The creators behind this unique take on Captain America stumble a bit as they reach the halfway mark in the story. The ideas that made for such a strong series so far are still here, but the pacing robs them of their impact somewhat. Morales is galloping through this plot to the extent that new elements come from out of nowhere and aren't given enough room to develop naturally here. This issue stands out as the most visually shocking and engaging one so far, though, as there's plenty of action and the same strong level of emotion.
As Isaiah Bradley's wife desperately tries in vain to get answers about her husband's death, he and his fellow Super-Soldier guinea pigs find themselves deep in German territory, carrying out the gruesome orders of their superiors. Later, Maurice Canfield's attitude draws the ire of a white lieutenant, and that sparks a brawl that leaves only one of the men left. And that one man is determined to make his mark on the war.
There's a lot more texture and depth to be found in Baker's artwork in this issue. The two-page spread featuring the super-soldier team in action in Germany marked a real shift in tone and detail for the title's visual component. Though his cartoony approach is intact, there's a stronger sense of realism at the same time. The greatest challenge Baker faces here -- a challenge he meets -- is in a latter scene, where we see several of the main characters, all dressed the same, all with shaved heads, all the same race. But there's no confusion at all; their distinctive facial features distinguish them easily.
Morales focuses on the ugly side of war here, but it's a balanced approach. The super-soldiers kill the enemy in a brutal, primal fashion, and their targets aren't infantry or artillery units. They're attacking women, children and medics. But they're haunted by it all. They follow orders without question, but they're not doing so blindly either. In an unusual perspective on the Second World War, the writer paints the Allied leaders as antagonists here, not only in combat with the Germans, but in how they treat their own people.
Where the book goes awry, though, is the reference to Steve Rogers, the more familiar figure to bear the name Captain America. Morales is moving the story along at a hectic pace, and the introduction of those elements -- the comic book and the awaited arrival of the public face of the Super-Soldier program -- is sudden. As a result, Morales skims over those ideas rather than integrating them into the story to enhance the plot and the mood.
