Date: February 1999 Publisher: Marvel Comics Cover Price: $1.99 Stats: 20 gray and color pages plus ads Storytellers: Mark Waid, Andy Kubert, Jesse Delperdang, Chris Sotomayoor, Todd Klein
This issue of Captain America has some similarities to the movie Schindler’s List . Most noticeable are the black and white (or gray tone) images, with splashes of red here and there. The red, in this case, being the Red Skull’s big, ugly head! Also, this is a story about WWII – in a round-about sort of way. Here we get to see an alternate life of one of Cap’s biggest foes – and it isn’t pretty!
Read the rest of this entry »
Date: January 1999 Publisher: Marvel Comics Cover Price: $1.99 2014 NM Price: $3.00 Stats: 21 color pages plus “American Graffiti” letters page, Bullpen Bulletins, fold-out gate cover and ads Writer: Mark Waid Artists: Dougie Braithwaite, Robin Riggs, Shannon Blanchard, Kevin Tinsley and Todd Klein Notable Notes: Cap investigates a congressman.
Wait a minute – Steve Rogers and Captain America are two different people?! Who would’ve thunk it! I was pleasantly surprised to see Steve Rogers follow a different path than Cap in this issue. Yeah, you know, Captain America is a national symbol and an Avenger and all that, so its not too surprising that he has to be very careful with the people and things he publicly endorses. However, as we find out in this issue, Steve Rogers is free to do whatever he likes! A very simple, yet cool, idea – and one that I totally didn’t see coming!
Date: December 1998 Publisher: Marvel Comics Cover Price: $2.99 2014 NM Price: $4.00 Stats: 29 color pages plus 9 page Red Skull backup story, “American Graffiti” letters page, Bullpen Bulletins, fold-out gate cover and ads Writer: Mark Waid Artists: Andy Kubert, Jesse Delperdang, Chris Sotomayor and Todd Klein Notable Notes: Cap and Sharon do battle with Nightmare!
Have you ever felt trapped in your dreams? You know, like when you have a nightmare about running from some horrible thing, but your legs won’t work! I had those kinds of dreams all the time as a kid, and I still have them every once in a while now. (Maybe I need to see somebody about that, huh?) Anyway, in this issue Captain America and Sharon Carter experience something similar to that – but about 100 times worse! I guess that’s why the villain in this issue is called “Nightmare” huh? Ha ha!
Date: November 1998 Publisher: Marvel Comics Cover Price: $1.99 2013 NM Price: $3.00 Stats: 22 color pages plus “American Graffiti” letters page, Bullpen Bulletins, fold-out gate cover and ads Writer: Mark Waid Artists: Andy Kubert, Jesse Delperdang, Chris Sotomayor and Todd Klein Notable Notes: Cap goes from cuckoo to berserk!
Why is it that when good guys go bad they go really, really bad? There is no such thing as a good super hero who just mellows out and becomes bland and boring. No, they go full bore bad! That is definitely the case in this issue as our red, white and blue hero goes over to the dark side in a big way! Come back Captain America, come back!
Date: October 1998 Publisher: Marvel Comics Cover Price: $1.99 2013 NM Price: $3.00 Stats: 22 color pages plus “American Graffiti” letters page, Bullpen Bulletins, fold-out gate cover and ads Writer: Mark Waid Artists: Andy Kubert, Jesse Delperdang, Chris Sotomayor and Todd Klein Notable Notes: Cap goes cuckoo!
Do you ever feel like giving in to the demons in your head? I know I sure do! 🙂 Somehow, reading this issue, I found it a little bit comforting to know that even heroes like Captain America sometimes struggle with their inner battles. I guess we all have those feelings from time to time, but what really sets the heroes apart is how they handle those thoughts. Here is a great issue that exposes some of the struggles Cap has.
Date: September 1998 Publisher: Marvel Comics Cover Price: $1.99 2013 NM Price: $3.00 Stats: 22 color pages plus “American Graffiti” letters page, Bullpen Bulletins, fold-out gate cover and ads Writer: Mark Waid Artists: Andy Kubert, Jesse Delperdang, Chris Sotomayor and Todd Klein Notable Notes: Cap gets another new shield!
The relationship between Steve Rogers and Sharon Carter is kind of weird. It very much reminds me of the one between Matt Murdock (aka Daredevil) and Natasha Romanoff (aka The Black Widow) – meaning that it is always on-again and off-again. I guess that’s the nature of long-term comic stories, but c’mon – those are 2 hot women and I think both men should just go for it! Anyway, here is another issue in which Sharon plays a big part in helping out her former lover.
Date: August 1998 Publisher: Marvel Comics Cover Price: $1.99 2013 NM Price: $3.00 Stats: 22 color pages plus “American Graffiti” letters page, Bullpen Bulletins and ads Writer: Mark Waid Artists: Andy Kubert, Jesse Delperdang, Jason Wright and Todd Klein Notable Notes: Cap battles the Lunatic Legion!
The opening scenes of this comic were reminiscent of a WWII labor camp – a lot like the opening of the X-men movie from the year 2000. It seems that Marvel comics and World War II will forever share a type of “bond”. This issue plays on some of the atrocities of WWII to emotionally suck the reader into the story. I’m not sure it worked so well – see what you think.
Date: July 1998 Publisher: Marvel Comics Cover Price: $1.99 2013 NM Range: $3.00 Stats: 22 color pages plus “American Graffiti” letters page, Bullpen Bulletins and ads Writer: Mark Waid Artists: Dale Eaglesham, Scott Koblish, Joe Rosas, John Costanza (and new creative team of Andy Kubert, Jesse Delperdang, Jason Wright and Todd Klein) Notable Notes: Captain America finally resolves the Skrull crisis!
It seems like whenever Cap gets beaten down he always comes back in a big way. The story in this issue (the last 3 actually) is no different, but this one has a little bit more subdued (depressing?) ending. Not sure I really like it that way.
Date: June 1998 Publisher: Marvel Comics Cover Price: $1.99 2013 NM Price: $3.00 Stats: 22 color pages plus ads, Bullpen Bulletins and “American Graffiti” letters page Writer: Mark Waid Artists: Dale Eaglesham, Scott Koblish, Joe Rosas, John Costanza Notable Notes: A fake Captain America causes quite a stir!
Is it just me or do only bad things seem to happen at the Empire State Building in all forms of entertainment? I mean c’mon – this issue aside the only time I ever see the famous NY building in a movie it is always being destroyed, used as a base for evil or breaking someone’s heart! Surely there has to be some uplifting portrayals of the Empire State Building – doesn’t there?
Date: May 1998 Publisher: Marvel Comics Cover Price: $1.99 2013 NM Price: $3.00 Stats: 22 color pages plus ads, Bullpen Bulletins and “American Graffiti” letters page Writer: Mark Waid Artists: Ron Garney, John Beatty, Andy Smith, Joe Rosas, John Costanza Notable Notes: Cap and Thor battle Hydra!
The last few issues have been hinting that the new “Sensational Hydra” leader has an evil plan, and is working towards its fruition. Now we, as patient readers of this 14-year-old story arc, finally learn what the terrorist organization is up to – and it ain’t pretty!
Date: April 1998 Publisher: Marvel Comics Cover Price: $1.99 2012 NM Price: $3.00 Stats: 22 color pages plus ads and “American Graffiti” letters page. Writer: Mark Waid Artists: Ron Garney, Bob Wiacek, Joe Rosas. Notable Notes: Cap gets annoyed while Hawkeye makes fun of him!
Some of the things that first drew me to the Captain America comic books (many years ago) was how he looked and acted. I loved that fact that he was a true American hero and totally looked the part. This issue (and really all of volume 3 so far) reminds me of how I used to feel, and that is a good thing. I really enjoyed reading this issue, and here’s why:
Date: August 1964 Publisher: Marvel Comics Group Cover Price: 12¢ 2012 Price Range: $36 – $900 Stats: 22 color pages plus ads and “All About the Avengers” letters page. Writer: Stan Lee Artists: Jack Kirby, Chic Stone, Art Simek Notable Notes: Rick Jones makes an appearance in Bucky’s costume – much to Cap’s chagrin!
Back in the early 2000s I was selling a lot of my comics on ebay, and a few sets I even offered a trade option. Well, one guy took me up on that and traded me his Avengers #7 for a set of my Ultimate comics. Even though it isn’t a high grade copy I still think I got the better end of that deal! This is my second reading of this issue, and I still think it is awesome!
Date: March 1998 Publisher: Marvel Comics Cover Price: $1.99 2012 NM Price: $3.00 Stats: 22 color pages plus ads and Bullpen Bulletins. Writer: Mark Waid Artists: Ron Garney, Bob Wiacek, Joe Rosas and John Costanza Notable Notes: Cap gets his old, old shield back!
If you are a fan of the old Captain America (a la Golden and Silver Age Cap) then you’ll find some fun tidbits in this issue. Namor, the historical display and Cap’s old shield are all reminders that Captain America has a lot of history. It is good to see creators remind us of this title’s rich heritage!
Date: Februrary 1998 Publisher: Marvel Comics Cover Price: $1.99 Current NM Price: $3.00 Stats: 22 color pages plus ads and “American Graffiti” letters page. Writer: Mark Waid Artists: Ron Garney, Bob Wiacek, John Costanza and Joe Rosas Notable Notes: Cap loses his shield!
Honoring Veterans
Today is Veterans Day here in the USA, and I figured what better time to read and review Captain America! This is a good issue for it too, because Cap save several soldiers in a submarine. In fact, one of them is heard to quip about the Captain, “I don’t get it! Ain’t he Army?” Ha! I found that to be the funniest line in the whole book.
