Captain America: The Winter Soldier – Movie Review

The moment they thawed out Captain America and he ran out into the streets of New York, only to see a new world around him, you knew there had to be major repercussions in store for the man out of time. Unfortunately, the timing of things was such that Steve’s reintegration into society had to be put on hold for several years, through alien attacks and gene-engineered soldiers and the powers of darkness, until he got a movie to call his own again.

Winter Soldier rapidly makes up for lost time, addressing Steve’s adjustments to the present time on every level. Much to its credit, the film treats jokes about the obvious pop culture gaps briefly, reducing them to an actual written list of items Steve’s instructed to look into, including I Love Lucy, Steve Jobs, and Marvin Gaye’s Troubled Man album. Instead, the film focuses on aspects of modern life that challenge Steve on a more personal level, pushing him to find his place in a world that respects his legacy, yet seems to have moved on from him.

Screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely make a particularly ballsy move by having Steve visit his old flame, Peggy Carter, in a nursing home. It would’ve been very easy to have written the movie so that Peggy had died by the time Steve returned, but it also would’ve been trite, encouraging him to live in the past by holding onto her memory. With her still alive, but convalescent and in the throes of dementia, Steve has to look straight at the tragic but unpleasant fact that he can’t go back to the way things were. The dance he promised her will never happen.

Captain America #604 – Review

by Ed Brubaker (writer), Luke Ross (art), Butch Guice (inks), Dean White (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: The Falcon fights his way through an explosive train, while Bucky is forced to don his old costume.

What’s Good: Much like the rest of this arc, this month’s issue of Captain America has a real old school feel, which is something that Brubaker excels at.  From the Falcon’s internal monologue to the Watchdogs’ goofy outfits and rayguns, to Bad Cap’s master plan (revealed in a cackling cliffhanger), this feels like a comic out of a time machine.  When it’s at its best, this comic is just pure, cheesy, retro fun.

For the most part, Brubaker keeps it simple this month.  Most of the issue is dedicated to an action scene, as the Falcon brawls his way through a Watchdog piloted train.  It’s an enjoyable read, particularly as Falcon emphasizes his relationship with Rogers.  The internal monologue throughout gives it a little more depth and significance, preventing it from being totally mindless.

Meanwhile, Bad Cap is as crazy as ever, with the inferiority complex well in place.  His back-and-forth with Bucky is actually fairly humorous.  If anything, Brubaker does a fantastic job in making Bad Cap into a very traditional villain, with evil scheme and henchmen in hand.  Nowhere is this clearer than on the book’s last page, as, hands on his hips and grinning, the villain reveals his plan to the hero.  It’s hard not to smile.

Certainly, in telling a retro tale like this, Luke Ross is the right man for the job.  If Brubaker’s story reads like an homage, Ross’ art completes the picture.  While the level of detail and quality of paper, ink, and coloring reminds us that this was indeed created in 2010, the art itself could easily pass for the best of a by-gone era.

Captain America #39 – Review

Ed Brubaker, (Writer) Rob De La Torre,(Artist) and Frank D’Armata (Color Art)

First off, Ed Brubaker’s run on Captain America has been nothing short of fantastic and if you aren’t reading it, then you should be. While last issue’s continuity heavy twist could have easily confused readers that were unfamiliar with Cap’s history, Brubaker handled it extremely well and it came across as a very natural part of the story. With Captain America #39, the story takes a bit of a breather as all the pieces begin to fall neatly into place as the final act of the Death of Captain America arc nears its conclusion. While this issue is fairly slow, it does a fantastic job ratcheting up the tension another few notches and is an absolute must read for those that have been following Brubaker’s epic story.

Captain America #39 gives almost all the main players a chance to contribute to the story. Bucky and the Falcon work to put the pieces together as Gordon Wright, the Red Skull’s political puppet, continues to rise in popularity (as the Third Wing presidential candidate). The “fake” Captain America makes a public appearance that rocks the media and excites the public. Sharon Carter tries to come to her senses as she lies drugged up in a hospital bed next to the Red Skull’s daughter, Sin. The only characters missing are the Red Skull, Dr. Faustus, and Arnim Zola, but I’m sure they will be back in full force next issue.

As usual, Brubaker’s writing is really the star of the show. The inner monologues that drive this issue are fantastic. The setting of the story, the political climate that has been created, reflects reality without feeling as though it is trying to drive home a message. It really feels as though this world Brubaker writes about is driving forward whether or not the characters are present and everything feels a bit more realistic than most superhero books because of it. Brubaker is masterfully juggling characters, a story, and a political setting to make Captain America one of the most compelling reads each and every month.

The artwork in this issue is strong, but not perfect and I will explain why. I really enjoy the style and tone of this book because it really compliments the story being told. Rob De La Torre’s pencils, while not quite at the level of Steve Epting, help give the story more realism and depth, while D’Armata’s colors create a mood that matches the tension of the story. The problem I have is that faces appear inconsistent and some expressions tend to draw me out of the story. Also, some of the action can be confusing because of the dark colors used throughout the issue. These really are fairly minor complaints considering that this is still one of the better looking books every month, but worth mentioning nonetheless.

Captain America #39 does nearly everything right and now the stage is set for an explosive conclusion to the epic Death of Captain America arc. I honestly can’t wait to see where this goes from here. This book really is a prime example of how the medium has the potential tell a work of fiction that rivals some of the best novels out there. (Grade A-)

– Kyle Posluszny

A Second Opinion

I’m gonna keep this short because I agree with most of Kyle’s sentiments. My main issue is that while I understand the need for the set up, I’m beginning to get fatigued from the expository dialogue and what I feel is a story that’s being dragged out a bit too long. At this point, the current story arc feels like it’s being written more for a trade paperback than a concise story. What we’ve been given over the last two issues could have easily have fit into one.

Believe me, I’m enjoying this story as much as anyone else, but the lack of reaction from the super hero community when this “new” Captain America appears is something I find annoying. Tony Stark, SHIELD, hell, everyone would be all over this. So where are they, Brubaker? Because everyone in their right mind knows that Captain America would *never* endorse a single candidate. It’s not his place.

Lastly, the cover art, while stark and beautiful is one of the biggest pieces of false advertising I’ve seen in a long time. I mean, come on, if these two are gonna rumble, show it in the comic! (Grade: C+)

– J. Montes

Captain America #38 – Review

By Ed Brubaker (writer), Steve Epting (pencils, inks), Ink Perkins (inks), Frank D’Armata (colors)

After seeing Sharon Carter stumble upon a burned, but fully thriving Steve Rogers last issue, I thought that Ed Brubaker would let this mystery play out for another issue or so. Many people thought this new guy was a clone or the real deal, but anyone who’d spent some time doing some research on Captain America would figure out who this person is with minimal effort. My hat goes off to Brubaker for doing his homework and throwing this twist into the story. Because the person behind this incarnation has a storied past and Brubaker wastes no time revealing who he is or the part he originally played in the Marvel Universe. This is Captain America… just not the one you were expecting.

This issue stands out as a bit of an oddity. Don’t get me wrong, the writing is still top notch and the ending is definitely on point, but for perhaps the first time in many, many issues, I didn’t gasp at the issue’s cliffhanger. The story, while progressing methodically as it always does, reads very quickly – and I don’t know how I feel about that. Other than the fantastic backstory that was explained in the first few pages of the book, we’re given little to no progression in the actual story. Yes, it’s great to see Bucky progressing along with his new role, and sure, Doctor Faustus’ new Captain America is being groomed to eventually face off against Bucky (I appreciate the historical irony behind it all, too), but as far as Bucky and The Falcon’s investigation is concerned, they’re not really any closer to getting their hands on the Red Skull than they were last issue. One could say the bonding moments between Bucky and The Falcon is where the real progression is taking place, and I’ll give them that. But that’s just not what I wanted to see in this issue. Then there’s Sharon Carter, who while discovering the mystery of this new Steve Rogers, has taken yet another step back by being subdued by Doctor Faustus. The nod Brubaker throws to the Third Reich is very clever, however. Scary stuff.

In a nutshell, most of this issue feels like a retread of events we’ve been seeing for months now. It’s like a dog chasing its tail. Or maybe I’m just getting a little impatient. Whatever the case may be, there’s no slighting the excellent storytelling by Steve Epting or the story arc as a whole. It’s still firing on all thrusters and I’m still dying to see what happens next, but it’s really time for this story to pick up steam. (Grade: B)

– J. Montes