Cream of the Comics – 9/13/2006

Captain America #21
written by Ed Brubaker, art by Steve Epting

If you haven’t heard the praises of this book yet, you’ve been living under a freaking rock. Basically, since issue 1 the Winter Soldier’s been running around, making Cap’s life into off-the-walls hell, initially by fighting him, and then later with the revelation that he’s actually Bucky. But now that Bucky’s memories are coming back together, he’s been going after the people that’ve brainwashed him and made him into a killing machine for the last few decades. At the very end of last issue, that trail FINALLY crossed with Cap’s, bringing the two of them to the same place at the same time.

Even though this is supposed to be part 3 of 4 in the storyarc, this should be a big issue, because Cap and Bucky haven’t yet had a chance to speak to one another – at least, not since Bucky’s mind started really healing, and it looks like they’re about to get a chance to at least fight side-by-side, if nothing else.

Basically, the Winter Soldier is badass, Brubaker writes a fantastic Cap, Brubaker also writes intelligent and excellent stories, and Epting sells these guys in the serious situations and makes the costumes work damn well. As much as I dig Ultimate Cap’s outfit, Epting makes normal Marvel U’s Cap look just as believeable.

Last but not least – We’re not being dragged down with Civil War crossovers, keeping the book from being published during the delay months, or taking us away from the wonderful, hard-hitting stories they’re telling month after month. I suppose eventually the registration issues will catch up to us, but for now, the book is keeping on steady course for awesomeness.