Review: ‘Captain America’ #1 Is The Beginning Of Something Special
by Tony Thornley
Steve Rogers has struggled for some time to have a series that’s grabbed my attention. With the latest Captain America #1, that changes.
Chip Zdarsky, Valerio Schiti, Frank Martin and Joe Caramagna chronicle Steve Rogers’ newest adventures.
One week ago, Steve Rogers woke up from the ice that kept him in suspended animation for decades. Now he’s trying to find his place in the world, and that starts with the US military. And their first target? A budding dictator by the name of Victor Von Doom.
In just 20-odd pages, Zdarsky embraces the timeless appeal of Steve Rogers while modernizing certain aspects of his continuity. In doing so, he’s able to set up a story that’s ready to inspect what being a man out of time means today. He also sets up an obvious direction for after this flashback story- what would John Walker be like in a post-9/11 world?
On top of that, Zdarsky writes this as simply an exciting action thriller. The “pre-credits” action scene see Steve stop a terrorist, and disarm him with the calm and collected empathy that only Steve Rogers could have. He spends a good portion of the issue gathering intel on Doom. It feels like all the best elements of a Bond movie, with the emotional beats and character development we’ve come to expect from Steve Rogers. Just don’t expect Doom- he’s not here yet.
Schiti’s art is better every time I see him. Here, he has this very fluid, flowing style. It contributes to the action and the emotional beats in equal measure. When a first responder is trying to hold it together while saving their partner, you feel for her just based on the look on her face. Steve’s body language and facial expressions are completely disarming in the way he needs to be. He’s comforting and warm, not off-putting.
Meanwhile, the action is always in a sense of movement. Whether it’s just Steve and Reed Richards chatting or a motorcycle chase through New York, Schiti ensures it’s engaging. It makes for one of the best books to debut this year especially from a visual standpoint, without a doubt.
Martin uses muted colors through the issue, and I like that. It helps set the series in time- shortly after 9/11 when the national was still in mourning. It also firmly declares that this is a spy/black ops thriller, not a superhero story. Caramagna’s always excellent work enhances the flow of the story and blends into the art. He knows how to make the lettering pop without being distracting.
In a single issue, this is the best Cap story I think I’ve seen since the beginning of the Winter Soldier mega-arc, a story that redefined Captain America forever. I hope this story has that same impact.
Captain America #1 is available now from Marvel Comics.
