Awesome Android inside the Museum of American History, is arguably worth this book’s cover price alone, as it genuinely seems to return to a far simply time when the Sentinel of Liberty just stood toe-to-toe with his opponent and outfought them using his fighting savvy and pugilistic smarts. Certainly the sequence, somewhat annoyingly dotted about throughout the twenty-one page periodical, contains all the elements needed for a sense-shattering ‘punch-up’; and one which Rogers only wins when he stops trying to trade like-for-like blows with the “artificial lifeform” and instead targets a natural weak-point of the robot's humanoid-shaped “almost indestructible body”; “Never fear, dear viewer -- We’ll always come out ahead in the end now that we have Captain America on our side!”

Far less impressive, and frankly followable, is Spencer’s sub-plot concerning the Taskmaster and Black Ant trying to sell Maria Hill the footage of the First Avenger whispering “Hail Hydra” to a captive Doctor Erik Selvig in Bagalia. Just why the former S.H.I.E.L.D. leader is conveniently skulking about the shadows of “the nation of super-criminals” is contrivingly explained by her “trying to find something -- anything -- that can get me back in the action.” Yet that doesn’t explain her willingness to agree Anthony Masters’ proposal to get “first refusal on every arms deal that comes across your desk” once the ex-Director has been reinstated, nor Elisa Sinclair’s revelation at being Madame Hydra?

Writer: Nick Spencer, Artists: Javier Pina & Andres Guinaldo, and Colorist: Rachelle Rosenberg

Captain America: Steve Rogers #11 - Marvel Comics

CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS No. 11, April 2017

In many ways, Nick Spencer would arguably have been far better off simply sticking to a script detailing the demise of Doctor Abraham Erskine in his ‘controversial’ Cosmic Cube altered reality, than trying to additionally squeeze both the funeral of Jack Flag and a nauseatingly long speech by the supposed Sentinel of Liberty into Issue Eleven of “Captain America: Steve Rogers”. Indeed, the Will Eisner Comic Industry Award-nominee’s technique of darting back and forth along the titular character’s time-stream not only erodes any sense of sombreness to Harrison’s reasonably well-attended burial proceedings. But actually detracts from the utter sense of betrayal and shock supposedly intended by this comic’s depiction of the naïve Super-Soldier scientist being cold-bloodedly gunned down in his own quarters whilst preparing his fresh-faced assassin some “rindergulasch”; “I made far too much, I am afraid.”

As it stands however, this twenty-two page periodical’s biggest problem is Cap’s terrifyingly trite monologue/discourse, which somehow manages to ‘run’ a staggering thirty panels in length, before culminating in Helmut Zemo bear-hugging his childhood Hydra friend, and promising to aid him in his mission to wrest control of the fictional terrorist organization from Johann Schmidt. Horrifically word-heavy and self-righteously monotonous, this discourse sadly permeates the entire book, and in doing so must surely have bored many of this title’s dwindling 36,610 followers. Certainly, the frustrating story-telling technique hardly helps create an atmosphere to “electrify” its readers as “Marvel Worldwide” optimistically advertised at the time of this comic’s publication.

Sadly, not even Spencer’s handling of Abraham’s murder is without its faults though, as it’s based upon the absurd assumption that as far back as 1940 Hydra owned “something Fenhoff invented” which allowed them to steal the minds of the dead; a preposterous-looking device pencilled by Jesus Saiz, which Rogers is clearly oblivious to. This unbelievably convenient piece of equipment at least vindicates why Zemo killed the Jewish scientist before he had a chance to test out his Super-Soldier serum. Yet it doesn’t explain why Steve attempted to poison the German chemist’s coffee a few days earlier (when such a contrived contraption wasn’t to hand), nor the Allies motivation to ‘broker a deal’ with the untrustworthy Arnim Zola to continue Erskine’s work before the scientist had even been killed?

The variant cover art of "CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS" No. 11 by Joe Jusko

Captain America: Steve Rogers #10 - Marvel Comics

CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS No. 10, March 2017

Frustratingly flitting between events in pre-war New York City and those of the ‘present day’, much of Nick Spencer’s script for Issue Ten of “Captain America: Steve Rogers” must have driven its 40,051 strong readership to despair with its choppy carousel of short-lived set-pieces. For whilst this twenty-page periodical does include an admittedly painfully prolonged chase scene which depicts the dethroned Maria Hill fleeing incarceration on board the S.H.I.E.L.D. Hellcarrier Iliad, its entire opening half actually consists of little more than six-panel sequences that leap about from an adolescent titular character serving hot drinks to Doctor Abraham Erskine and General Phillips in a diner, to numerous political deliberations involving Internal Civil Tribunals, Senate Majority leaders and Hydra.

Fortunately however, once Annie’s bright red purse is snatched “from behind the bar” and the thief cornered down an alleyway by a well-meaning young Rogers, the American author finally starts penning something worthy of the ‘emotional investment and audience involvement’ the former “Progressive Charter Party” politician has aspired to create since first revealing the “most trusted and revered figure in the Marvel Universe” as a “Hydra loyalist”. In fact, it’s disconcertingly hard not to feel a genuine sense of pride for the badly battered Steve, as he unfalteringly hands his friend her stolen purse back and ‘wins’ the respect of both Erskine and Phillips as a result; even if fans of the title know that this bloodied teenager is ‘the ultimate betrayer’ and was actually planning on poisoning the “German Jewish scientist” just moments earlier.

Equally as diabolically enthralling is Spencer’s portrayal of the Sentinel of Liberty as he visits comatose victim Jack Flag with every intention of killing the helpless hospital patient via a syringe full of poison. Solemnly paced, and all the more visually impactive on account of Rachelle Rosenberg’s red-hued palette, it’s easy to imagine this publication’s audience collectively holding their breath as the First Avenger, on the verge of committing a most murderous act, gravely acknowledges that the badly injured “minor patriotic hero” “deserved better than this.”

Sadly, such moments of high tension and compelling apprehension are badly let down by this comic’s artistic quartet of Jesus Saiz, Ted Brandt & Ro Stein, and Kevin Libranda. Substandard at best, at least when its Albacete-born illustrator isn’t pencilling the book’s flamboyantly visualised ‘flashbacks’, the poorly rendered figures and crudely-sketched facial features disappointingly drag down the quality of this magazine’s storytelling and even negatively impact upon Roger’s heinously gripping attempt to cold-bloodedly kill his occasional partner, Harrison.

Writer: Nick Spencer, and Artists: Jesus Saiz, Ted Brandt & Ro Stein, and Kevin Libranda

Captain America: Steve Rogers #9 - Marvel Comics

CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS No. 9, March 2017

Advertised as featuring the titular character “searching desperately for Kobik” and subsequently reaching “out to a hero that can help — Avril Kincaid, the all-new Quasar!”, it’s not really clear whether this twenty-two page periodical’s publisher, “Marvel Worldwide”, were as confused and discombobulated by Nick Spencer’s script as the comic’s 42,637 strong audience must have been. Indeed, considering that Issue Nine of “Captain America: Steve Rogers” is also supposedly meant to contain “a threat from beyond the stars [which] pushes an already-weakened S.H.I.E.L.D. to the brink” it's generally hard to reconcile the story promised with the disjointed, and utterly unrelated shenanigans printed inside.

For starters, the aforementioned Kincaid doesn’t appear within this comic from start to finish, and rather than focusing on the living embodiment of the Cosmic Cube, Steve Rogers is decidedly busy battling the Cult of the Darkhold alongside Union Jack on the Scottish Highlands. There also appears to be little which can threaten Nicky Fury’s old espionage, special law-enforcement, and counter-terrorism agency if Maria Hill’s boast of a “planetary defense shield” which provides the planet with “a truly impenetrable force field”, can be believed…

Admittedly, such an outrageous difference in content as to what was marketed doesn’t necessarily mean that this bizarre compilation of events from 1940, now, “days earlier”, now, 1940, now, then, now, then, now and 1940, isn't an entertaining read. Au contraire, as Captain America’s bloodthirsty battle with an imprisoned Arthurian demon genuinely provides plenty of pulse-pounding thrills and spills. But much of this book’s enjoyment is ruined by its failure to live up to those initial expectations, and arguably made all the worse by the horribly choppy narrative Spencer insists on penning for the comic; “But you never cared about the book, did you?”

Just as disagreeable are Javier Pina and Andres Guinaldo’s illustrations. The duo’s mismatched pencilling styles consistently ‘jolt’ the reader out of the action each and every time the pair replace one another, and proves especially annoying towards the conclusion of Hill’s trial, when the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. is suddenly drawn as looking like some dislikeable, arrogant, self-righteous, sneering braggart, rather than an operative who is fighting for her career (and probably liberty) and doing the best job she believes she can in the current circumstances.

The variant cover art of "CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS" No. 9 by Jack Kirby

Captain America: Steve Rogers #8 - Marvel Comics

CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS No. 8, February 2017

Disappointingly dropping to the sixty-third best-selling title of December 2016, at least according to “Diamond Comic Distributors”, Issue Eight of “Captain America: Steve Rogers” must have come as a major disappointment to many of its presumably bewildered 38,610 fans. For whilst Nick Spencer’s script does at least provide some semblance of action-packed entertainment, in the guise of “the fourth Chitauri wave to hit us this month”, it’s narrative arguably would have made little sense whatsoever to those readers who hadn’t perused the twenty-two page periodical’s “opening crawl”.

Indeed, Avril Kincaid’s supposed importance to the titular character’s diabolical plans to spread Hydra’s ideals “throughout the world” had never really been hinted at before within this series, and yet the American author suddenly would have this title’s audience believe the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent is actually “central” to Cap’s covert plot for planetwide domination? Obviously someone “who was given the cosmic-powered Quasar gauntlets” is without doubt “one of the most powerful players on the board”, but why couldn’t the ‘Marvel exclusive’ writer overtly weave such a thread into the comic’s actual storyline rather than lazily include such a significant sub-plot into the text of the book’s foreword?

Equally as perplexing is just why Captain America is suddenly found on board the orbiting Alpha Flight Station supposedly waiting to have a meeting with Director Hill and Captain Marvel, when the tale’s previous instalment ended with the First Avenger literally revealing to Doctor Selvig he secretly held Baron Zemo captive within the Danish scientist’s laboratory? How does Rogers fighting an extremely tenacious extra-terrestrial invasion force in outer space logically follow such a sensational cliff-hanger? So remarkable a change in situation seems remarkably staged, and appears to have been penned simply to allow the contrived, rather talkative storyline a chance to include some ‘super-heroic’ fisticuffs, and subsequently provide Kincaid with a terrific opportunity to demonstrate just how omnipotent she is; “Yeah, but -- Whoa. She’s incredible. That kind of power --”

Eventually, all these unanswered questions and bizarre explanations even seem to get too much for S.H.I.E.L.D.’s former Cosmic Cube consultant himself, who towards the end of the comic exasperatingly exclaims “I don’t understand” when the Sentinel of Liberty fails to convince him that he was “off fighting monsters in space” simply to evaluate the Chitauri’s performance as a potential winnower “of an overpopulated world”. In fact, Erik’s open-mouthed incredulity at Steve’s claim that the alien insectoids’ attempted invasion of Earth is down to him and his possession of an alien queen, can only have been rivalled by the astonishment of this book’s audience at just such a statement…

The variant cover art of "CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS" No. 8 by Mike Deodata

Captain America: Steve Rogers #7 - Marvel Comics

CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS No. 7, January 2017

Predominantly concentrating upon the Red Skull’s Machiavellian machinations with General Novoty and the military dictator’s Sokovian Government, Issue Seven of “Captain America: Steve Rogers” must have delighted many of its 48,505 strong audience. Indeed, with the exception of some flashbacks to Steve’s enrolment “in a school that trained Hydra soldiers”, this particular twenty-four page periodical seemingly shows the title making something of a welcome return to its less controversial days when Jack Kirby’s Sentinel of Liberty hadn’t had his reality “secretly rewritten by Kobik”, and subsequently been transformed into a Hydra agent.

Foremost of these ‘improvements’ is Nick Spencer’s ability to tell an increasingly suspenseful political tale concerning Johann Shmidt’s manipulation of world events in order to stage a coup within a small Eastern European despotism. Evidently tapping into his own background as a former “candidate of the progressive Charter Party”, the American author’s manipulation of the United Nations and S.H.I.E.L.D. by Hydra’s facially disfigured leader is both fiendishly innovative and disconcertingly believable, as well as reminiscent of the super-villain’s former life as a scheming crime boss.

Likewise, the comic’s subplot of Captain America teaming-up with Natasha Romanov to help Director Hill’s forces rescue General Alois Denz from his prison cell, also brings back memories of a far simpler time when Cap and the Black Widow fought side-by-side to make “a safer world.” In fact, in some ways it’s a shame the penitentiary break isn’t expanded upon by artist Jesus Saiz to incorporate even more interplay between the two former Avengers; “Well, that was fun. You sure you don’t want to stick around? I know a great little breakfast place just past the mass graves.”

Unfortunately, all too soon Spencer returns to his contentious ongoing narrative of Rogers wanting to assassinate the Red Skull in order to bring about a change of leadership within Hyrda, and in doing so conjures up yet another disagreeable alteration to the super-soldier’s history by depicting Helmut Zemo as being one of Steve’s childhood friends. Such a cliff-hanger is admittedly both shocking and unexpected. But it’s hard to imagine many of the titular character’s long-term fans readily stomaching such an unsettling change of direction for the World War Two veteran. Little wonder perhaps, that this comic’s sales would drop by 10,000 copies a month later…

The regular cover art of "CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS" No. 7 by Stephanie Hans

Captain America: Steve Rogers #6 - Marvel Comics

CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS No. 6, December 2016

Despite Nick Spencer’s clarificatory preamble for Issue Six of “Captain America: Steve Rogers” explaining that reality had “been secretly rewritten by Kobik” in order for the ‘First Avenger’ to have shockingly become an Agent of Hydra, many of this comic’s 49,111 readers were probably thinking that something equally as messed up had probably occurred to them too. For whilst this twenty-page periodical’s disinteresting narrative clearly still depicts the ‘Sentinel of Liberty’ manipulating his former team-mates such as Captain Marvel and Iron Man, in order to ensure that his world-wide subversive organisation achieves its aim for global domination, the former politician’s script genuinely seems to bear little resemblance to the publications preceding it.

True, this particular edition is very much a “Civil War II” tie-in, which relies heavily upon events as depicted by writer Brian Michael Bendis in the crossover’s own limited mini-series, and resultantly finds the super-soldier deeply troubled by the “new inhuman who can see the future” because he can “expose Steve’s secret [that he works for the Red Skull] at any moment.” But that shouldn’t mean that the book’s author can automatically assume its audience knows precisely what is taking place elsewhere within the ‘Marvel Universe’, and therefore comprehend why the titular character is pencilled by Javier Pina one moment fighting some unseen enemy alongside Star Lord in The Triskelion, and then drawn in the next panel paternally speaking to a partially-masked Miles Morales, and suggesting that the distraught Spider-Man “go home.”

Fortunately, Spencer does at least repeatedly return to the super-hero’s altered past when as a boy Elisa Sinclair abducted him from his murdered mother’s side and subsequently had the infant indoctrinated by Doctor Sebastian Fenhoff. Gaunt-faced, deeply unhappy, and yet admirably strong-willed, as well as imbued with “considerable academic ability… in areas of problem solving and strategy”, the ‘undersized asthmatic’s attempts to survive an encounter with murderous sharp-toothed hounds, a momentarily tense confrontation with the formidable Kraken, and being kept locked in a dingy-looking cell, all prove welcome returns to this title’s familiar, long-term story-arc of Steve somehow graduating from “a school that trained Hydra soldiers" in the Late Twenties.

Writer: Nick Spencer, Penciler: Javier Pina, and Color Artist: Rachelle Rosenberg

Captain America: Steve Rogers #5 - Marvel Comics

CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS No. 5, November 2016

Purportedly “guest-starring the Invincible Iron Man”, as well as depicting Steve Rogers taking “steps to end the war” as “tragedy strikes”, it’s painfully clear just why Issue Five of “Captain America: Steve Rogers” was only the forty-seventh best-selling title of September 2016, at least according to “Diamond Comic Distributors”. Indeed, it’s not difficult to understand, as Nick Spencer’s illogically piecemeal plot flits from Sokovia to New Attilan and then Alpine in Utah, just how this “Civil War II tie-in” only sold 50,536 copies; even when its titular character was IGN's second-placed "Top 25 Best Marvel superhero" in 2014.

Admittedly, the former politician’s script begins well enough, with a fascinating flashback to infant Steven’s abduction from the side of his dead mother by HYDRA, and subsequent induction into the care of Daniel Whitehall, and his associate Doctor Sebastian Fenhoff. But once this traumatic opening is concluded, the somewhat carefully timed pacing of the American author’s twenty-page periodical goes completely awry and degenerates into a seemingly haphazard summary of events from the “Marvel Worldwide” comic book crossover storyline its supposedly tied-in to.

In fact, in many ways the publication’s bizarre series of disconnected scenes, which shows Captain America planning to kill his fellow Avengers one moment and then inexplicably depicts the World War Two veteran lying dead at the feet of Spider-Man in the next, appears more geared towards encouraging this publication’s audience to purchase the aforementioned mini-series for the fuller story, than actually progressing anything new with the Sentinel of Liberty himself. There arguably can be no other explanation as to why Spencer’s writing frustratingly covers the death of Bruce Banner, Hawkeye’s trial, She-Hulk’s rage, and the feud between Tony Stark and Captain Marvel, rather than Cappy himself. 

Sadly, just as disconcerting as this comic’s penmanship, is its inconsistent pencilling. Javier Pina illustrates Elisa’s unsettling grooming of young Rogers well enough, especially when his panels are so wonderfully coloured in blue-greys and reds by Rachelle Rosenberg. Yet the Spanish artist seems to genuinely struggle when it comes to simply drawing people’s faces, as can plainly be seen in a panel of Steve watching Jennifer Walters and Jane Foster's Thor arm-wrestling. 

Writer: Nick Spencer, Penciler: Javier Pina, and Color Artist: Rachelle Rosenberg

Captain America: Steve Rogers #4 - Marvel Comics

CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS No. 4, October 2016

Advertised by “Marvel Worldwide” as a “Civil War II Tie-In” within which “Steve attempts to broker a truce between Iron Man and Captain Marvel”, and featuring a similarly-themed cover illustration by Aaron Kuder and Tamra Bonvillain, Nick Spencer’s script for Issue Four of “Captain America: Steve Rogers” must have had its 49,559-strong audience scratching their collective heads in utter bemusement. For whilst the former politician’s narrative briefly touches upon the publisher’s “crossover storyline” by way of Cappy informing Doctor Erik Selvig that Thanos is currently searching for the Cosmic Cube, the thirty-page periodical contains no mention of Tony Stark’s alter ego, or his super-powered feud with Carol Danvers.

Instead, the American author pens a choppy mess of superficially disparate scenes involving S.H.IE.L.D. Director Hill and Everett Ross, a Senate Intelligence Committee Hearing, Jack Flag’s sick bed inside a S.H.I.E.L.D. medical bay, Scarecrow and sheriff Taskmasker’s examination of Captain America’s crashed ship in Bagalia, the Thunderbolts thwarting “a whole alien army” headed for Earth, Wendell mentoring a floundering new Quasar and an infant Steve Rogers witnessing the cold-blooded murder of his mother by HYDRA agents. None of which actually help move this title’s overarching story-line noticeably forward on account of them all lasting little more than a handful of panels…

One such ‘flashback’ sequence that does make a lasting impression however, is Spencer’s graphic depiction of the titular character’s ‘securement’ of Selvig’s laboratory. Constructed by the Red Ghost and protected by his Apes, the supposed Sentinel of Liberty bloodily bludgeons its primate occupants to death with the pointed edge of his shield, and then causes a fleeing Ivan Kragoff to have one of his arms and legs severed at the joint; “Hhh-- Hh-- My leg-- My arm-- What have you done?” Disconcertingly though, Cappy isn’t finished with the Soviet scientist, and having casually dragged his mutilated body across to a control panel in order for the machinery to scan the villain’s one good hand, cold-bloodily dispatches the kneeling man in the self-same gory manner as he did his “children.”  

Equally as inconsistent as the haphazard storytelling, is this over-sized comic’s artwork. Dually drawn by Javier Pina and Miguel Sepulveda, presumably due to the book’s high page count, some scenes are remarkably well illustrated, such as those which take place in the Lower East Side of Manhattan in 1926, and the Red Ghost’s laboratory. Whilst others, like S.H.I.E.L.D.’s preliminary meeting with Hill or Taskmaster’s exploration in Bagalia, are far less successfully pencilled.

Writer: Nick Spencer, and Penciler: Javier Pina & Miguel Sepulveda

Captain America: Steve Rogers #3 - Marvel Comics

CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS No. 3, September 2016

Disconcertingly focussing upon a mission debrief between a kneeling, bare-chested titular character and his holographic master, the Red Skull, it is genuinely hard not to see the narrative for Issue Three of “Captain America: Steve Rogers” as yet another attempt by “Marvel Worldwide” to ‘quickly backtrack’ on their “initial choice” that the Sentinel of Liberty has always been a Hydra agent. Indeed, considering Nick Spencer’s pre-publication interview with “Entertainment Weekly” in which he “unequivocally” stated that “this is not a clone, not an imposter, not mind control, not someone else acting through Steve. This really is Steve Rogers, Captain America himself”, the plot to this twenty-two periodical not only reinforces that the super-soldier was actually brainwashed “because he had false memories implanted by Kobrik, the sentient Cosmic Cube who became a girl.” But depicts the ‘sleeper agent’ actually fighting against his mental programming by disobeying the order to murder Doctor Erik Selvig, and seemingly having genuine feelings for S.H.I.E.L.D. Commander Sharon Carter; “You. Don’t. Ever. Touch. Her. Again!”   

Perhaps unsurprisingly, such ‘misdirection’ from the comic’s writer arguably proves somewhat detrimental to the smooth flow of its narrative, and whilst Nicky Fury’s old International Espionage Agency landing a ship in “a city primarily populated by super villains” certainly creates plenty of suspense and action, courtesy of both Crossfire and “Sheriff” Taskmasker taking umbrage at their sovereign island nation being “invaded by S.H.I.E.L.D.”, any such drama is completely overshadowed by the America author’s inconsistent and erratic portrayal of Rogers. In fact it’s genuinely hard to fathom out just what the World War Two veteran is going to do from one panel to next, especially when he appears murderously determined to kill Jack Harrison, angrily incensed by Tony Masters stabbing Carter through her hand with his sword, and genuinely troubled by failing to “save the [Hydra] pawn in the train bombing” all within the same storyline.

Sadly Spencer’s solution to the trials and tribulations of this book’s supporting cast is just as ludicrous as his portrayal of Captain America’s mercurial behaviour. Surrounded and trapped within a country “ruled by criminals and populated by the Masters Of Evil”, and clearly outnumbered a hundred to one, things do not look good for Sharon, Free Spirit and Rick Jones, even when the Sentinel of Liberty arrives at the last minute in order to dissuade Taskmaster from skewering his beloved. Yet “the most hated man in America today” would have his audience believe that by simply threatening to “empty every last (casino) account” on the Bagalia Strip, “all (the) bad guys” would just stop “finally getting back at that mean old Captain America --”? As the S.H.I.E.L.D. Commander herself states “that is the stupidest plan I have ever heard.”  

The variant cover art of "CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS" No. 3 by Joe Madureira

Captain America: Steve Rogers #2 - Marvel Comics

CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS No. 2, August 2016

Whilst a meteoric drop in sales and numerous death threats via social media were undoubtedly not influential upon the narrative for Issue Two of “Captain America: Steve Rogers”, arguably the vast majority of this book’s 66,416 strong audience must surely have felt that Nick Spencer’s storyline concerning the sentient Cosmic Cube Kobik being responsible for recently transforming the titular character into an agent of Hydra, something of a dramatic U-turn as to what the former politician was postulating before its publication. Indeed, the very presence of the one-time cube-shaped entity, a character who according to the “Marvel Database” didn’t make her first full appearance until April 2016, makes much of the “Superior Foes of Spider-Man” writer’s rhetoric concerning the star-spangled symbol of mortality always being one of the Marvel Universe’s “most insidious villains” rather questionable; especially when “the most hated man in America” has openly admitted he “designed” his ‘outrageous’ storyline simply to “upset people and shock people and worry people.”

Concerns as to just how long (or even real) Steve Rogers’ allegiance to the secret criminal organisation are aside however, this twenty-page periodical’s script seems horrifically contrived at best considering that it is based upon the premise that of all the people who the naïve child-like cube-fragmented form could turn to and befriend, she chooses the Sentinel of Liberty’s greatest adversary, the Red Skull. It certainly seems a convolutedly convenient way for Johann Schmidt to suddenly obtain the power to reimagine the entity’s handler, Doctor Erik Selvig and readily recruit him to “immortal Hydra!”; “My entire life I have served your cause. I have worked tirelessly to promote your vision. A more perfect world -- through Hydra!"

Disconcertingly, Spencer’s script doesn’t unfortunately stop there either, and proves increasingly illogical by having the one-time “confidant of Adolf Hitler” manufacture the entire prisoner breakout from S.H.I.E.L.D.’s heavily-disguised Pleasant Hill super-villain incarceration centre, simply to manipulate Kobik into rejuvenating the elderly Cappy before Brock Rumlow beats him to death with his own shield. Bizarrely, so overly-complicated a plot thread even apparently requires the facially disfigured war-criminal to don the apparel of an aging “compassionate” church minister in order to ensure the First Avenger isn’t bested by the likes of Dirk Garthwaite and his Wrecking Crew before he faces Crossbones.

Considering just how dissatisfying this revelation as to the ‘Secret History of Steve Rogers” arguably is, Jesus Saiz's artwork throughout the comic at least proves a gratifying experience. Admittedly the book’s breakdowns are luckily devoid of any panels depicting Daniel Acuna’s unimaginative redesign of Wing-head’s modern-day costume. But that still leaves the Spanish artist needing to do an incredible job of imbuing characters such as the Red Skull and his daughter Sin, with plenty of energy and emotion, when the vast majority of the comic comprises of little more than sedentary, dialogue-heavy conversations.

The variant cover art of "CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS" No. 2 by Mark Bagley

Captain America: Steve Rogers #1 - Marvel Comics

CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS No. 1, July 2016

Selling an impressive 99,768 copies in May 2016, Issue One of “Captain America: Steve Rogers” caused so much controversy at the time of its publication with regards to its surprise ending, that even nonagenarian Stan Lee ‘weighed in’ on the “crazy” twist of the super-soldier being “a double agent” of Hydra whilst attending a MegaCon panel; “It’s a hell of a clever idea. I don’t know that I would ever have thought of it… But it’s going to make you curious, it’s going to make you want to read the books…” Sadly however, this thirty-page periodical never actually lives up to any of its hype, and whilst Editor Tom Brevoort’s assurance that the Sentinel of Liberty’s dual identity had “been in the works for more than a year” may have appeased some fans, there is actually very little within Nick Spencer’s disappointing narrative that makes any real sense.

For starters the comic’s rather straightforward central plot of the Avenger thwarting a terrorist attempt to hijack “a train scheduled for routine maintenance… and detonate an explosive device” lacks any real menace, as the star spangled S.H.I.E.L.D. operative beats his numerous poorly-armed opponents so easily that it only takes him eight panels to reach suicidal bomber Robbie Tomlin. Hardly thrill-a-minute stuff even for a “man out time” who is still “learning” to use his new shield, and Rogers subsequent confrontation with Baron Zemo’s New Masters (of Evil) doesn't provide much in the way of suspense either; especially as the laughable Plantman, Flying Tiger and Firebrand are soon all-too soundly thrashed by Cappy’s sidekicks Free Spirit and Jack Flag.

As a result of such deficiencies all that is arguably left to enjoy is the America author’s entertaining, though perturbingly nonsensical flashbacks to Steve’s childhood in 1926, when his drunken brute of a father is shockingly outfought by posh socialite Elisa Sinclair, and his mother wined and dined by the female Hydra recruitment officer. Such a “trail of breadcrumbs” in order to ensure “people will be able to connect the dots” seems rather contrivingly choreographed, especially for a “Marvel Worldwide” character whose origin story has already been (re)told so many times in the past.

Equally as disquieting as Spencer’s script is Jesus Saiz’s somewhat cartoonish-looking breakdowns. “Best known for his work on Manhunter and Brave And The Bold” the Spaniard’s audacious pencilling certainly gives the comic a high-quality, almost glossy appearance. Yet his technique of giving all his figures a thick black outline additionally makes the characters look a little comical, and certainly doesn’t suit the reimagined Sentinel of Liberty’s sleeker, more rubberised (head-wingless) costume.

The regular cover art of "CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS" No. 1 by Jesus Saiz