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Post by sabongero on Sept 26, 2017 18:08:27 GMT -5
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Post by sabongero on Sept 26, 2017 18:09:33 GMT -5
 Captain America #3320.75 USD/0.95 CAD @ August 1987 "The Choice" Writer: Mark Gruenwald Illustrator: Tom Morgan Inker: Bob McLeod Colorist: Ken Feduniewicz Letterer: Diana Albers Editor: Don Daley Synopsis: The criminal known as Warhead parachuted down to the top of the Washington Monument, and hung a extremely large sign while police officers bellow on a mega-phone below instructing him to come down. Holding what seemed like an explosive device, Warhead has another idea. Captain American is summoned to the Pentagon in the morning. After going through security checks, he was led by a secretary to a general's office. Captain America voiced a citizen's protest regarding super soldiers he encountered in California. The general replied that he cannot comment if those super soldiers were government sanctioned. Furthermore, he told Captain America, that The Captain seemed to be sensitive when it came to the subject of super soldiers, and then excused himself that he had another meeting to attend to. Two FBI agents came in fetching Captain America. In another hall in the Pentagon, Captain America is standing before the heads of the CIA, FBI, various generals, and a gigantic Presidential Seal behind their seats. Apparently this is a commission that is specially appointed under the direct command of the President, and responsible for the creation of Freedom Force. Captain America remembered the Avengers having run-in against the dishonorable ex-convicts, The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, who are now known as, the government sanctioned Freedom Force. The senior government officials basically told Captain America that he was the U.S. government's official first operative under then president Roosevelt, partaking in project Rebirth, and became the only recipient of the super soldier formula, upon the lead scientist's demise. He volunteered and signed adhering to orders from the President's office until he is relieved of duty. And that the costume he is wearing is a uniform and the shield was made by the employees of the U.S. government, and owned by the government. As per the term of the contracts that Captain America signed in World War Two, they would like Captain America to work for the U.S. government once again. As they said, Steven Rogers is not Captain Avenger, Captain Shield, or Captain Solo. He is Captain America. Captain America told them he has been acting autonomously for years now, and when told he doesn't have a choice, Captain America came back that he does, and that this is a free country. The senior head officials then pulled out their trump card. Captain America was given one million dollars taxpayers money when he disappeared in 1945. This is a government error since he was not actively serving in an official capacity. He can keep the money if he agrees to be sanctioned and working for the government, or he has to forfeit and return the money, the uniform/costume, and the adamantium shield if he opts not to. He has 24 hours to decide. In Atlanta, Georgia, John Walker, the Super Patriot, is up to 507 push-ups on two forefingers, and a news bulletin came on TV citing a terrorist activity is happening in Washington DC. He booked a flight immediately and prepared to head to Washington DC, citing an opportunity for the Super Patriot. At the peak of the Washington Monument, the criminal warhead threw a grenade to a news-helicopter to tell them he meant business. Captain America got off a taxi cab to go to a budget hotel he is staying in. Somewhat down, he called Bernie's, his ex-girlfriend's home. She wasn't in. He felt he needed to talk to someone. He called and spoke with Sam Wilson. Then he called Colonel Nick Fury at S.H.I.E.L.D.headquarters, but he wasn't in. He spoke with Dennis Dunphy, and then with Captan Marvel at Avengers HQ. He spoke to them about his current dilemma. It is now in the afternoon, and back at the Washington Monument, Warhead is on a megaphone advising that America needs to declare war by tonight, or a bomb will go off destroying the Washington Monument. The Super Patriot arrived and got off a cab by the Washington Monument. Meanwhile Captain America is reminiscing as Captain America and also thinking about his problem. He was thinking of obtaining a one million dollar loan from Tony Stark, and having a different costume, perhaps as Nomad, when he used that disguise before. Just then he received a phone call from his lawyer. She updated him she'll need some documents, as she sees the real issue here is, who owns the Captain America concept. Is it those who created it in the abstract, or Steve Rogers who created it in the concrete? John Walker, The Super Patriot entered the Washington Monument. And when he reached near the top level, he broke a window pane and with grappling hooks on each hand and a safety rope tied in his weight, he climbed to where Warhead was sitting atop the peak of the monument, who started shooting at him when he saw the Super Patriot coming near him. Avoiding the bullets, Super Patriot jumped off and ended on the backside of Warhead, on the other side of the building. He threw a metallic mini star at the criminal. He got off two shots which hit the Super Patriot, but John Walker was able to shake the criminal's perch. And Warhead hurtled down to the grounds. Before reaching the grounds, he pulled the pin on a grenade and he exploded upon impact. Super Patriot grabbed the explosive device left by the criminal atop, and climbed down. He handed the bomb over to the authorities, hoping they can disarm it in the six hours remaining. Later that evening, Steve Rogers in civilian clothing, made his way back to the Pentagon. Upon entering the chamber he was in earlier with the senior government officials. He made a brief speech, basically stating he cannot compromise his ideals on their order, and therefore cannot represent the American government and president. He represents the American people and the American dream. And a couple of minutes later, he surrendered the Captain America costume and masked along with the shield. He is no longer Captain America. Comments: This is one of my favorite issues of any comic book of any era from any publisher. Captain America has resigned before. But this was the first time I ever came across it. And it spoke to readers about the essence of Captain America. Ideals cannot be compromised on the behest of orders from the government. Captain America represents the American People and Dream, and not the government or even the President. At the time, this was an end of an era, and the subsequent issues would be the beginning of a new era in the world of Captain America comic books. |
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Post by sabongero on Sept 26, 2017 18:10:40 GMT -5
 Captain America #3330.75 USD/0.95 CAD @ September 1987 "The Replacement" Writer: Mark Gruenwald Illustrator: Tom Morgan Inker: Bob McLeod Colorist: Ken Feduniewicz Letterer: Diana Albers Editor: Don Daley Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter Synopsis: The Presidentially-appointed Commission charged with the task of managing America's superhuman resources were outraged at Steve Rogers' resignation as Captain America. Now they need to do some damage control, and appoint a new Captain America, and have the new one perform some high profile public acts so that the administration does not get a public backlash in case it is found out that they forced the original Captain America to resign and step down. They go through a list of men whom they have considered. And Ms. Cooper pointed out the Super Patriot who was in the morning newspaper cover. In another part of the capital, the Super Patriot is being interviewed in a daytime talk show about what happened in the previous issue. He goes into detail how he saved the day. The reporter was impressed and that he had the guts to do what he did. John Walker simply told her he was just born with guts and that he is always training to keep his abilities at their peak. Afterwards he was met by two FBI men and told Super Patriot that he was being summoned by the Presidential adviser regarding something important. And he was escorted to the Pentagon, where he met with Ms. Cooper part of the Presidentially-appointed Commission charged with the task of managing America's superhuman resources. She interviewed him, and John Walker went into a brief origin story of his life and becoming the Super Patriot. Finally, she presented him Captain America's costume and shield and offered him the vacant position of Captain America. A stunned John Walker agreed. Later on at his hotel room he still can't believe the opportunity he was presented. He went for a jog later that evening. Near the Lincoln Memorial he was jumped by someone with super powers and, it turned out, it was some of his super powered friends. They were happy for him being chosen as the new Captain America. And the following day, after a brief meeting with the Commission, John Walker suited up and was the new Captain America. He reported for training where he encountered Freedom Force, whom he referred to as people he knew as criminals. They were government sanctioned agents, and he is to train with them. Freedom Force, formerly the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, were playing for keeps and tried to knock him out of action during training. He managed to take down everyone except The Blob who grabbed a hold of his neck and wouldn't let go, until Ms. Cooper came in ordering the Blob to release the new Captain America from his grip. Later in front of the Commission, John Walker in Captain America costume reluctantly agreed to take all order from the Commission and that he is to revoke all agreements with any of his known associates. Comments: John Walker is not perfect. He may come across as haughty at times. But he knows right from wrong most of the time, and can see the criminals for whom they are no matter what guise or government sanction they are under. He has his doubts, but is very proud to be the living symbol of the American Dream in the superhero community. |
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Post by sabongero on Sept 26, 2017 18:11:42 GMT -5
 Captain America #3340.75 USD/0.95 CAD @ October 1987 "Basic Training" Writer: Mark Gruenwald Illustrator: Tom Morgan Inker: Dave Hunt Colorist: Ken Feduniewicz Letterer: Ken Lopez Editor: Don Daley Synopsis: John Walker in the Captain America costume is studying videos of the previous Captain America, Steve Rogers. Until he studied him, he didn't realize how great he was. But he's Captain America now, and he feels he's eventually going to be better than the original. At the end of the video tape study, John Walker wondered why Steve Rogers quit being Captain America, perhaps he was wrong to razz Steve Rogers a few issues ago about his patriotism, but he's now the symbol of America, and that's that. In another part of the Pentagon, The Commission is in a private meeting in Ms. Cooper's office discussing if the new Captain America will be ready. Ms. Cooper is backing John Walker one hundred percent telling her colleagues that he is ready. After the meeting, her phone rang. It's John Walker's former manager when he was the Super Patriot. At the combat practice site, John Walker is met by his old friend, Lemar, who is the new Bucky. They go their separate ways to different training. Captain America proceeded to the shield defense and shield offensive training session that has been going on all week. He still hasn't mastered the ricochet landing at the right location of the shield and it lead to him getting hit with some of the bullets in training. His throw is a little off, dismembering the dummy's arm, and losing his cool at the end and beheading the last dummy with the shield. Failed at the shield exercise again. He went to the cafeteria afterwards to have lunch. At the cafeteria, he met Lemar, the new Bucky, and both were teased/harassed by the Freedom Force's Blob. Bucky wanted to attack Blob for the insult but was calmed down by Captain America. As they were eating, Ms. Cooper arrived to let John Walker know she is being harassed by his former manager, and to tell the former manager, he will be up in federal charges if he continued to harass her with phone calls. This pissed off John Walker as he never shared her direct phone number with his former manager. He must have copied it when he wrote the number down somewhere. Later that afternoon, Captain America and Bucky are in a training room to capture the American flag while being prevented by four Guardsmen cadets in battle armor. The duo was doing good in the beginning, but Bucky with no shield is having trouble from getting hit by ray blasts from the Guardsmen. Captain America throws his shield to help Bucky out but his shield ricochet is still off leading him to get ray blasted in his back. After the training exercise, a bruised Captain America and Bucky head over the locker room to change. The Sarge who conducted the training exercise told the Guardsmen it took them too long to neutralize the duo, and outside the training room, he told Cap and Bucky they did good lasting 12 minutes against U.S. regulation armored soldiers. John was hard on himself. John called his former manager in a public phone and told him off, but then agreed to meet him at midnight to prevent the former manager from squealing to the media/press that there's a new Captain America, and that the old one quit. He and Bucky met his former manager Ethan that night in a nearby bar. Basically, Ethan is blackmailing them for a million dollars, which angered John Walker. They stormed out of the bar. They decided they have to do something about Ethan themselves in order to prevent jeopardizing their new careers. The following day, Captain America is in a combat training exercise with The Taskmaster, who has photographic reflexes and can mimic any combat move that he has seen once. To take off years from his incarceration, the Taskmaster has agreed to train the new Captain America in combat offensive and defensive skill sets as the way the original Captain America would do so. After the training exercise, John Walker is impressed with The Taskmaster's skill level. Later that evening, John Walker and Lemar went over to the Guardsmen armory to steal two Guardsmen armors. At the bar they found Ethan and tried to scare him about his blackmailing the new Captain America. Unfortunately, Ethan was with two of John Walker's other super-powered friends, and a battle ensued with John and Lemar trying to hold back their punches. They successfully scared Ethan from talking to the press and leaking there's a new Captain America. But not know the Guardsmen suits weaponry, John Walker accidentally shot one of his friends, Jerome knocking him out of action. And they leave the presmises. The following morning, John Walker in his Captain America costume has been pondering if the original Captain America would have done what he did. He felt really terrible. He wanted to handle the Ethan problem by himself, and he blew it. Ms. Cooper walked in to the room and wanted to talk to him about Guardsmen armored suits being stolen last night and those armored suits in a fight in a bar last night. He was going to deny it was him. But then, John Walker asked himself what would the original Captain America do in this situation. And he told her the truth that it was he who stole the armored suits and was responsible for it. Comments: The cover page with the new Captain America and Bucky jumping into action is a great cover, giving a feeling that we have a new era and it's all slam bang action against villainy. It just gave off a positive vibe. The new Bucky is a black guy, but his first training is remedial English instead of physical or combat exercise. Mid to late 80's, and the black Bucky's doing remedial English at the Pentagon. Here's Gruenwald writing that the new Bucky is a dummy. I wonder if the new Bucky was hispanic or chinese, would he be going to English as a second Language class (ESL). John Walker had two other super-powered friends who were white. Why didn't Mark Gruenwald choose either one, and what class would they be attending after being chosen as Bucky? Sign of the times, and it's only thirty years ago. Here's a sign of the times, John Walker used a public phone in the Pentagon to call his former manager. Even though John Walker is no Steve Rogers, you can really tell he is a good guy. He's not perfect, but he wants to be held up to a higher ideal. He doesn't want to embarrass the living legend symbol that is, Captain America. Also at the end, he accidentally shot his friend during the battle, and really felt horrible about it. And when questioned about the activity the night before, he told Ms. Cooper the truth and replied he is the one responsible for stealing the Guardsman armor. He doesn't lie... so far. Not a perfect Captain America, but a realistic one trying to fill the shoes of an ideal Captain America. I like having the heroes having faults and imperfection. It makes for a better story than having a boy scout in those shoes. |
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Post by sabongero on Sept 26, 2017 18:12:53 GMT -5
 Captain America #3350.75 USD/0.95 CAD @ October 1987 "Baptism of Fire" Writer: Mark Gruenwald Illustrator: Tom Morgan Inker: Dave Hunt Colorist: Bob Sharen Letterer: Jack Morelli Editor: Ralph Macchio Synopsis: We join Cap and Bucky going through an obstacle course in battle training and being overseen by The Commission in an above window. After going through the obstacle course successfully, The Commission emerged in the training room and congratulated the two superheroes with approval. After a couple of months of intense training, they are ready to get their first mission. But first they were sworn in to protect the country and the Constitution, and to obey the letter orders from the Commission. As the two heroes go to the locker room and change to their formal suits to go out for dinner, they talk about how easy their first mission is going to be because they are certain The Commission don't want to give them a too tough a first assignment with a possibility of them failing, then that means The Commission is back to square one, finding a new Captain America if that happens. In a rural area in Georgia, a bunch of "terrorists" known as The Watchdog set ablaze a pornographic store. The store owner came out with a rifle and shot one of the men, and in retaliation all of them, over a dozen in number, pulled their weapon and shot the store owner, who laid dead in a pool of his own blood. They aim to rid America of the filth and indecency that is ruining the country. Back at the Pentagon, John Walker received a dossier from his mission adviser. He is to infiltrate a group called the Watchdogs who are arsonists and criminals. The problem is that the location is in John Walker's hometown. He's afraid to be outed as the new Captain America, and worse, he didn't want to apprehend people he would happen to know. The Watchdogs are against the filth, pornography, and the likes, and John Walker finds himself that he is against those things as well. He and Bucky prepare for their mission the following day. The day after, they are in a small town in Georgia, John's hometown. He goes to a local barber shop to get a shave, and tried to get information about the Watchdogs from the barber, whom he knew. That night, in a hotel room, John Walker and Lemar plan gets some rest before their plan goes into action the following day. Lemar told John that this town doesn't take too kindly to people of his color, at which John responded, the people there are good, it's just that they are provincial in some ways. Undercover, Lemar rents an office space where he is interviewing potential models for a men's magazine. He goes through the process, and interviews the women one by one. Until he came across Mary Lynn. John Walker emerged through the door, threatening to wipe out Lemar and putting his smut magazine business away from luring these women to be corrupted. He was surprised to see his high school sweetheart, Mary Lynn, as one of the candidates that was being interviewed. He didn't let it distract him, as he and Lemar fight it out in a mocking, albeit very physical altercation. Everyone left in terror, and the police came. The two ended up in jail. John's friend, the barber, bailed him out and told him some friends of him are impressed what he did against that pornography filth that they want to meet with him. John agreed. And finally, that night, he met with some Watchdogs in full garb. They invited him on another evening where there's an initiation for new members of the group, and that he join their fraternal organization. That Thursday night, John Walker is being initiated to join the Watchdog fraternal order to fight corruption. He was given his own costume that is the same as theirs. Their mission tonight is to burn down the town library for failing to get rid of books they deemed filth. John was going to go along with it, then catch them in the act, and then take them down. He was surprised however, when two Watchdogs brought in a tied-up Lemar. They were going to lynch him. John didn't want to compromise the mission. Two remained behind by a tree to hang Lemar, while the rest head to the library to burn the building down. John is in a predicament, he doesn't want his friend to be strung up, but he cannot let the mission fail. He decided to go take down the main group, and hoped that Lemar's augmented strenghth can withstand the hanging. As the Watchdog prepared to burn the library, John slipped away and put on his Captain America costume and emerged atop the roof of the library. Yelling "Evildoers beware!" he jumped down to engage the Watchdogs. He couldn't believe how corny it sounded and found himself thinking what is Captain America's battle cry any as he dove and engaged the enemy. They had the number, but all that training paid off as he didn't have glitches throwing and catching the shield from the ricochet. He took them down, and the cops came. He told them to take the men to jail as he hurried to where Lemar was. Nearing the site, Lemar emerged with the two knocked out Watchdogs slumped on his shoulders as he carried their unconscious body. John was glad to see his friend, but was dismayed he gambled with his friends life to accomplish the mission. He thinks the Commission knew this and wanted to test him if he would sacrifice his teammate to accomplish the mission. He was thinking that the Commission cannot be trusted, and perhaps maybe, this is why the original Captain America quit in the first place. Comments: I am really enjoying this particular version of "Captain America." John is not perfect, but he is a good man inside. He has doubts about his bosses, citing they cannot be trusted, and his conscience bothered him for taking a chance with his friends life, even though Lemar is augmented in strength like him. There's a lot of grey area here. The Watchdogs are the villains yet their crooked ideal agreed with him. He wanted corruption, filth, and pornography to be something to get rid off in the country. Also, I like that that he downplayed his town's racism toward black people and explained they are just more "provincial" in some ways. I guess that's how Gruenwald viewed racism in the province, being provincial in nature. It's been a few issues, and we haven't seen Steve Rogers anywhere. I wonder what he's up to? |
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Post by sabongero on Sept 26, 2017 18:15:00 GMT -5
 Captain America #3360.75 USD/0.95 CAD @ December 1987 "Natural Calling!" Writer: Mark Gruenwald Illustrator: Tom Morgan Inker: Dave Hunt Colorist: Bob Sharen Letterer: Jack Morelli Editor: Ralph Macchio Synopsis: In the news, the media has covered Captain America put another crippling blow to the paramilitary organization known as the Watchdogs, as thirteen members are apprehended. However, there are thousands of members left in that group. Asking Captain America how he knew where the Watchdogs were going to strike next, Captain America refused to comment. In other news, in Washington state, an ecological saboteur calling himself, Brother Nature, is being hunted as he is responsible for halting the state's timber industry. Customers at a diner started getting rowdy when they saw the news about Brother Nature. A bearded blonde man sees what's going around him and couldn't believe that trouble follows him wherever he goes. And a lynch mob formed and they're going to take the law into their own hands and hunt Brother nature and put a permanent stop to him. The bearded blonde man blocked the exit and tried to talk them down. It didn't work, as they tried to beat him up. The bearded blonde man was very skillful in combating the rowdy men, and put them down easily. He left the diner and boarded his van, and continued to drive away. And we found out it is Captain America, the original one, Steve Rogers. He flashes back to eight weeks ago when he went to see his ex-girlfriend, Bernie Rosenthal and told her he quit being Captain America because he couldn't agree with the orders of the Commission. This upset Bernie as she told him will he allow some bureaucrats get away with what The Red Skull, Flag Smasher, and other villains failed to do? That is, to get Captain America to quit. He told her no, he just hasn't come up on a game plan on what to do, but superhero-ing is in his blood and he'll continue to do it. As he kept thinking about what happened the past several weeks, a sudden earthquake happened, and a giant hole opened up in the road he was driving that evening. His van crashed below. About 700 miles away in the Santa Monica mountains of the greater Los Angeles area, Nomad and his girlfriend Vagabond arrive at house which happened to be owned by D-Man, short for Demolition Man, the last partner of Captain America. They were also joined by an arriving Falcon. All were invited by D-Man, who was concerned for a missing Steve Rogers. D-Man kept Steve Rogers hotline going. Vagabond was impressed with D-Man's home and asked if all superheroes were rich, which irked Nomad, as he only owned a motorcycle and nothing else. Meanwhile, Steve Rogers who's stuck in the hole created by the earthquake was lucky to have his seatbelt on, made his way to the back of his van to access his motorcycle. And he used the motorcycle to speed up and escape the trapped van. Above, Brother Nature suddenly arrived at the scene and very sorry to the unintentional harm he caused Steve Rogers. He was destroying all man made objects to revert everything to nature, and that included the man made roads. Steve disagreed with him and put his hand on Brother Nature's shoulders. Suddenly a gust of wind appeared and Steve was holding at the grounds for his life so that he wouldn't be swept away. He then chased after Brother Nature. Catching up to him, he found himself on the receiving end of a stampede of deer. He easily hurtled them but thought it would be easier if he had his shield with him. Again he caught up with Brother Nature. Steve then found himself under attack by an owl, and then by a giant grizzly bear. he shooed off the owl. And then punched and kicked the bear in the face and had it running away from him. Brother Nature was impressed with Steve's feats so far. He summoned a lightning strike against Steve which barely missed him, and another earthquake which swallowed Steve and himself. Brother Nature landed badly on his ankle and passed out. Steve bandaged up Brother Nature's ankle, and when he regained consciousness he couldn't believe Steve helped him out. Steve told him he used to be Captain America until he resigned. Brother Nature respected Captain America and can sympathize with him, as he flashbacked into his origin story about a Forest Cop who was saving the forest until he got caught and beat up by corporate hoods and left for dead. After that origin story, Steve lifted both of them to safety, and Steve Rogers was motivated to declare war on appointed officials of the U.S. Government, no matter the cost. Comments: The best part of this issue are the quiet moments between some of the characters. I liked the way, ex-girlfriend Bernie Rosenthal told off Steve that bureaucrats from the government were able to do what The Red Skull and other super-villains couldn't do. And that is to get rid of Captain America. And the other one is Nomad getting pissed off at D-Man because his girlfriend Vagabond was impressed with D-Man's minor wealth. And it's good to know D-Man used to be on the Unlimited Wrestling Federation. I am reviewing some Thing volume one issues, and he was part of that wrestling company. |
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Post by codystarbuck on Sept 26, 2017 21:51:03 GMT -5
As well done as these issues were, I just never bought into the storyline. Steve Rogers had invested too much time into being Captain America and I couldn't see him laying down for the government, without taking it to the people. I lived through the original Nomad storyline and some of his other identity crises and it just didn't ring true. Also, the Captain identity just didn't work for me, especially the color scheme. I could more easily buy him taking up the Patriot identity, or the Spirit of '76, or some other, similar identity. You can't legally ban someone from wearing a color scheme, even if the government could lay claim to the Captain America identity (and you could probably successfully argue that the government abandoned any claim of the name and costume during the period Cap was absent; not to mention, how much would you be willing to bet anyone trademarked the name in the 40s, or any point until well after Steve Rogers reappeared?
Anyway, gripes aside, gruenwald had an above-average run on the title. I still prefer JM DeMatteis' stories, prior; but, Gruenwald had some of the more entertaining middle-ground stories, at Marvel, in that era.
I do have one technical bone to pick, with that era of Marvel; the printing on those books was really below par. not as bad as some of the earlier flexographic printing (with plastic printing plates, instead of metal); but, not a whole lot better. Both DC and Marvel went through some real teething troubles, as printing technologies evolved.
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Post by Icctrombone on Sept 26, 2017 22:23:07 GMT -5
This is one of my favorite runs of any comic. The fall and rise of Steve Rogers is must see comics and it kept me buying the book for the entire time. I still have the issues and re-read them every couple of years.
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Post by sabongero on Sept 27, 2017 10:35:12 GMT -5
Anyway, gripes aside, gruenwald had an above-average run on the title. I still prefer JM DeMatteis' stories, prior; but, Gruenwald had some of the more entertaining middle-ground stories, at Marvel, in that era. Can I ask, what were JM DeMatteis' Captain America stories like? As in how did his stories differ from let's say Gruenwald's or Waid's? |
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Sept 27, 2017 10:35:31 GMT -5
Pretty cool reviews sabongero! I'm not familiar with that era... I stopped reading Cap regularly after Kirby's run and only tried the Byrne issues after that; from then until Brubaker's run, I only ever bought Captain America books very occasionally.
I wonder: do we know more about the million dollars Cap is said to have received from the government? Was that a fabrication? If not, did he pay it back? I would expect that such a payment would entail accrued interests...
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Post by sabongero on Sept 27, 2017 10:36:51 GMT -5
This is one of my favorite runs of any comic. The fall and rise of Steve Rogers is must see comics and it kept me buying the book for the entire time. I still have the issues and re-read them every couple of years. I suppose the appeal to me would be this is the Captain America comic book era that I read as a kid. Cap was going out with a Serpent Society member, Diamondback. My favorite aspect would be the Scourge attacks killing off D-List villains by the boatload. |
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Crimebuster
CCF Podcast Guru
Making comics!
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Post by Crimebuster on Sept 27, 2017 10:47:58 GMT -5
Pretty cool reviews sabongero! I'm not familiar with that era... I stopped reading Cap regularly after Kirby's run and only tried the Byrne issues after that; from then until Brubaker's run, I only ever bought Captain America books very occasionally. I wonder: do we know more about the million dollars Cap is said to have received from the government? Was that a fabrication? If not, did he pay it back? I would expect that such a payment would entail accrued interests... He didn't receive it at the end of the war, he got it earlier in Gruenwald's run. Basically, since he was Missing in Action, he was never discharged from the Army, so the government sent him back pay plus interest for all the salary he was supposed to have been receiving for the past 40 years. Cap used the money to set up the Captain America Hotline, so people around the country could notify him of emergencies happening outside of New York City. This led to a brief era where Cap was out and about on his motorcyle regularly driving around the midwest or other parts of the country responding to hotline calls. The Agency in #332 basically says, well, if you're cashing the check as an active service member, that means you're still part of the Army, and thus subject to our orders. I don't recall how the debt was resolved. My guess is it was forgiven after the events of #350, but I haven't re-read this in a while. |
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Sept 27, 2017 11:06:38 GMT -5
Pretty cool reviews sabongero! I'm not familiar with that era... I stopped reading Cap regularly after Kirby's run and only tried the Byrne issues after that; from then until Brubaker's run, I only ever bought Captain America books very occasionally. I wonder: do we know more about the million dollars Cap is said to have received from the government? Was that a fabrication? If not, did he pay it back? I would expect that such a payment would entail accrued interests... He didn't receive it at the end of the war, he got it earlier in Gruenwald's run. Basically, since he was Missing in Action, he was never discharged from the Army, so the government sent him back pay plus interest for all the salary he was supposed to have been receiving for the past 40 years. Cap used the money to set up the Captain America Hotline, so people around the country could notify him of emergencies happening outside of New York City. This led to a brief era where Cap was out and about on his motorcyle regularly driving around the midwest or other parts of the country responding to hotline calls. The Agency in #332 basically says, well, if you're cashing the check as an active service member, that means you're still part of the Army, and thus subject to our orders. I don't recall how the debt was resolved. My guess is it was forgiven after the events of #350, but I haven't re-read this in a while. Mmmmh... In that case, Cap's lawyer could probably have argued that Cap cashed the check as an active service member (it's just back pay, really) and quit afterwards. Thanks for clearing that up, Crimebuster! |
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Post by sabongero on Sept 27, 2017 11:14:48 GMT -5
He didn't receive it at the end of the war, he got it earlier in Gruenwald's run. Basically, since he was Missing in Action, he was never discharged from the Army, so the government sent him back pay plus interest for all the salary he was supposed to have been receiving for the past 40 years. Cap used the money to set up the Captain America Hotline, so people around the country could notify him of emergencies happening outside of New York City. This led to a brief era where Cap was out and about on his motorcyle regularly driving around the midwest or other parts of the country responding to hotline calls. The Agency in #332 basically says, well, if you're cashing the check as an active service member, that means you're still part of the Army, and thus subject to our orders. I don't recall how the debt was resolved. My guess is it was forgiven after the events of #350, but I haven't re-read this in a while. Mmmmh... In that case, Cap's lawyer could probably have argued that Cap cashed the check as an active service member (it's just back pay, really) and quit afterwards. Thanks for clearing that up, Crimebuster! In one of the issues, Cap mentioned that he'd just get out of the "paying back the million dollars" problem, by asking billionaire Tony Stark a loan to pay it. I think it was in either #332 or #333 when Cap mentioned this. |
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Post by sabongero on Sept 27, 2017 11:16:55 GMT -5
Pretty cool reviews sabongero! I'm not familiar with that era... I stopped reading Cap regularly after Kirby's run and only tried the Byrne issues after that; from then until Brubaker's run, I only ever bought Captain America books very occasionally. I wonder: do we know more about the million dollars Cap is said to have received from the government? Was that a fabrication? If not, did he pay it back? I would expect that such a payment would entail accrued interests... Thanks. This era just happened to be when I read Marvel comic books mostly. The 1987 to 1988 years. That's when Punisher (Punisher & Punisher War Journal) and Wolverine in Marvel Comics Presents were the hot commodities at that time, along with G.I. Joe A Real American Hero. |
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