Post by goldenfist on Jul 17, 2008 8:53:15 GMT -5
Here's what Ign.com reviewed on about Captain America #40.
How many writers could successfully pull off a story arc as long and sprawling as Ed Brubaker's "Death of Captain America" opus without suffering a lull in quality or an overall dwindling of fan interest? I've found myself asking this question many times while reading the past handful of Captain America issues, and I'm fairly certain the answer is 'not many.'
With every issue, Brubaker's saga continues to defy the physics of how comic book story arcs usually work. Typically, we'd be hearing fans scream that this story is completely drawn out at this point, that it's about d**n time the creators wrap things up already. Typically, a storyline as long as this one would have lost at least some steam or direction, suffered at least a few less than stellar installments. Well, by all accounts (including mine), this arc isn't at all typical. Somehow, Brubaker and company keep drawing me back in each and every month, and "The Death of Captain America" remains one of the most engrossing, well-crafted superhero sagas in recent memory.
For me, the power of this story began with the way Brubaker brilliantly tied recent real world issues such as the sub-prime mortgage crisis and rising gas prices into the machinations of the Red Skull's plot. I've always found the Skull to be a little too cartoony to take seriously, but with this clever move, Brubaker brought new levels of menace to a villain that sometimes seems far too 'at home' twirling his invisible mustache while plotting the downfall of America. That said, the one thing that has really sustained this epic thus far and prevented it from losing any steam or direction has been the Bucky Barnes character, specifically his overall apprehension and insecurity at inheriting the mantel of Steve Rogers.
Seeing an unproven and uncertain personality behind the Captain America costume is genuinely fresh and exciting, and Brubaker boldly underlines those very qualities in this issue, which finally sees the new Cap come face to face with the Red Skull's imposter. Bucky's uneasiness with walking in Steve's shoes made for wonderful theatre on its own, so watching Bucky come face to face with such a convincing imposter as the Grand Director is all the more powerful and gripping. The fact the Steve Epting returns to the book to draw this thrilling showdown is the cherry on top.
Much has been said about Butch Guice and Mike Perkins' ability to mimic Epting's style and give this book a consistent visual feel, but for my dollar, nothing beats Epting and Brubaker firing together on all cylinders in the pages of this series. Epting's work has considerably more polish to it than his fill-in artists', and his nose for staging action is almost unparalleled. It's good to have him back, and I hope he stays on through the finale.
If there's one area where I think "The Death of Captain America" has fallen short at times, it's been in the cliffhanger department. That's not the case this issue, which wallops us over the head with a huge development in the plot and leave us drooling for more. Though it shouldn't be possible, "The Death of Captain America" is as exciting and entertaining as it's ever been.
Review Score: 9.2 Outstanding
How many writers could successfully pull off a story arc as long and sprawling as Ed Brubaker's "Death of Captain America" opus without suffering a lull in quality or an overall dwindling of fan interest? I've found myself asking this question many times while reading the past handful of Captain America issues, and I'm fairly certain the answer is 'not many.'
With every issue, Brubaker's saga continues to defy the physics of how comic book story arcs usually work. Typically, we'd be hearing fans scream that this story is completely drawn out at this point, that it's about d**n time the creators wrap things up already. Typically, a storyline as long as this one would have lost at least some steam or direction, suffered at least a few less than stellar installments. Well, by all accounts (including mine), this arc isn't at all typical. Somehow, Brubaker and company keep drawing me back in each and every month, and "The Death of Captain America" remains one of the most engrossing, well-crafted superhero sagas in recent memory.
For me, the power of this story began with the way Brubaker brilliantly tied recent real world issues such as the sub-prime mortgage crisis and rising gas prices into the machinations of the Red Skull's plot. I've always found the Skull to be a little too cartoony to take seriously, but with this clever move, Brubaker brought new levels of menace to a villain that sometimes seems far too 'at home' twirling his invisible mustache while plotting the downfall of America. That said, the one thing that has really sustained this epic thus far and prevented it from losing any steam or direction has been the Bucky Barnes character, specifically his overall apprehension and insecurity at inheriting the mantel of Steve Rogers.
Seeing an unproven and uncertain personality behind the Captain America costume is genuinely fresh and exciting, and Brubaker boldly underlines those very qualities in this issue, which finally sees the new Cap come face to face with the Red Skull's imposter. Bucky's uneasiness with walking in Steve's shoes made for wonderful theatre on its own, so watching Bucky come face to face with such a convincing imposter as the Grand Director is all the more powerful and gripping. The fact the Steve Epting returns to the book to draw this thrilling showdown is the cherry on top.
Much has been said about Butch Guice and Mike Perkins' ability to mimic Epting's style and give this book a consistent visual feel, but for my dollar, nothing beats Epting and Brubaker firing together on all cylinders in the pages of this series. Epting's work has considerably more polish to it than his fill-in artists', and his nose for staging action is almost unparalleled. It's good to have him back, and I hope he stays on through the finale.
If there's one area where I think "The Death of Captain America" has fallen short at times, it's been in the cliffhanger department. That's not the case this issue, which wallops us over the head with a huge development in the plot and leave us drooling for more. Though it shouldn't be possible, "The Death of Captain America" is as exciting and entertaining as it's ever been.
Review Score: 9.2 Outstanding
