Three issues in, and “Captain America” is still only the second best Cap book on the shelves!
In theory, the creative team of Brubaker and McNiven should be kicking our collective ass month in and month out, but something about this book just hasn’t really clicked, for me at least. Maybe it’s the fact that the plot seems so contrived and outlandish compared to previous Brubaker Cap efforts. He seems to be a writer who is pushing himself way out of his usual comfort zone and coming up rather short of expectations as a result. Maybe it’s because there are so many other great books vying for readers’ attention, not least Captain America and Bucky, still the Cap book to beat with it’s straightforward two-fisted WWII action and gorgeous Chris Samnee artwork. CA&B seems also to resonate on an emotional level far more than this relatively soulless, oddball concoction. Maybe Brubaker has spread himself too thin. To be fair, a writer who has, in the last few months alone, given us CA&B as well as a career best arc of Criminal could be forgiven for not quite hitting the mark 100% of the time. Whatever the reason that the story ain’t working, though, it has to be said that the best reason for continuing to buy this book has been a bravura performance from artist Steve McNiven, back at the top of his game after the disappointing Nemesis, and absolutely killing it here. With the recent announcement of the legendary Alan Davis to follow McNiven’s run, Marvel have guaranteed that I’ll be sticking with Cap for a good while longer. I can only hope that it won’t be solely for the art.