Post by goldenfist on Oct 23, 2008 16:34:03 GMT -5
Here's a review of Captain America #43 from ign.com
With Bucky Barnes now firmly entrenched in the role of Captain America, Ed Brubaker's series moves into its next chapter. To be honest, I had no idea where this book would head next following the conclusion of the extended "Death of Captain America" arc. I should have guessed Brubaker would take it back to where it all started, to stories that interweave compelling World War II flashbacks with engrossing modern day espionage yarns. It's a triumphant return to form for the series, a welcome and refreshing dip back into familiar waters. Those who worried that Captain America might lose some of its luster and intrigue following the conclusion of the "Death" epic can breathe a sigh of relief; this series looks as strong and intriguing as ever.
From day one, even when Steve Rogers was still alive and kicking, this series was always just as much about Bucky as it was about Steve or the idea of Captain America. This issue proves, among other things, that there's still a whole lot to be learned about Bucky's personality and history, even if he's successfully proven himself as the new Cap. The issue begins with a flashback to one of Bucky and Steve's World War II missions alongside the original Human Torch (sadly, Namor and Toro are nowhere to be found), and then dovetails into some intriguing hints to Barnes' time as the brainwashed Winter Soldier. The implication is clear – Brubaker still has a ton of cards and secrets left up his sleeve regarding his new Cap's complicated history. Suffice to say he has my attention.
The issue is mostly set-up, with the narrative jumping back and forth between the two timelines – Bucky and Steve in World War II, and Bucky's latest run in with the absurdly named Batroc the Leaper – and pushes the two plots just far enough to hint at a connection. The World War II sequence in particular is pretty sparse as far as plot development is concerned, but the thrill of being back in the atmosphere of this period was enough to justify the time spent on these scenes, as far as I'm concerned. And even though its tough to take a ridiculously named French martial artist dressed in purple and orange very seriously as a villain, Brubaker somehow makes Batroc seem legitimate enough as a threat. By the time his brief altercation with Cap was through, and the story began to hint at the greater picture behind this story, I had stopped snickering at the very idea of this character.
(There's also a very awkward one-page montage detailing what Cap's been up to in the time between last issue and Secret Invasion. There's not much to say about this, other than it's awkward, and I felt it was worth mentioning.)
Once again, in Luke Ross, editor Tom Brevoort managed to find yet another artist capable of stepping in and maintaining the visual consistency established by Steve Epting. Like Butch Guise and Mike Perkins, Ross' style is similar enough to Epting's to make you momentarily forget about the latter's absence. Alongside Brubaker's decision to return this series to familiar territory, Ross' art enhances the feel that this issue really is the 43rd part of the story that kicked off with the very first issue of this series.
Review Score: 8.0 Impressive
With Bucky Barnes now firmly entrenched in the role of Captain America, Ed Brubaker's series moves into its next chapter. To be honest, I had no idea where this book would head next following the conclusion of the extended "Death of Captain America" arc. I should have guessed Brubaker would take it back to where it all started, to stories that interweave compelling World War II flashbacks with engrossing modern day espionage yarns. It's a triumphant return to form for the series, a welcome and refreshing dip back into familiar waters. Those who worried that Captain America might lose some of its luster and intrigue following the conclusion of the "Death" epic can breathe a sigh of relief; this series looks as strong and intriguing as ever.
From day one, even when Steve Rogers was still alive and kicking, this series was always just as much about Bucky as it was about Steve or the idea of Captain America. This issue proves, among other things, that there's still a whole lot to be learned about Bucky's personality and history, even if he's successfully proven himself as the new Cap. The issue begins with a flashback to one of Bucky and Steve's World War II missions alongside the original Human Torch (sadly, Namor and Toro are nowhere to be found), and then dovetails into some intriguing hints to Barnes' time as the brainwashed Winter Soldier. The implication is clear – Brubaker still has a ton of cards and secrets left up his sleeve regarding his new Cap's complicated history. Suffice to say he has my attention.
The issue is mostly set-up, with the narrative jumping back and forth between the two timelines – Bucky and Steve in World War II, and Bucky's latest run in with the absurdly named Batroc the Leaper – and pushes the two plots just far enough to hint at a connection. The World War II sequence in particular is pretty sparse as far as plot development is concerned, but the thrill of being back in the atmosphere of this period was enough to justify the time spent on these scenes, as far as I'm concerned. And even though its tough to take a ridiculously named French martial artist dressed in purple and orange very seriously as a villain, Brubaker somehow makes Batroc seem legitimate enough as a threat. By the time his brief altercation with Cap was through, and the story began to hint at the greater picture behind this story, I had stopped snickering at the very idea of this character.
(There's also a very awkward one-page montage detailing what Cap's been up to in the time between last issue and Secret Invasion. There's not much to say about this, other than it's awkward, and I felt it was worth mentioning.)
Once again, in Luke Ross, editor Tom Brevoort managed to find yet another artist capable of stepping in and maintaining the visual consistency established by Steve Epting. Like Butch Guise and Mike Perkins, Ross' style is similar enough to Epting's to make you momentarily forget about the latter's absence. Alongside Brubaker's decision to return this series to familiar territory, Ross' art enhances the feel that this issue really is the 43rd part of the story that kicked off with the very first issue of this series.
Review Score: 8.0 Impressive
