Customer Reviews

Captain America: Two Americas

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

In the aftermath of "Captain America: Reborn", the regular "Captain America" series by writer Ed Brubaker returns to publication, this time illustrated by rotating artist Luke Ross (in what may be his final arc on the title), with inks by Butch Guice. This particular four-issue story ran concurrent to Marvel's larger "Siege" storyline, so it is rather low-key, to an extent waiting for the big developments to occur in the wider universe before Brubaker can move into the real next chapter in Steve and Bucky's adventures. Overall, this is a pretty good little story, though not especially remarkable in the context of Brubaker's legendary larger run. This particular storyline also drew some wholly misguided controversy, but see below. Spoilers follow.

Despite Steve's return in "Reborn", he's not to be found here (again, waiting for "Siege"); nor are Black Widow or Sharon Carter in attendance. This is basically a story about New Cap and the Falcon (Sam Wilson), as they attempt to recover the rogue 50s Captain America, a loose thread from Brubaker's earlier "The Death of Captain America" storyline. 50s Cap (finally given a name here, William Burnside) attempted to be Steve in the 1950s, but the serum he used drove him insane, turning him into a McCarthyist loon dedicated to a very nostalgic view of what the past was like. Now he has teamed up with the Watchdogs, another group of old Captain America villains dedicated to turning the clock back past the 1950s, and they've got some ugly plans to bring about the change they want in America. It's basically an analogy for the sort of reactionary militia groups that always seem to form on the fringes of society (see the recent Hutaree episode, or, of course, Timothy McVeigh); however, due to a few panels relating the Watchdogs to various other larger protest groups, this drew fire from "teabaggers". Those panels have been changed here, but one expects at least one 1-star review from someone who hasn't actually read the story to appear on this page at some point.

Captain America as a series has always had a certain fixation on the past; Steve and Bucky represent the best aspects of the greatest generation (and, for obvious reasons, have generally been written wholly unencumbered with various attitudes about race and gender that were commonplace in that period). "50s Cap", since he first appeared in the 1970s, is one of the counterpoints, a reminder that the past wasn't all its remembered as being; at the same time, as Bucky knows, 50s Cap began as a well-intentioned man, and he's determined to try and save him from his madness, just as Bucky himself was saved from his Winter Soldier brainwashing. The arc also brings a welcome spotlight on the Falcon, one of reliable hands in Cap comics, who has often been on the sidelines on the run, though Brubaker always writes him well. Here he's the picture of competence and demonstrates how formidable he is solo, even without his wings. Luke Ross' art has different inking and writing than in the past, so it looks rather different, but it is still overall good stuff.

Recommended.

This is a difficult title to review. On the one hand, the writing is still good, with a fast pace and solid dialogue, and while the art isn't quite on par with Steve Epting's earlier work with this character, it is similar enough that you can squint and pretend. This volume follows up on the evil/crazy anti-Communist Cap from the 1950s, which was necessary at some point after Brubaker reintroduced the character a few volumes ago. I also liked that Brubaker takes some time here to develop the ways in which Bucky's relationship with the Falcon is a little different from the way the original Cap and his friend interacted.

However, the main threat is once again ripped from the headlines - of Fox News. I was underwhelmed a few volumes back, when the Red Skull tried to take America down with a foreclosure crisis, and I respond in a similar way when Evil Cap joins up with the Watchdogs to ape Sarah Palin speeches about the White House neglecting Main Street. I do appreciate that, once Brubaker committed to such an uninspiring plot, at least he brought in the Watchdogs as the perfect Captain America villains to flesh out the idea. And even though Evil Cap's plot, when revealed, never makes too much sense, Brubaker is enough of a master at dialogue and action sequences that it's still an entertaining read.

Ultimately, while this volume definitely has some great qualities, I'm still not sold on Brubaker's vision for what Bucky should be doing now that he is Captain America, and while I plan to enjoy this run for as long as it lasts, I look forward to more inspiring struggles in the future.

Much like Wally West had solidified his spot as the preeminent Flash - before Barry Allen came back from the dead and supplanted him - I contend that James Buchanan Barnes has been more than serviceable in holding down the Captain America role. Except that now Steve Rogers is back - and never mind the awfully contrived manner he's brought back - and so the big question is will the original Sentinel of Liberty take back the shield or will Bucky stay on? The one-shot CAPTAIN AMERICA: WHO WILL WIELD THE SHIELD? - collected here in CAPTAIN AMERICA: TWO AMERICAS - settles that conundrum. This trade also reprints issues #602-605 of the ongoing CAPTAIN AMERICA comic book. And, okay, let me just SPOILERIZE it for those who don't yet know - in an unexpected twist, or at least I didn't expect it - Steve and Bucky have a heart to heart after stomping Mr. Hyde, and Steve convinces Bucky to stay on as Cap. But Steve has an ulterior motive for this. Jackson "Butch" Guice handles the artwork wonderfully in this one-shot, except for a few panels in which he draws Steve Rogers in a really ill-fitting suit. You'd think a living legend would score a better tailor.

With Bucky firmly established as the Captain America (for however long it lasts), writer Ed Brubaker gets right into the four-part "Two Americas" arc. I've loved everything about this series since Brubaker took over, but I'll just go ahead and say it: "Two Americas" is my least favorite arc so far in Brubaker's run. I think it's because militant/white supremacy stuff has always left me cold.

Brubaker picks up a plot thread he'd left dangling some years ago as we catch up to William Burnside, the deranged 1950s Captain America who reawakened to an America he doesn't recognize and is definitely not down with. He and Bucky got into it a while ago, with Burnside eventually slipping away. We learn that Crazy Cap has returned to his hometown of Boise, Idaho and gotten hooked up with the Watchdogs, a right-wing militia which looks all askance at the current American government. And, sure as crew cut haircuts, a despicable plot straight out of the textbook of "I Really, Really Hate Melting Pots" is hatched.

Bucky and the Falcon, getting wind of this, attempt to infiltrate the Watchdogs, and how they go about this demonstrates that Bucky isn't exactly what you'd call a brilliant strategist. It doesn't take too long for his plan to fall apart.

"Two Americas" is a by-the-numbers story, and that doesn't help. I got a kick out of the "tax man" bar scene, which is how Bucky gets an in with Crazy Cap's militia, but at the same time I felt let down by the uninventiveness of it. On the positive side, Bucky and the Black Widow are still going strong. I really enjoy how Brubaker portrays the interactions between Bucky and the Falcon. They've developed a tight bond in a short period of time, and it's worth reflecting on Sam Wilson's long-established sidekick turn with Steve Rogers versus his more of an equal footing relationship with Bucky. If anything, the Falcon acts like the mentor/big brother to Bucky.

Artist Luke Ross is no Steve Epting, but I like his gritty pencils and his style is somehow reminiscent of Epting and Mike Perkins' work. Butch Guice is solid inking Ross's stuff. The art dynamically showcases the Falcon in action, and in fact the Falcon, even when rendered flightless, gets busy with the fight fight even more so than Cap. Cap barely gets a chance to throw in his two cents, fist-in-the-face-wise. However, "Two Americas" concludes with a frantic Cap having to make one of them hard decisions. But it's not a hard decision at all for me to rate this one 3 stars out of 5.

I really enjoyed this book, it was a great wrap up to the other story lines in the cap series. I also love how the author delt with the "bad" Captain America, a storyline which had been in and out of the main storyline.

did anyone else get the misprint of issue 604 being part 4 of "Two Americas" arc under the cover?

Why do people read comic books? To be entertained. To escape from the craziness of the "real world", even for a short time.

Partisan politics are a big part of that "real world". When they are injected into a story arc or *are* the story arc, they intrude upon that entertainment, that attempt to escape.

"Two Americas" is shot through with politics, with crude stereotypes and straw man observations. Rather than bridging the divide between the "Two Americas", the symbol of Captain America is used to discredit, to marginalize, to in effect make the divide even greater.

Marvel editorially chose to publish this story to take a stand, to make a statement... and to hopefully get some much-needed buzz from the media that would increase sales. They definitely got the buzz.

Apparently Marvel didn't give much thought to how this story would be received by existing readership. Some no doubt are thrilled with the story, as it reflects their own politics. They make up the choir that Marvel was preaching to. Some probably don't care one way or another. There are I'd imagine a fair number who were stereotyped and don't appreciate it one bit. Then there are those like myself who fall outside the standard political boundaries, neither Left nor Right, and are sick and tired of this sort of politics as usual.

Marvel could have done something constructive with the "Two Americas" concept, as I said earlier, using Captain America as a symbol of unity. Sadly, they chose otherwise.

Brubaker continues to bore with another insipid story and even worse dialogue. I won't go into the story because its just too inconsequential to bother with, but I will speak on his continuing pandering to the white male ego. At the core of Brubaker's propaganda is the question :"how can the white male be superior without proving the inferiority of the black?"(I'll pause and let you go click "this review was not helpful") back? Ok, good. At the beginning of the story, Luke Cage appears ONLY to be emasculated by The Black Widow; is it a coincidence that of all of the characters in the New Avengers, its Cage who appears for no other reason than to be neutered? Now that Brubaker has fanboy drooling once again over Tasha,(resister of black men), lets move on to the Falcon. This character has been working with cap for how many years, and immediately plays Tonto to Bucky's Lone Ranger? PLAYED OUT! And once again, Brubaker felt the need to make Sam point out that Cap trained him to fight(WE GET IT!), is this mandatory in all of his stories, and after all of these years he still bothers referring to his training?! Brubaker is so boring! And what is it with Marvel and their black male superheros, anyway? Do any of the majors have ANY offensive powers to speak of? The Panther? none. Cage?none. The Falcon? oh yeah, he can command his bird to scratch the top of someones head(and yes, that was actually in this story). War Machine of course could grovel incorrectly and have his poorly balance suit taken from him, and Bishop turned out to be a traitor, so as weak as he is, he doesn't count cuz they played him(Or is Bishop Australian aborigine, I think I read that once). HAHAHA! No matter how bad any story gets(and this one was pretty bad), the neutering of black males can always be used as a trump.