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

All-New Invaders #2 - Marvel Comics

ALL NEW INVADERS No. 2, April 2014

There’s something vaguely unsatisfying about Issue 2 of “All New Invaders”; a sense that none of the expectations generated by this title’s exciting opening edition are actually met. Indeed in many ways there’s a real ‘step backwards’ feel to the book, as a lot of its content actually concentrates on events which took place before those of the previous issue.

This aura of disappointment frankly starts with the comic’s cover by Mukesh Singh, which is a disconcertingly awkward looking illustration of the bombastic Tanalth standing in triumph over the broken bodies of Captain America, the Winter Soldier and the original Human Torch; the latter of which seems to have obtained arms the length of which would rival an orang-utan. Any artwork depicting a book’s titular super-heroes being both so brutally bowed and beaten is going to be a depressing sight. But it is the composition of Singh’s artwork, such as the bright red boot of ‘Cappy’ oddly jutting out from beneath the dark green cape of the Kree High-Elite, which jars the eye.

In fact there’s a good deal of this comic book’s artwork which appears somewhat off key and as such actually caused me to believe that the title’s main artist had changed between issues. Certainly the opening few pages capturing the action of a night-time fire-fight between James Barnes and the Kree in the streets of Vienna are below the usual standard of Steve Pugh. Bizarrely the British artist’s illustration work during the Invaders battle against the Pursuer in Blaketon, Illinois isn’t all that much of an improvement either, with the eight-page action-sequence containing poorly detailed figures, oddly exaggerated limbs and an increasingly podgy Tanalth.

Perhaps most displeasing though is the outcome to the comic’s climatic confrontation between the former World War Two freedom fighters and the arrogant, overbearing and overconfident leader of the Kree Purser Corps. Writer James Robinson has Captain America describe Tanalth as being “…on a par with Ronan from the look of [her] powers and invulnerability” so defeating the Kree High-Elite was always going to be a tough challenge for a trio armed with just a shield, a bionic arm and the ability to produce some seemingly non-effective flames. But to have a battle which has technically spanned two issues, suddenly just end with Tanalth simply flying off for no other reason than she can is extremely disappointing; especially as moments before the aloof Kree warrior was threatening the heroes with a slow painful death after they finally caused her some momentary discomfort.

The variant cover art of "ALL-NEW INVADERS" No. 2 by Salvador Larocca

All-New Invaders #1 - Marvel Comics

ALL-NEW INVADERS No.1, March 2014

As something of a devoted fan of the late Seventies “Marvel Comics Group” title “The Invaders” this was really something of a ‘must-buy’ comic book as it advertised the return of the original roster as created by Roy Thomas and Sal Buscema. Admittedly however the cover by Mukesh Singh is not the most enticing of illustrations as it depicts a painfully grim-faced Captain America, an unnervingly smiley Sub-Mariner and a grotesquely distorted Human Torch.

Fortunately British comic book artist Steve Pugh provides the artwork for the interior of the issue and very nice it is too. There’s a real sharp clean look to his pencils which works especially well with his drawing of the Human Torch and the somewhat oversized Kree Amazonian, Tanalth the Purser. However it is most definitely his ‘flash back’ panels showing the Invaders tackling Baron Wolfgang von Strucker and Hela, Norse Goddess of Death, during the Second World War which really provide a visual treat. Ably assisted by the subtly muted colouring of GURU-eFX.

Besides being well-drawn, Issue One of the “All-New Invaders” is also very well written, with James Robinson telling the story through the eyes (and mind) of Jim Hammond, the original Human Torch. Indeed such is the intimacy that one shares with the world’s first synthetic human, as he walks through the quiet town of Blaketon, eating pie and sipping coffee, that the interruption to his meanderings by a sudden Kree attack is all the more rude and impactive. I certainly found myself being quietly content simply reading about the mechanic going for a spot of lunch and enjoying Pugh’s detailed artwork.

Obviously such an idyllic lifestyle was never going to exist for long but the British writer really produces a shock moment with the appearance of Tanalth and the slaughter of Hammond’s garage-owning boss. It is really very easy to take an immediate dislike to the over-muscled Kree warrior, and Robinson makes it easier still by giving her an atrociously over confident and overbearing personality. In fact I can’t recall disliking a villain so quickly and so intensely, and became surprisingly desperate to see the Human Torch give Tanalth the beating her hubris so clearly deserved.

Equally I’ve not felt that a super-hero needed to get such a dramatic and final come-uppance as Major Liberty does when he feels the withering fatal touch of Hela. So much for the arrogance and excessive pride of a former history teacher who can summon up the ghosts of past American patriots.