What it must be like
for Ed Brubaker to wake the morning after handing in the script for Super
Soldier #2 knowing full well that he has just schooled every other writer in
the industry. Brubaker has once again shown that a simple idea, executed
perfectly, can breath an untold and sometime-unknown depth and complexity to a
character and story – this is exactly what he has achieved with Super Soldier.

The idea really is so
simple that I am surprised Brubaker hadn’t explored this within the pages of
Captain America years ago. The tale he is weaving is one full of so many twists
and turns that from the moment you open the book to seconds after you close it
you’ll be in pure awe. It’s both a touching story about how Steve Rogers very
first failure as Captain America has returned to haunt him, as much as it is a
story showing how far the man has come since being unfrozen by Brubaker all
those years ago.

If at any point you
have enjoyed the Captain America on-going, especially pre-Civil War, then you
will be happy to know that the detective element of the character is in full
effect here. It’s exhilarating to follow Steve as he tries to piece together
the clues, and with the first reveal of the villain accomplished in a wonderfully
Scooby Doo fashion –pull the mask back to reveal something completely
unexpected, you won’t find a better comic on the shelves this week.

Luckily the art is up
to the standard of the writing, Eaglesham is more than up to the task and
completely knocks it outta the park. His pencils carry detail and depth that
most other artists would struggle to achieve. How he manages to bring the
charisma, charm and an almost forgotten innocence of the Golden Era to the
characters I will never know.   

That really is what
defines this book. Brubaker and Eaglesham have created something that feels and
reads like a Golden Age book, but with modern sensibilities. The dialogue and
inner-monologue from Steve is a bit corny, in an 80’s superhero kind of way,
but that’s just one part of its charm.

In short: You wont
find a better comic this week. I would take this as an on-going over Secret
Avengers and maybe even Captain America any day, The curveball at the end looks
like it’s setting up the greatest Cap story never told – as said, a simple but
perfectly executed idea is often killer.

-Josh “origami kid” West
Twitter.com/origamikid

www.origamikid.wordpress.com