Post by goldenfist on Jun 26, 2008 8:01:42 GMT -5
Ign.com reviews Captain America #39.
I was more than a little pleased to learn that the impostor Captain America running around these pages is not Steve Rogers. Ed Brubaker has hit all the right notes with this book, and I couldn't imagine how Steve's abrupt return would serve the story. Luckily, the man underneath the costume is far different and an interesting new cog in Red Skull's increasingly complex plan. It's rare to see a villain scheme and plot for so many months without getting his comeuppance. That's Captain America for you.
Scriptwise, this issue is one of Brubaker's stronger efforts since Steve's death. More than anything, that has to do with Sharon Carter. Brubaker finally turns his full focus to poor Agent 13 as she struggles to break free from Faustus' grasp. If you forgot what made her such a stellar part of the book's cast, this issue should remind you. That's not to say Bucky takes a backseat either. He's none too happy to see another man wearing the flag, and his investigation leads him straight into the fight of his life. I was disappointed to see that he brawl won't really get going until next issue, but it's a little much to expect the climax to hit in the middle of an arc.
While the script is strong, the art unfortunately lags behind. I'm continuously amazed at how well the Cap crew has managed to achieve a consistent visual tone amidst multiple artists. If Steve Epting needs assistance in any given month, he tends to share pages with his collaborators. That approach worked well in the past, so it's bewildering to see it change this month. Roberto de la Torre steps into the driver's seat and handles the entire issue to less than pleasing results. It's strange to think I recently praised de la Torre for making Iron Man such a visual stunner. Little of that talent shines through here. Given that the original solicitation listed Epting as the artist for this issue, I'm inclined to blame it on a rush job. Last month proved that de la Torre can be better integrated into the book than this.
Review Score: 8.4 Impressive
I was more than a little pleased to learn that the impostor Captain America running around these pages is not Steve Rogers. Ed Brubaker has hit all the right notes with this book, and I couldn't imagine how Steve's abrupt return would serve the story. Luckily, the man underneath the costume is far different and an interesting new cog in Red Skull's increasingly complex plan. It's rare to see a villain scheme and plot for so many months without getting his comeuppance. That's Captain America for you.
Scriptwise, this issue is one of Brubaker's stronger efforts since Steve's death. More than anything, that has to do with Sharon Carter. Brubaker finally turns his full focus to poor Agent 13 as she struggles to break free from Faustus' grasp. If you forgot what made her such a stellar part of the book's cast, this issue should remind you. That's not to say Bucky takes a backseat either. He's none too happy to see another man wearing the flag, and his investigation leads him straight into the fight of his life. I was disappointed to see that he brawl won't really get going until next issue, but it's a little much to expect the climax to hit in the middle of an arc.
While the script is strong, the art unfortunately lags behind. I'm continuously amazed at how well the Cap crew has managed to achieve a consistent visual tone amidst multiple artists. If Steve Epting needs assistance in any given month, he tends to share pages with his collaborators. That approach worked well in the past, so it's bewildering to see it change this month. Roberto de la Torre steps into the driver's seat and handles the entire issue to less than pleasing results. It's strange to think I recently praised de la Torre for making Iron Man such a visual stunner. Little of that talent shines through here. Given that the original solicitation listed Epting as the artist for this issue, I'm inclined to blame it on a rush job. Last month proved that de la Torre can be better integrated into the book than this.
Review Score: 8.4 Impressive