It's only been a couple of weeks since the last issue of Captain America & the Falcon, but this new one merits note as it marks a significant creative shift in the book. Penciller Bart Sears is gone, replaced with Priest's one-time collaborator on The Crew, Joe Bennett. Bennett performs much better here than he did on a recent Birds of Prey fill-in job. There's a much stronger focus on clarity in the visual storytelling here, but at the same time, the artist doesn't sacrifice the dark edge that helps to set this apart from other Marvel super-hero fare.
Captain America and his sometime partner, the Falcon, return to Manhattan, only to find that various factions -- the Office of Naval Intelligence, the Rivas and perhaps more -- have targeted them. It's not clear if they're working together or separately, but what is clear is what they want: the Anti-Cap, the super-sailor they took captive in Miami. The heroes have hidden him away somewhere safe, as they know that those who are after him want him dead. Meanwhile, one of those people, a naval admiral, meets with Nick Fury and Robbie Robertson in the offices of The Daily Bugle.
Bennett's work here strikes me as being something of a cross between the styles of John (Astonishing X-Men) and Jim (Exiles) Calafiore. He captures an intensity in the title characters' eyes that this is more than the typical hero-versus-villain sort of story. There's a darkness to the art as well that's in keeping with the more complex and mature mood of the book. Bennett falters a little, though. The Cap fight scene could have been a shade clearer; upon first reading, I didn't catch the reflection of the guy sneaking up on the hero. Furthermore, Jimmy and J. Jonah Jameson bear far too much resemblance to one another, making for a brief but confusing scene.
Priest has taken away the Falcon's wings, and it says a lot about the character that he has yet to wallow in the loss of his flight powers. Priest returns Sam Wilson to his street vigilante roots, and it brings a greater sense of determination and strength to the character. He also continues to distinguish the Falcon from his more idealistic colleague. He's willing to do things Cap isn't, and that makes the partnership dynamic more interesting and tense.
My favorite aspect of this ongoing storyline is its basis in cynicism. Priest explores a day and age in which we cannot trust The People In Charge. They're willing to sacrifice ideals to get the job done, but what's really intimidating is that they seem to truly believe in what they're doing.
