CAPTAINS AMERICA versus TASKMASTER

The Hammer Falls Part 2 of 3 (Marvel)
Where: Avengers: The Initiative #34 When: May 2010 Why: Christos Gage How: Jorge Molina

The Story So Far...
When Tony Stark fought to bring about a new Superhero Registration Act -- he failed to fully consider what would happen if it all fell into the wrong hands!

A secret invasion by Skrulls allowed Norman Osborn to oust Iron Man and replace him as the "Iron Patriot" at the head of a reformed intelligence agency and Commission of Superhuman Activities.

In his hubris, Osborn conspires to bring about a siege on the City of Asgard that finally signals his dark reign has gone too far. Captain America returns to lead an assembly of Avengers against their dark counterparts, arriving just in time to join his temporary replacement against The Shadow Initiative's leader: Taskmaster!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Draw 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Steve Rogers 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Steve Rogers 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Steve Rogers 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Taskmaster 7 (Living Weapon)
Energy: Bucky Barnes 3 (Explosives)
Total: Steve Rogers 28 (Metahuman)

That isn't a misprint! We're getting two Captains America for the price of one!

Steve Rogers is fresh off an apparent assassination, and excursion through time, dropping-in on his temporary replacement, Bucky Barnes, for the ultimate All-American team-up!

We got a brief glimpse of the stand-in when the Secret Avengers took on The Hood in New Avengers #54, but Bucky is best known as Cap's World War II fighting buddy who was thought dead until he reemerged as Winter Soldier.

The duo are taking on a classic Steve Rogers rival who's studied all his moves and learned to imitate them exactly!

Taskmaster possesses "photographic reflexes" that allow him to utilize the fighting techniques of anyone he observes. Cap is one of Taskmaster's stock favourites, leading him to frequently travel with a similar disc-shaped shield. He also favours the swordplay of Black Knight and the marksmanship of Hawkeye.

This intimate understanding of fighting styles means Taskmaster can anticipate and counter familiar studies, but therein lies a potential weakness.

Deadpool #2 showed that an unfamiliar and unpredictable opponent can get the drop on Taskmaster, negating some of his expertise. Deadpool's penchant for absurdity helped him win that fight, and again in Cable & Deadpool #36.

Bucky's programming as a Russian assassin means he's a very different fighter to Cap, and although we learned of a secret history involving well known characters, it's entirely possible he never encountered Taskmaster as The Winter Soldier!

Even if their activities did lead to a meeting, we can't forget that Taskmaster is a supreme fighter -- but he isn't infallible. Moon Knight once used the shock & awe of crashing a plane and staring down death to bamboozle him. It's entirely possible the teamwork of Captain America and Bucky could lead to defeat!

The Tape: Steve Rogers & Bucky Barnes Ranking: Steve Rogers (#7)

What Went Down...

Avengers fall out of the sky like raindrops across the battlefield and Taskmaster begins weighing up his options. A besieged Norman "Iron Patriot" Osborn spells a back-up plan that could keep him in favour with powerful friends -- win or lose.

With shield raised, Taskmaster rushes to Osborn's aid, charging towards an attacking Captain America who doesn't see it coming.

Fortunately for the recently returned hero his erstwhile replacement has his back covered and opens fire!

Taskmaster blocks the bullets with his shield and raises his sword to challenge the original Captain America.

The mercenary has been looking forward to a rematch with his old nemesis, as well as the professional opportunity to outdo Crossbones by killing the legendary hero with more permanence than his previous assassination.

Cap responds dismissively, so Taskmaster aims to make a lasting impression, continuing to deflect Bucky's gunfire as he slashes his sword across Captain America's defending shield.

A break in the shooting gives Taskmaster the opportunity to turn the tide of battle. With a single pivot he smacks Cap in the face with with his shield, and hurls his sword at Bucky with enough accuracy to knock the pistol from his hand!

Cap recovers quickly and takes advantage of the turn by sinking his knee into Taskmaster's exposed mid-section!

He remembers Taskmaster and his "photographic reflexes" all too well, and reasons that Bucky's lost decades could present a completely unknown opponent for the mimicking fighter.

Bucky tags in and introduces the mercenary to a very different kind of Captain America, brandishing Taskmaster's own sword against him!

For a moment the attack catches Taskmaster by surprise, but as the newest Captain America takes up the offensive, he begins to recognize the man fighting beneath the red, white, and blue. He's studied many World War II newsreels, and as impossible as it may seem, he knows this is Cap's long dead sidekick: Bucky!

Armed with this knowledge, Taskmaster swings his shield just so to knock the sword out of Bucky's hand, and clip him across the chin!

Bucky rallies with an assurance that Taskmaster and his allies will pay for what they've done to America during the dark reign of their administration.

"The flag. This country. The public trust. And for what you and your kind have done to them... I'M TAKING YOU DOWN!"

Taskmaster invites him to try, and the stand-in Captain America responds with seemingly reckless abandon -- charging directly into the line of Taskmaster's downward swinging sword!

The soldier blocks the sword strike with his right forearm -- hiding beneath his uniform the cyborg legacy of his days as The Winter Soldier!

Taskmaster seems unfazed by this revelation, but isn't so nonchalant when a flash in the sky signals the arrival of The Hood and his Cabal.

Bucky presumes the villain is receiving reinforcements, but Taskmaster notes the fighter jets already shooting down the HAMMER Helicarrier. Distractions enough to bring their skirmish to an end as the chaos brings the City of Asgard towards total destruction.

The Hammer...

There's direct overlap between the action seen in Avengers: The Initiative #34 and the concurrent events of Siege #3, but to the best of my knowledge todays featured fight ends as described. You could presume The Sentry's razing of Asgard is the capper.

With only one issue remaining: The Initiative creative team had to juggle contemporary concerns of the Dark Reign era, while also trying to give adequate send-off to some of the B and C list characters who were specific to the series, some since its beginning as a spin-off coming out of Civil War. The result is a slightly disjointed issue of a slightly disjointed series.

Taskmaster was first installed by Henry Peter Gyrich in Avengers: The Initiative #8 as a drill instructor at Camp Hammond. He was to train new recruits brought into the Fifty State Initiative by the government's Superhero Registration Act, kept in line by the threat of exploding nanobots supposedly implanted in his brain.

TM became a bigger focus for the series once he was made field leader of the black-ops Shadow Initiative unit in issue #20. This positioned him perfectly to serve the interests of Norman Osborn, who assumed command of the Fifty State Initiative after he leveraged the events of Secret Invasion to replace an indicted Tony Stark as the head of America's military and intelligence agencies.

That all might sound dreadfully complicated, but like most of these things, it's really a pick 'n' mix situation.

You only need to understand the story you're reading, and you can read as little or as much as you like. These other events add background and larger context to the lay of the land, but they're really not essential to understanding the series, or the story as told from the perspective of Taskmaster.

Siege ostensibly brings an end to the cascading circumstances that were roughly started with Avengers Disassembled, and really got going in Civil War.

The event was essentially designed to put all the pieces back together, bringing Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man back onto the same page after a half decade of sidelining and opposition. Thor had been back amongst the living for a while, but kept to himself, while Cap returned from his apparent assassination at the end of Civil War, having actually rattled around in time rather than death.

The curious irony of Siege is that, although it was arguably the most tightly arranged of Marvel's events -- tying related issues directly to the main battle in the Siege mini-series -- it results in one of the most insubstantial of the era.

Background characters suggest some of the action occurring in other Siege series, but Jorge Molina's pencils are swamped in a necessary palette that ties everything together with a monotonous wash of explosions occurring in the main title.

I like the detail of Taskmaster's deep understanding of fighting styles allowing him to identify Bucky Barnes beneath the shiny new Captain America costume. I'm a little less clear why, if this is their first meeting, he doesn't note any surprise that Bucky blocked a sword strike with his forearm. It seems like there's time, but a lot of other things are happening.

The goal of telling micro-stories inextricably linked to a single conflict and place was an intriguing one. It plays to the fantasy of telling a superhero war epic that goes back to Secret Wars, and maybe earlier. Siege may even achieve the genuine sensation of being on the frontlines, but its narrow focus makes everything feel small and just a little inconsequential.

I tend to think Final Crisis achieved a similar result without losing its sense of scope and grandeur. Siege benefits from having clearer long term goals, but even they manage to feel small and perfunctory. Its more of an end than a beginning, and we already knew what to expect long before it arrived.

What followed for Marvel Comics was less a return to good old character-driven comics, and more of a meandering freefall. Siege feels like the first chapter in the next ten years of scattershot comics. They chose to return to the event format shortly after, and each installment seemed more like Siege - "important" by design, but insubstantial and easily skipped by impression.

At some point I imagine I'll return to the main Siege series to take a closer look at its most significant battles. In the mean time, if you'd like to draw your own conclusions about the 2010 event you can check out collected editions of Siege: Avengers - The Initiative and Siege via Amazon links embedded below.

Doing any of your online shopping via these links will not only get you a deal safely delivered to your home -- it'll also help support the site at no extra cost to you! If you're a real true believer you might like to go the extra mile and become a patron. As a thank you you'll receive a direct line to additional updates, polls, and your choice of customizable articles. I'd sure appreciate it!

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured more than 600 battles and ranked over 1000 characters! You can find them all by diving into the Secret Archive for a complete index of featured fights in order of publisher, series, and issue number -- or discover more by following topical links found in each article!

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Winner: Inconclusive (Draw)
#7 (--) Captain America (Steve Rogers)
#58 (--) Captain America (Bucky Barnes)
#991 (+2) Taskmaster

HERO OF THE WEEK: WINTER SOLDIER (Marvel)
Real Name: James "Bucky" Barnes
First Appearance: Captain America Comics #1 (March, 1941)
Fight Club Ranking: #49

Featured Fights:
- vs RED SKULL & NAZIS: Captain America #5 (May 2005)
- vs WOLVERINE: Wolverine #39 (Apr 2006)
- vs CROSSBONES: Captain America #25 (Apr 2007)
- vs THE HOOD & DORMAMMU: New Avengers #54 (Aug 2009)

The world is united in enthusiasm for Black Panther! The latest Marvel cinematic offering is dominating screens globally, where one of the biggest questions has finally been answered: what would the customary post-credits scene reveal? By now you've probably seen it, but if you've gotten this far into Hero of the Week without getting a clue, uh... Look away now?...

Calling it a spoiler may be overlooking the obvious. The self-contained nature of Black Panther meant it was always unrealistic to expect an Infinity War bound Thanos cameo. Instead, the story ties back into Civil War, with Winter Soldier stepping out of stasis as Wakanda's mythic "White Wolf".

Comics readers know the White Wolf as Black Panther's adopted brother, which might suggest more blood ties in future sequels. For now, the nickname is bandied about by children as Bucky steps back into the light, presumably freed of his Manchurian-style Hydra programming.

T'Challa took custody of the unintended assassin at the end of 2016's Captain America sequel, and his mental cleansing should smooth things over for a return in Avengers: Infinity War later this year!

It isn't quite as fun as the wild theories of Silver Surfer, Fantastic Four, or another FOX held property making the crossover to Marvel's cinematic universe. By now it should probably be given that it's never the wild, cool, comics-style surprise.

If you want some comics-style surprises, be sure to dive into the Secret Archive for a full index of featured fights. You can also follow along on Twitter and Facebook for daily links to topical battles, or just tuned in February for more classic contests with The Black Panther!

<< Hero of the Week 02/26: Piccolo     [Home]     Hero of the Week 02/12: Black Panther >>

HERO OF THE WEEK: WINTER SOLDIER (Marvel)
Real Name: James "Bucky" Barnes
First Appearance: Captain America Comics #1 (March, 1941)
Fight Club Ranking: #47

Featured Fights:
- vs RED SKULL & NAZIS: Captain America #5 (May 2005)
- vs WOLVERINE: Wolverine #39 (Apr 2006)
- vs CROSSBONES: Captain America #25 (Apr 2007)
- vs THE HOOD & DORMAMMU: New Avengers #54 (Aug 2009)

A big week of news, rumors and impending TV finales had several contenders duking it out for this week's coveted HOTW. If Dr. Strange hadn't already had his turn [01/04/2016], we might be talking about the promising first trailer for November's Marvel movie mystic. In the end, it was the other big show coming to town that pulled focus from all the rest!

Captain America: Civil War officially opens in wide theatrical release May 6th, but has already started to trickle out across the globe. In stark contrast to DC's recent big screen heavyweight main event; advanced reviews for Marvel's philosophically driven supercard have been mostly positive.

If my personal anticipation was curbed by the malaise of Marvel's frequently formulaic big screen bouts, the promotional pollen has finally stirred a sneeze of excitement. One of the more intriguing pieces of the puzzle getting up my nose in the last week: Winter Soldier.

After starring as the conflicted titular menace of "Captain America 2", it was par for the course that Winter Soldier would be back for more. His path back to the side of angels was a given, as well, but what I didn't necessarily expect was a reunion of real consequence. The overwhelming amount of moving pieces in Civil War made it easy to presume a smooth team-up between Cap and his old buddy Bucky to make up numbers. By all accounts, his role is much more important than that. If you're avoiding spoilers, you may want to look away now!

It seems the chequered past of Winter Soldier's programming has made him the perfect patsy to start the war between heroes. He's implicated in a terrorist attack (presumably against Wakanda), which has him in Iron Man's firing line in a recently released clip [above]. The sequence also brings Black Panther [HOTW 01/18/2016] into play in a moment that teases his supreme fighting skill and dogged determination. Can't wait to see more of him!

It's all more than likely the work of Daniel Bruhl's maskless Helmut Zemo, who's already drawing flattering comparisons to Batman v Superman puppet master: Lex Luthor.

I'll be disappointed to go a whole film without seeing the classic purple mask of the Zemo bloodline, but I'll take a well conceived plot over jabbering millennial nonsense any day. Tying Winter Soldier and Black Panther together, in conjunction with other tensions building to a movement for superhero registration, certainly strikes me as intelligent, economic storytelling. Something Civil War will no doubt need if it's to pull off its assembly of warring factions.

Of course, this Civil War seems to have less vitriolic grand designs than the bitter struggle staged by Marvel Comics in 2006 [see; Civil War]. For a while there, I genuinely thought Chris Evans would exit the series in the same way Captain America did - dying at the conclusion of the comics event. It certainly seems like the entire Marvel movie universe was built with understudies in mind. I'm not ruling it out, but Downey Jr's eternally uncertain future seems to make Cap all the more important to plans to move forward. Yes, new heroes are coming, but you need a statesman to stitch it all together.

On that subject; I have to admit to still having misgivings about the "resurrection" of Bucky. That the stories resulting from his return have been interesting helps a great deal, but I'll never be totally at peace with the removal of a unique piece of fictional history. For decades, he was one of comics' perennial deaths - a guarded sacrifice. The serial nature of comics provides so few legitimate chances to remove a major player from the board. His death was a practical, meaningful choice that never needed to be undone. Not if comics were moving forward, as they should.

The idea of death and a more realistic progression of time and heroes in the films is an interesting concept. Contract negotiation as in-fiction life and death. Retiring roles sure beats re-casting with burdened new faces, but does anyone really expect Disney to permanently discard major players if they don't have to?

They seem to want us to think War Machine's life is in peril in the films, but really, I just get the impression they wanted one armored hero on the powerful Team Tony. You can't kill off Rhodey. Coulson's death in Avengers already flirted with the meaningless carousel of mortality the comics have bogged themselves down in. Here's hoping the movies resist the same mistakes. We shall see!

<< Hero of the Week 04/25: Iron Man       [Home]       Hero of the Week 04/11: Robotman >> 

SECRET AVENGERS versus
THE HOOD/DORMAMMU
(Marvel)
Where: New Avengers #54 When: August 2009
Why: Brian Bendis How: Billy Tan

The Story So Far...
For decades, Dr. Stephen Strange shouldered the weight of burden that comes with receiving the mystic charge of the Sorcerer Supreme. As the destined master of magicks, he wielded his power to protect the delicate balance between good and evil as best he could, but when the Hulk returned from exile in space to wage war on Earth, Dr. Strange felt forced to tap into dark magic to combat the threat. It was decisions such as these that deemed him no longer worthy to protect the mortal plane as Sorcerer Supreme.

Dedicated as ever to the pursuit of good, Dr. Strange seeks out would-be successors in the hope of curtailing sinister forces who would seize the opportunity of his forced retirement, and prepare his replacement for the trials ahead. The Hood -- self-proclaimed "Kingpin of Super villains" -- emerges as his most active competitor on the side of evil, but battle does not influence the course of the sacred chain of succession.

Scanning the globe of it's mystic powers, the Eye of Agomotto finds a fitting successor in New Orleans. Thus, Dr. Strange -- joined by his former teammates in the underground Secret Avengers -- enters into a race against The Hood to ensure the power is inherited by the one intended, and not Dormammu, who is the powerful daemon with a claim to The Hood's soul.

Reaching out from his prison in the Dark Dimension from whence he came, Dormammu uses The Hood as a vessel for his own influence. It is a partnership that has allowed him to breach our plane and engage Daimon Hellstrom, the Son of Satan, in combat in the streets of New Orleans. Though a significant occult power in his own right, it is not Hellstrom that the Eye of Agomotto has chosen.

Jericho Drumm, known to the occult world as the Haitian houngan, Brother Voodoo, is the new Sorcerer Supreme. When fully realised, his powers will be sufficient enough to protect the Earth from the darkest evils of all the realms, but first he must survive the battle he is about to enter!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Dormammu 7 (Omnipotent)
Intelligence: Dormammu 6 (Genius)
Speed: Ms. Marvel 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Dormammu 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Spider-man 5 (Cat-like)
Fighting: Wolverine 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Dormammu 7 (Cosmic)


- The Secret Avengers are: Captain America, Spider-man, Ms. Marvel, Ronin, Mockingbird, Spider-Woman, Wolverine, & Luke Cage, with; Dr. Strange, Son of Satan, and Brother Voodoo.

Confronted with a government intent on pitting him against the reluctant and unwilling of his fellow heroes, Captain America instead threw his training and leadership against SHIELD and the US Government, to instead lead a resistance against their mandatory Superhero Registration Act. These Secret Avengers emerge to continue to fight the good fight, whilst protecting those who have pledged their lives to protecting the innocent. Among the most prominent and first to join the Captain's cause were; Hercules, Goliath, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Falcon, Cloak, Dagger, and Cable.

Captain America's surrender to Tony Stark ended the superhero Civil War, and his subsequent assassination galvanized the efforts of the underground team allowed leniency by the guilty powers-that-be. Thus, these Secret Avengers continue to honor their leader, dedicated to the same justice he always sought.

- A career thief; Parker Robbins' lifetime ambition was to become a super-villain capable of battling the likes of Daredevil and Electro, who he witnessed fighting as a child. Whilst robbing a warehouse said to contain unspecified treasures, Parker gained his opportunity upon uncovering a mystically charged set of boots and cloak said to house the demon, Nistanti. Donning the red cloak granted him powers of transmutation, levitation, invisibility, and lethal bolts of energy.

As The Hood, Robbins continues to carry his weapons of choice, two hand pistols, whilst backing himself with the powers of a demon later revealed to be the dark lord of magic, Dormammu. With his master's help and inspiration of Wilson Fisk -- the Kingpin of crime his father had worked with -- Robbins begins a path to form a unified network of super powered criminals. As Kingpin of Super-Villains, he begins an association with a secret Cabal that creates a partnership with Director of HAMMER to whom he would supply hired muscle, Norman Osborn, and also brings him league with the likes of Dr. Doom and Loki.

The dread Dormammu is an ancient mystic warlord that travelled to the Dark Dimension and conquered it. His interests in other domains brought him into conflict with Earth's first Sorcerer Supreme, Agamotto, and began a destined feud with the denizens of Earth that would stretch to his most bitter arch-rivalry with Agamotto's modern counterpart, The Ancient One, and his disciple, Dr. Strange.

Bound mystically to remain confined to the Dark Dimension, Dormammu is forced to manipulate his foes through minions such as Stephen Strange's rival, Baron Mordo. His becomes an obsession of loopholes, constantly bringing him into distant battles with other heroes from Earth, such as Dr. Strange's fellow Defenders; Thor, Norse God of thunder; and even Spider-man.

Math: Avengers (Ttl) Hood/Dormammu (Avg) Ranking: Spider-man (#2)

What Went Down...
Stirred by the battle already waging outside his window, Brother Voodoo has only moments to come to terms with the download of information offered by the Eye of Agamotto. He has been chosen -- and now bares both the gift and curse of being Earth's Sorcerer Supreme. Now, a baptism of fire against The Hood who has become a vessel for Dormammu to walk the Earth.

With Dr. Strange bringing up the rear, and his houngan brother's spirit advising him, Brother Voodoo charges into battle with the demon! It is an offensive-defense that sends Dormammu reeling with a strike from the Staff of Legba.

A friendly neighbourhood shower of weblines precede the dramatic re-entry of the Avengers into the fray! Brother Voodoo gazes upon the assembly while Captain America throws his mighty shield to earn an exacerbated grunt from the human-demon hybrid.

Ronin keeps The Hood's co-conspirator, Madame Masque, out of the battle, while Ms. Marvel follows up on Cap's hit with a headlock that gives her leverage to drive Dormammu's giant flaming influence face-first into the street! The blow sets up a string of teamwork which includes Dr. Strange and Son of Satan hatching a magic collaboration to produce an end-game.

Meanwhile, Wolverine gets a shot at a little revenge for a previous encounter with The Hood, slashing his unbreakable adamantium claws through a mystically-protected gut in a burst of flames. It's a two-prong attack, complimented by a stinger blast to the mandible by Spider-Woman!

Dormammu reacts fast, slamming his fists down, but the heroes are fast and agile enough to evade the strike. Captain America again uses the shield to inflict a blow, while Spider-man and Mockingbird do their best to contribute with webs and a dropkick, respectively. Despite their teamwork, Dormammu is able to make a charge for the Eye of Agamotto hung around Brother Voodoo's neck.

Luke Cage runs interference, tackling the rampaging demon mere meters from Voodoo. Cage is swiftly manhandled as the flesh of The Hood melts away, signifying the extent of the crossing of Dormammu into our dimensional plane.

The Avengers are batted aside by the increasingly powerful Dormammu as he attempts again to obtain the mystic artifact tied to the Sorcerer Supreme. The former barer, Dr. Strange, calls upon his still impressive mystic arsenal to defend Brother Voodoo, however, unleashing a spell to expose Dormammu!

The powerful spell forces Dormammu into Daimon Hellstrom's completed trap!
As the demonlord lunges once again toward the Eye, he is held in bondage by Hellstrom's hellacious incantation. Dormammu's only consolation is to gaze upon his mortal foe, Dr. Stephen Strange, and revel in his demotion from the coveted role of Sorcerer Supreme.

Strange's replacement proves his worth by rendering both the Doctor and Son of Satan redundant in exorcising Dormammu from the body of Parker Robbins [aka; The Hood]. The esoteric incantation surprises even Hellstrom as it rips Dormammu's presence from this plane of existance, leaving a powerless Hood smouldering and naked in the street. He joins his lover, Madame Masque, in Spidey web-couture and the custody of the Avengers.

The Hammer...
You only need to go back fifteen or twenty years ago to remember a time when Dormammu was an A-list villain. He probably didn't have the presence to be a Dr. Doom, but he was a Galactus grade magic villain. Alas, it's an unauspicious debut as his internship of The Hood comes to an end via the efforts of Brother Voodoo, Dr. Strange, Son of Satan, and the Secret Avengers!

For you Infinite Wars stathounds, I'm playing it tough this time around and counting the Avengers' efforts as an assist stat. For those of you reading the site for the first time -- welcome! Here on The Comic Book Fight Club we like to look at superhero fights, discuss the comics and fiction, and just generally wallow in the pop culture fun time of comic books! Part of that includes a statistical tally of the fights reviewed.

At first glance, this looks like an unexpected truncation of The Hood's reign as Kingpin of Supervillains! In the Dark Reign landscape of the Marvel Universe, the demonically powered villain was second only to Norman Osborn in importance to the overarching clandestine machinations of evil. However, here, in the issue that finally reveals the new choice for Sorcerer Supreme, we seemingly see The Hood stripped of his powers and consequently taken out of the game!

I want to reflect on that last sentence for a second, just because it so succinctly summarizes the fact that Brian Bendis, seasoned writer of New Avengers since it's inception, has actually been cramming each issue full of content!

In the past it's been very easy to be critical of the writing, particularly on New Avengers, which barely began to find grounding before it was thrown into a free fall as a result of the Civil War rift. Here in the fifties, it feels like Bendis has finally delivered the book it was always meant to be, and it is quite glorious!

It's also been a rewarding piece of Marvel's attempts to circumvent the now traditional annual 'event' series, to instead spread the consequences of a high concept tale across multiple books. In a way, this sense of involving continuity has been a staple of the DC books for the past few years, but by doing away with any anchoring mini-series, Marvel have opened them up to a unique approach.

After the embrassments of House of M and Secret Invasion, I would've argued Marvel should never let Bendis get anywhere near a directorial position ever again. Yet -- with the personalized structure of multiple titles, the writer has found a vehicle more suited to his slow style. Dark Reign has found it's way into books as unlikely as Marvel Zombies, but the meat of the branding has been shared between books like Dark Avengers, New Avengers, and Secret Warriors, allowing for a more relaxed approach to a story that would traditionally have brought a lot of these events into a single compressed space. The Civil War mini-series comes to mind as a series that was, while satisfying as an event book, a prime example of the delineation of the story. Likewise, the Dark Reign banner hasn't strangled the life out of on-going series in the way Civil War completely derailed New Avengers!

Having spent several months thinking Dark Reign was going to be a brief storyarc about Strange's changing of the guard, it's a thrill to finally get a clear picture of the concept. And while a big part of me regrets the fact that Dr. Strange hasn't played much more than bit-roles in recent years, it's fun seeing Brother Voodoo get some of the credit he never quite got after Fred Hembeck had some fun.

Like Captain America's death; it's difficult to think of Dr. Strange's demotion in any kind of lasting terms. As fine and dandy as it would be to have Voodoo hold the mantle for the forseeable future, he probably isn't the character first-in-line for that kind of unmotivated upgrade.
With all the foreboding going on at the end of this issue of New Avengers (via Daimon Hellstrom), it seems pretty likely Bro' Voodoo's being set up for a fall of spectacular proportions. The kind of fall that kicks off a massive Marvel magic event in 2010/2011, and forces him to sacrifice himself in a blaze of glory, whilst tossing Doc Strange the keys to the kingdom on the way out.

What ever the goal, it's kinda nice to see these characters getting warmed up again! Even more pleasing is the fact that Bendis -- who doesn't have the best reputation when it comes to paying attention to stories not on his desk -- made a pretty good meal of them, too! You get a sense that the Marvel staff of thirty-to-forty-somethings are making use of the rest of the reading the did during the seventies, beyond obvious revivals of characters like Spider-Woman, and Power Man. It seems like you can barely turn a corner without bumping in to a Werewolf by Night or Shang-Chi solicitation, these days!

Thanks to Dark Reign, New Avengers has really gotten a new lease on life, and for perhaps the first time in it's run, is doing what it can do best. The Avengers are plugged in to the centre of the Marvel Universe and their actions have suddenly taken on the kind of gravitas that was teased at the end of 2007.

Billy Tan's pencils do a pretty good job delivering on the action in an issue that lives up to all your expectations of team-based superheroics. The hero of this issue might be Justin Ponsor, however, who works well the primary colours of some of the Avengers' costumes, balanced with the night time backdrop and glowing embers of Dormammu. Ponsor delivers the classic excellence you would expect of a Marvel colourist, with just the right flourish of CG to compliment some of the glowing far-out action and spellcasting.

The Fight: 5 The Issue: 6

New Avengers appears monthly from Marvel Comics featuring an all-star line-up of characters that includes; Spider-man, Wolverine, and Captain America! You can find more of those characters' exploits and links to collections of the tales via the Infinite Wars Secret Archive and Online Gift Shoppe! By using purchase links provided on the site, (like those to the right), you help sponsor future entries in The Comic Book Fight Club. You can also benefit from the range of titles and prices made available by shopping with Amazon.com and still contribute even when buying other items, provided you go through us!

THE INVADERS versus THE NAZI PARTY
Out of Time: Part 5 (Marvel)
Where: Captain America #5 When: May 2005
Why: Ed Brubaker How: Michael Lark

The Story So Far...
The mysterious murder of Red Skull serves as a bizarre precursor to the unravelling of history within the memories of Steve Rogers; known to the world as Captain America!

Cap finds himself distracted by the pursuit of truth as he begins suffering flashbacks to key events in his long history, each changed ever so slightly. The distractions prove so severe they nearly cost the hero his life, when Crossbones emerges to attack after the Captain investigates the desecrated graves of his allies from the Second World War.

Nick Fury: Director of SHIELD uncovers clues that lead to a rogue Soviet General, Aleksander Lukin. Cap's history folds back on him once more when Lukin is revealed as director of an international company called Kronas Industries. Named after a Russian village destroyed by the Red Skull, Cap recalls the battle to save it, accompanied by Lukin's mentor, Colonel Vasily Karpov...

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Master Man 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Red Skull 5 (Genius)
Speed: Sub-Mariner 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Sub-Mariner 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Captain America 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Captain America 6 (Warrior)
Energy Power: Human Torch 6 (Mass Destruction)


- The Invaders are: Captain America, Human Torch, Sub-Mariner, Toro, Bucky.

The Invaders were the premiere superhuman line of defense of the Allied Nations during the Second World War. Their membership was captained by the combined forces of; Captain America, Namor, the Sub-Mariner, the Human Torch, Toro, Bucky, and several other recruits, such as Union Jack, Whizzer, Spitfire, and Blazing Skull.

The Invaders were chiefly positioned to defend the world from the threat of the Nazi Party and their many superpowered machinations and allies. This struggle against tyranny would extend to the modern era, with many of the Invaders roster enduring through time by means of science, magic, and mutation.
Their legacy endures into the modern age, where the team is reunited on occasion to undertaker varying missions, such as; the liberation of Mazikhandar.

- The National Socialist German Workers Party, better known as the Nazi Party, was founded in the shadow of the first World War, in 1919. The party was built on the principle of philosophically uniting Germany free of social, economical, or ethnic division. Criteria for this homogeny was dependent on interpretations of the perfect Aryan race, and diffentiated from other movements by emphasising inclusion of the social middle classes.

A young German corporal, Adolf Hitler, was ordered to investigate the group, entering into political debate during his stay. This led to his invitation into the Party, and eventual ascension as it's iconic leader in 1933, appointed by Chancellor Paul von Hindenburg.

Hitler's fascinations were diverse and bizarre, including experimentation with elements scientific and occult. Attempts to recreate the famed Super-Soldier serum developed by Dr. Abraham Erskine for the United States of America resulted in Master Man: a frail American of German descent who was embued with powers far exceeding his American counterpart; Captain America. Master Man, Red Skull, and Warrior Woman represent the Third Reich's superhuman champions.

The Math: The Invaders Ranking: Captain America (#8)

What Went Down...
In the dying months of 1942 the Nazis had burrowed deep into the Soviet landscape, accompanied by Hilfswillige; Russian soldiers forced or willing to fight for the Nazi movement. Stalin's forces had plans to trap their enemies in the frost of a Russian winter, but word of a German super-weapon draws the intervention of the Invaders, who join the Russians to investigate.

The Invaders descend on Kronas, a northern village held by the Nazis.
Their scout, the diminutive teen, Bucky Barnes, leads the charge, evading defensive measures armed with but a knife. He swiftly and silently eliminates the frontline of the Nazi guard, clearing the way for his companions.

A trigger-happy Russian alerts the camp to the incursion, raising the alarm to not only the Nazi soldiers, but also their dormant super-soldier: Master Man!

On the ground, Captain America gives the order to Karpov and his men to protect the villagers, launching a personal assault against the Nazi soldiers. Like a one man army, Captain America successfully fronts a group of five soldiers, armed only with his shield and determination!

Meanwhile, in the skies above, the supermen do battle!
Sub-Mariner meets Master Man in aerial combat, appearing evenly matched with the Nazi super-soldier. The Human Torch and Toro do their best to tip the balance, but their flames threaten the Atlantean more than Master Man.

Bucky joins the Captain as he maneuvers his way across the compound in search of the German secret weapon. A congregation of Nazi guards makes finding the weapon easy, and despite their impressive numbers, Cap is able to defend the duo with his shield, leaving Bucky free to blow the machine gunners away with a grenade!

The young soldier proves hasty in his approach when a crackling, green energy bolt blasts through the wall of the village hut, leaving Bucky to narrowly avoid death, saved only by the intervention of his seasoned mentor!

Captain America and Bucky have but mere moments to survey the carnage wrought by the strange energy beam, before the onslaught of successive blasts begin to reach out like tendrils of death! The beams zig-zag across the battlefield, destroying poperty and soldier indescriminately!

Through the burning wreckage Cap spies his arch-nemesis, the Red Skull, manning the controls of the Nazi super weapon. He points the barrel with little regard for the lives of Americans, Russians, or even his own German soldiers!

The spreading flames threaten to ravage the small village, forcing the Torch and Toro to abandon their battle with Master Man to attempt to curb the damage. They do their best to absorb flames and melt the snow to rain, but it provides little relief. Leaving the super weapon to self-destruct, the Red Skull makes an escape with the Master Man, knowing full well that the Invaders will stay to fight the losing battle to save Kronas.

The Hammer...
This was such a tough one to call I was forced to convene with the judges! I was about ready to call this a draw, and maybe it's just July Fourth patriotism, but I've been forced to declade the Invaders the victors, by points! [Namor, Human Torch, and Toro only pick-up the assist!]

Those scoring along at home might like to note: while Master Man and Red Skull escaped after the former fought Sub-Mariner (and co.) to a stalemate; they were the representing exceptions of the Nazi Party, who suffered mass casualties in the exchange.
That, ladies and gentlemen, is good housekeeping!

Those of you displaced in time will be happy to join us in our indulgence of the July 4 pseudo-meme! While the Infinite Wars bares no special affinity for apple pie, we would be remiss to pass up the opportunity to discuss the thorough whacking of Germans. Nazis, I mean.

One has to exercise a little self-awareness and acknowledge that, on most outings with Ed Brubaker, we've had a consistent underlying theme of negativity. While I'm reluctant to retract any previously described acronyms or reactionary redefinition - I do feel compelled to balance the scales!
[EDITOR'S NOTE: Lazy Brubaker Syndrome; not to be confused with "IBS"]

Blogging boffins have flocked to Brubaker's work on Captain America, declaring it one of the most significant Marvel comics of the decade for it's contrivances, and it's sense of lasting consequence. While the reinvigoration of Cap's blood feud with the Red Skull has benefitted from the tempered urbana of it's presentation, it's the 'inconsequential' superheroics that have inspired my joy!

Flashbacks to WWII add a sense of disorientation and context to certain key components of Brubaker's stories, but ultimately, the deviation as it's seen in this issue is pure indulgence of the superhero medium -- and I love it!

Credit where credit's due: as is the case with early issues in most Brubaker series, the economy of story remains bouyant. Relevant insights delivered are mostly present to give weight to certain key characters in the story. Included is the vaguely Magneto-esque birth of Aleksander Lukin, punctuated by a single panel at the end of the conflict, while other beats deliberately emphasise the history of Captain America's relationships with Bucky and Red Skull (at the expense of any elaboration on Sub-Mariner or the Torches).

Recent history has taught us to resent this kind of revisionist history, but the number of writers making competent and measured efforts is growing! Geoff Johns remains the master of the clean-up, but Brubaker deserves a lot of credit for his many flashbacks that allude to a more grounded and belieable War-era history for Captain America. The sad truth for many of these characters is that their past does not reflect what we like to think of them in the modern era.

As someone who has not enjoyed Steve Epting's critically acclaimed work, it was a joy to read an issue dedicated to secondary artist, Michael Lark! The artist; whose contributions defined the worming flashbacks of the first year; provides his trademarked style of curiously squared and sometimes incomplete lines, which cast the illusion of reality far more efficiently than you might imagine.

Full credit goes to colorist, Frank D'Armata, whose allergy-inducing palette for present day scenes have been a major contributor to [my] depreciation of Epting's series pencils. Muted blues and greys have a softed gradient in the flashbacks, making them much less aggravating, and benefit from the clean juxtaposition of Russia's snowy whites. D'Armata shines with bold colour pops in scenes depicting the red of the Red Skull bursting amidst the glowing flames of Kronas' misfortune.

As with many golden age reboots there's nothing especially retro about the artistic presentation of these stories. Even so, there's a certain timeless quality to the pages, in spite of the prevelance of the Larks of today's popular comics.
It works! Especially when one remembers these are the beginnings of the golden age revival for Bucky: a character who, until this story, had enjoyed the rare honor of being a superhero left dead for decades. It makes for a solid start, leading in to an era of Bucky Barnes as the new Captain America, something we're disappointed to have been unable to feature on the site.

I can't tell you anything about this issue that you won't be able to see for yourself. I can, however, enjoy documenting a scene that might have been lost amidst the headline-grabbing exploits of a series that may have enjoyed acclaim for everything but the strengths of what it really brings. I just wish Brubaker could maintain the kind of energy these first storyarcs bring. Aquela é a vida da maneira é!

The Fight: 4.5 The Issue: 5

Something missing from your Fourth of July? Don't get caught out next year! Remember Captain America's last great adventures with a trade paperback from Amazon! By using purchase links provided on the site, you help sponsor the future of the Infinite Wars, which is the patriotic thing to do! Check out the entire range of reviewed and recommended reads in the Infinite Wars Gift Shoppe!

FANTASY FIGHTS: DC/MARVEL ROUND 12!
By popular demand, the Infinite Wars are about to go where they've never been before! After two years of comprehensive canonical fight fact coverage, we're delving into the fictional world of fantasy fights, because you demanded it!

In the spirit of the immensly popular '96 DC/Marvel crossover event, we're pitting fifteen of each company's most relevant characters to 2007 against one and other! Stay tuned as we take a look at the imagine struggles of the superhero stars that have propelled the Infinite Wars across two full years of fisticuffs!

RED HOOD versus WINTER SOLDIER
Strength: Winter Soldier 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Draw 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Winter Soldier 5 (Marathon Man)
Agility: Red Hood 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Red Hood 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Powers: Red Hood 4 (Arsenal)


The Hook...
Few, if any, of the battles featured thus far are as perfect as this.
They were two of the most famous deaths in comics, and they were both but young boys when they died as sidekicks to superhero legends. In 2005 they both made their unceremonious return, and fans have been split ever since.

In the original event it was the battle of their mentors, [Batman versus Captain America], that provided the exciting main event to the clash of universes.
There, it was Gotham's Batman who walked away the victor, but not without some grumbling from Cap's camp of fans, and external forces enacting themselves upon heroes who found themselves ambushed by floods.

Different camps regard the return of these once 'untouchable' corpses at varying degrees of success. The flippant reasoning behind Jason Todd's resurrection as a result of events related to Infinite Crisis, and the extra-universal influences of Superboy-Prime, led many to criticize what became a directionless return when Winick left the main Batman title, forcing deviation into his work on Green Arrow.

On the same hand, Bucky Barnes' return wasn't without it's contrivances, suggesting some ambiguity as to whether or not the return may have been a result of influences from the Cosmic Cube. Otherwise, Bucky was simply said to have survived the airplane that supposedly killed him, and apparently left him to the devices of Russian agents.

Regardless of the circumstances of their lost history; be it as assassin for Russians, or wayward heir of Ra's Al Ghul; they are back and represent comparable forces struggling to come to terms with abandonment, and their origins as heroes, despite their new history.

The Math: Red Hood Ranking: Red Hood (#29)

The Battle...
Well, the last one of these [Black Adam/Hulk] was tough to decide upon and easily argued. Despite the common resonances between these two characters, it gets absolutely no easier, and here's why:

For starters, the debate. The similarities between the characters creates a great hook, but has also been the subject of online debate since their returns. I think, if we had to choose, the Infinite Wars has fallen on the Jason Todd side of the fence, accepting the weaknesses of the Prime-Punch in exchage for motivated, high excitement story telling.

Bucky hasn't exactly been sitting still. In fact, his version of the absurd return backstory actually asks us to believe he's been active for quite some time prior to the reemergence under Ed Brubaker. That either makes him really good at what he does -- or really bad.

The scale of the characters has set them apart, and it's probably here that we draw our conclusion. These two characters inevitably meet on the urban battlefield detailed in more elaborative recaps [ie; Green Arrow/Hawkeye].
Both have a pedigree of training that favours operation in these environments, but Jason Todd's training is about advertising, as much as it is stealth. A steady contrast to the assassin's creed of Winter Soldier, whose modus is to remain unseen, whenever possible.

Picking Todd off with a sniper shot aside; Winter Soldier has also lived a very long existence, and emerged the more outwardly mature of the two characters. As Red Hood, Todd has exhibited considerable growth as an urban combatant, but at the same time, possesses much of the impetuousness that characterized him during his brief career as Robin.

I tend to imagine Winter Soldier would gain first blood with a stealthy sniper shot, probably after a great deal of cat-and-mouse chase, as Red Hood attempts to evade the veiled attack, while also seeking to locate his opponent.
Winter Soldier would probably have a rooftop vantage point that would allow him maneuverability to escape detection, and maintain a strong ranged presence.

Bucky would likely move-in close to finish the wounded (but armored) Red Hood, only at a last resort. On the hand-to-hand front I probably favour Todd, but that skill is diminished sufficiently by Winter Soldier's penchant for preemptive, armor-piercing assaults.

The Hammer...
Ugh. Sometimes you just can't shake the feeling of disatisfaction, regardless of which way you go.
These kinds of match-ups are elegantly obvious, but it's that strength that also makes them so difficult to hammer down to a final conclusion. Even so, much as Black Adam/Hulk, we stand by our results.

Of course, though there is a sincere argument behind our decision, it also raises the unexpected scenario of a cumulative tie between DC and Marvel.
You've got a day or two left to scroll up to the top of the page where you can find a groovy little poll concerning just this. It seems the few who're voting either predicted the unlikely swing of events, or are voting with their hearts.

Either way, there are interesting points to be made from as flippant an exercise as this. There's a common (and not terribly strong) argument that arises from certain fans, that claims the DC heroes are infinitely more powerful than their Marvel counterparts. This is typically a point of chagrin for readers, but here, both in poll and result, we see that Marvel is just as capable as combatting their otherworld counterparts. Combatting, and as the canonical event showed, capable of beating them. Of course, that was decided by vote.

With only three battles to go, we're counting down to the business end of our competition. One can't help but admit that there's an ominous expectation of a tie leading into fight fifteen, and to give back to you, the readers, we'll abide by the poll result in the final fight. That means if you're a supporter of the DC Nation, you better rally the troops, because Marvel's looking for the win.

The final three promise to be some of the biggest of our Fantasy Fights.
If you have any opinions to voice, be encouraged to join in. The Infinite Wars are typically independent of the readers, but the Fantasy Fights offer the opportunity to connect in a far greater way. Fighting; bringing us together! Yay!

WINNER: Winter Soldier
6 versus 6

WINTER SOLDIER versus CROSSBONES
The Death of the Dream (Marvel comics)
Where: Captain America #25 When: April 2007
Why: Ed Brubaker How: Steve Epting

The story so far...
The world was turned upside down for Captain America when the Red Skull and his associates began toying with everything that has defined him, but nothing cut as deep as the return of his former sidekick -- Bucky Barnes.

Having survived the accident that supposedly left him dead in the icey waters that froze the Captain, Barnes has lived a life of servitude to the communist Russian regime. Standing as an affront to everything he and Captain America once stood for.

Despite his past, Winter Soldier finds himself in the employ of the underground Nick Fury, former Director of SHIELD.
Having surrendered to pro-registration forces in the superhero Civil War, Rogers finds himself paraded before a jaded public and media, unbeknownst to all as part of a sinister ploy set in motion by the Red Skull.

Captain America is dead.

Previous Form:
Winter Soldier (#56): Bucky has a victory over Wolverine.
Crossbones: Crossbones has not yet been featured on the site.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Crossbones 4 (Steroid Popper)
Intelligence: Winter Soldier 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Draw 3 (Trained Athlete)
Stamina: Winter Soldier 5 (Marathon Man)
Agility: Winter Soldier 2 (Average)
Fighting Ability: Draw 4 (Trained Fighter)
Energy Powers: Winter Soldier 3 (Explosives)


Captain America doesn't really have a lot to do with the measuring of this particular fight, and because I got the second-print, the cover image kind of makes this null and void -- but I just wanted to picture exactly what we're fighting for.

This is a big deal! This is two characters essentially fighting over the man who defined their existence. For Crossbones, Captain America has been his chief rival and target for roughly two decades now.

For Winter Soldier, it's been sixty years since he became relevant by the Captain's side, and even though we now have an entire secret history tacked onto the side, as we've seen in recent stories, and as you would expect: He's still Bucky Barnes, and Cap, for better or worse, is still a huge part of who he is.

So when it comes to Winter Soldier Jon Woo-ing his way into a fight against a chopper riding Crossbones, this is the the blood that's between them. They might never have met before, but this one is personal before it even gets started. Crossbones didn't get the killing blow, but without him Cap would probably have a good shot at being alive right now.

When it comes down to it these guys are pretty well matched.
Crossbones would generally be considered the stronger of the two, although, with the cybernetic arm, the Winter Soldier isn't out in the cold.
Physically he'll have no trouble holding his own against Crossbones, who almost represents Bane in an equation flipped from Batman, with Cap being the one with chemical enhancements.

Winter Soldier arguably has the greater fighting skills, although again, Crossbones shouldn't be considered any slouch. Likewise, their arms skills would be noteworthy, comparable, and without the constraints of a conscience.
It seems characterization has pushed Winter Soldier into the anti-hero role more than the villain, but that conscience has at least been lacking for the larger part of his lost history, as far as we know. And he was pretty brutal against Wolverine [Wolverine #39].

Mind you, if you want to talk brutal, try being part of killing Captain America.

The Math: Winter Soldier (Champion Class)
The Pick: Winter Soldier

What went down...
With Nick Fury in his ear, Bucky Barnes abandons plans to abduct Captain America from SHIELD custody, and leaps into pirsuit of the sniper shooter.
Meanwhile, The Falcon circling in the air does much the same with less specific inklings.

Winter Soldier smashes his way into the shooting building, but by the time he gets there Crossbones is already gone. At that point Falcon torpedoes through a skylight, swooping in to slam Cap's former partner into the wall.
The two quickly clear up their situation, allowing Fury to direct them to Crossbones, who is making an airborne getaway in a phony press chopper.

Falcon carries the Winter Soldier, while he draws his pistols and opens fire on the helecopter. His hard nosed tactics surprise Falcon at first, but given the circumstances, he doesn't seem to mind staying his course.

With the chopper incapacitated, Crossbones opts for an offensive defensive, leaping out of the failing bird to collide with the Winter Soldier in a mid-air tackle that wrenches him from Falcon's grip.

The two smash through an Iron Man pro-registration poster, before coming to a crash landing atop one of the many New York buildings below.
Crossbones' nifty mask is tore by the impact, and he suffers the hardest landing, hitting head-first into a bricked obscruction.

The Soldier is much more fortunate, rolling through it to reach his feet rather swiftly. Crossbones scoffs the Soldier's credibility as a "good guy" as he staggers to his feet, walking into a cybernetic left from the former Bucky.

The two tustle across the rooftops, the bulkier Crossbones resorting to a feeble defensive against the highly motivated Winter Soldier.

The Soldier hoists the would-be assassin against a rooftop wall, and pounds at his body, interrogating him for the whereabouts of the Red Skull.
Crossbones, bloodied and bruised, remains defiant, "Go die... Oh wait... You already did... Heh..."

Crossbones suffers for his insolence, highlighting Winter Soldier's response about his status as a "kinda" hero. Falcon swoops in as the blood flies.

He warns of incoming SHIELD Cape Killers, and as emotionally charged as Barnes may or may not be, Crossbones is already beaten. Completely uninterested in being dragged down into the SHIELD pro/anti affair, Winter Soldier willingly takes leave of the rooftop, leaving Falcon to claim the collar.

The hammer...
Full props to Winter Soldier on this one, with the chemical assist from Cap's more recent ol' pal, The Falcon.

Y'know, just to start off on a tangent, I'm listening to Vokuro (a song by Björk), which has a very sincere dirge quality to it. The mournful kind, not wacky New Orleans style, and I have to admit, I kinda regard this almost as a soundtrack to the concept, if not any particular scene depicting the death of Captain America.

I guess this is maybe a little bit like the Thom Yorke-Black Adam connection mentioned during another review [52 #44]. Given that Cap #25 is such an action packed issue, maybe you'd like to give Vokuro a listen over the ending credits.

I kinda weighed in on the subject during the last Winter Soldier entry [Wolverine #39], when it probably would've been much more relevant. Unfortunately I'm not one to spend fifty bucks on a single issue, and it took a while for the second-print to come in, but I'm glad I finally got it.

In typical Ed Brubaker style, the finished product failed to live-up to the hype, without actually being a bad or disappointing read. As with a lot of Brubaker gems I find the concept outweighs the execution, which is appropriately subtle, but also really quite thin when one actually delves into it, elbows and knees.

How do I feel about Captain America being dead?
That's such an interesting question to ask me. I don't know if I could ever give a really solid, concrete answer. I'm a bit in both camps. I've been reading the adventures of these characters stretching back to before I was born, and losing one of the golden boys, and one of the few enduring Golden Age Marvel characters just seems like such a waste, and a disappointment. Especially to see him go out under such mundane conditions...

On the other hand, I'm a little bit progressive, and I kinda like the idea.
The consistent negative feeling I get, which I mentioned around the time of reaction in the other review, is that it just doesn't seem like it's going to stick.

The only thing I begrudge more than the decision to kill Colossus off (and the means under which it happened), is the fact that he came back. I'm one of those guys who really resents the cheapening of death in this medium. So, as pleased as I would be to have Cap back, I think there would always be a resentment.
A resentment that is perhaps hypocritical when mirrored next to my feelings on Superman, who is today alive and well, despite taking the dirtnap in another media grabbing milestone event.

A preview of Cap #26 reveals a scene with Cap's body, which has apparently undergone considerable degeneration since his death, perhaps as the reaction to his deadcells no longer responding to the properties of the Super Soldier Serum.
Although, in a canon where Spider-Clones were personified by a dusty demise whenever impaled by gliding vehicles, one can't help but feel the speculation grow stronger of a planned return.

Red Skull's death in issue one of Brubaker's run also makes for compelling argument, given that our favourite well-dressed Nazi villain orchestrated the assassination. Yes, alive and well, having lived inside another body thanks to the logic-defying properties of the cosmic cube.

I digress, and maybe, at 1:40am on a Friday morning I'm not sure where to go from here. Which in some ways seems to be the case for Marvel, it almost seems. Given the media attention it seems almost baffling that more hasn't been done with the event.

Granted facsimilies and the corpse proper have been seen in the pages of various core titles, but that aside, reactions have been limited to things like the Fallen Son mini-series, which appear to be a steady contrast in 'doing it right' where extending concepts goes. A contrast to what DC has achieved with their World War III mini-series, which spins out of the pages of 52.

Could it be the tacked on one-shots are to compensate for a void left in the wake of media relations forcing the company to stick to the decision longer than originally planned? I don't know. This is blatant and poorly informed speculation, but that doesn't mean it isn't food for thought.

So think away my friends, while I try to get a good enough sleep to come back in slugging form to catch-up! Afterall, with Spider-man 3 now in cinemas, it seems almost offensive that we've already missed the first instalment of Web-Slinging Wednesdays!

Before I go, I do remember that I did want to mention the Winter Soldier briefly.
As I mentioned, I do feel Brubaker's concepts generally outweight the material itself, and Winter Soldier seems to continue the theory. In a world of limited budget and tonnes of enticing paper-backs, I dropped off the Cap wagon, and subsequently missed much of the Winter Soldier's return and rise to prominence.

Even so, it strikes me as horribly abrupt for the character to go from Soviety killing machine, to potential candidate for a successor to the Captain America mantle. Like Daredevil in jail, this seems like a great idea, without the stones to fully apply the necessary time to make the transition work.
Perhaps if the story telling didn't feel so condensed and tight in span, then maybe it could pass easier. When I think back to the glory days of reading unfolding stories in Spider-man, I don't exactly think of taking ten years to bring a character back from the dead, establish his history, and redeem him.

I guess it's just one of those things. A potential chink in Brubaker's armor, which seems to have been so sheened by hype, it's gone relatively unnoticed.
Boy, DC really dropped the ball on this guy, didn't they?

I'll be back for the final Monday post for the Latepril posts very soon!
In the meantime, if you're checking out the site, particularly if you're interested in this big issue in particular, drop a comment and lemme hear what you have to say! I feed off of your energy, y'know. That's why I'm behind! Step it up!

The Fight: 5 The Issue: 6