Another Captain America. Another #1. It’s All New. But even though it is a decent issue, I feel I’ve seen it before.
All New Captain America #1
Writer: Rick Remender
Penciler: Stuart Immonen
Inker: Wade Von Grawbadger
Publisher: Marvel
Let me start by putting all my beliefs flat on the table. I’m a Captain America fan. I love the Greenwald run, especially the part that introduces US Agent as the replacement Cap. Also a big fan of the Brubaker run and currently reading through the Engelhart and Sal Buscema run (which heavily features the Falcon) on Marvel Unlimited. I have had very little love for and enjoyment from what Remender has done with Cap. I came into this book ready to dislike it. But I don’t. It isn’t great, but I do want to read issue two. So there you go.
Spoilers follow, matey!
It’s a non-stop action issue, but Sam (Captain (Falcon) America) has a stream of narration that lets us get to know him. Sure, his characterization isn’t the Falcon I’ve known, but there is enough there that makes me like him. Sam is attacking a Hydra base, because attacking a Hydra base is what Captain America does. Fights Batroc, because that is also something that Captain America does. And finds the new Nomad. Who is in the hydra base because: plot. Whatever. They rescue a kid, about whom I know nothing, and stumble on Zemo and who I assume is a new group of the Masters of Evil.
All of this is done in a fast paced stream of action. It’s a popcorn comic. It isn’t great but it isn’t bad. References to Sam liking Cap’s shield get repetitive and I do kind of wish that I new what was going on. Why are we attacking this base? What, there’s a kid? Who is it? Did I miss something? Maybe. Honestly, I thought a page was missing when there was a sudden jump from not having Kid MacGuffin to having Kid MacGuffin. Also, for something for a comic proclaiming itself to be All New, I can’t stop wondering how many times an issue has ended with the Baron Zemo reveal. I’m pretty sure I can think of two others in the past year which makes this kind of feel like paint-by-numbers. I wasn’t turned off by anything that happened, but if I didn’t already have an interest in Cap and Sam I probably wouldn’t be interested enough to pick up issue 2.
I read that the Axis event has turned certain heroes into jerks. While I do like it when events matter, I am all vented out and am glad nothing in this issue relies on Axis. (I was going to read and review the Al Ewing Captain America and the Mighty Avengers, but I saw it dealt with Captain Jerk Falcon and immediately lost interest.)
As for the art, it is hard to go wrong with Stuart Immonen. But is Von Grawbadger a good fit? I tend to think of Immonen as having an incredibly clean line and some of that comes through, but I was distracted by all the excess lines provided by Von Grawbadger. Overly cross-hatched and takes away from the strength of Immonen. At least to me.
Despite my hesitation to read this, I was overall pleased, although make of that what you will since eI came in expecting to dislike it as much as I have the rest of Remender’s Cap run.
Deadly Troubadour 