I'm a fan of Ed Brubaker's writing, and I enjoyed his work and Steve Epting's in this week's debut of their new Captain America series. But the strongest Cap story to be found this month -- and perhaps this century -- is in the pages of the second issue of this Avengers limited series. Joe Casey delves into Captain America, the soldier, as opposed to Captain America, the heroic icon. Instead of focusing on duty, Casey portrays Cap as a victim of war. This is a vision of a man who's not only completely alone in the world, but suffering from post-traumatic stress disordered as well. This may just be the most human and down-to-earth portrayal of Captain America I've ever read.
While Giant-Man employs physical scans and comparisons to his wartime medical records to confirm Cap is who he says he is, Iron Man sees an opportunity in the Sentinel of Liberty joining up with the newly formed Avengers. Cap's old security clearance is still in effect, and that could help get some of the government red tape out of the team's way. Thor takes issue with Iron Man's obsession over government approval, while Steve Rogers faces the unenviable prospect of living in a world that's decades ahead of him.
Kolins's detailed work here is stunning. His depiction of the interior of Avengers mansion really drives home a sense of place. The expressiveness of the characters is key in this issue, and not just when it comes to Captain America. I love how Jarvis's usually submerged feelings quietly come to surface in this story. Hollowell's colors add energy to the super-hero action sequence at the end of the book, and they reinforce the somewhat sullen mood that looms over the entire issue. Kolins seems to follow John Cassaday's lead here by adding a great deal of texture and definition to Cap's tunic, and the colors add more depth overall. Just check out the rough look of the Lava Men's rocky skin.
Stark's frustrated efforts to run the Avengers like a business remain interesting and bring credibility to this fantastic origin story. I also enjoyed the fact that Casey is slowly but surely developing the inherent conflict between Iron Man, a scientist above all else, and Thor, a mythic figure. The former doesn't believe in the latter, and Thor is clearly irked by a warrior who seems more concerned about minutae rather than the larger picture.
What sets this issue apart, though, isn't the incorporation of more real-world concerns and characterization into the Silver Age origins of the title team, but Casey's exploration of the damaged psyche of a soldier and outsider. Cap's problems are twofold. He's clearly damaged goods; the final days of the war have scarred him. But as he deals with those horrific memories, he must also struggle with culture shock. I've seen these issues touched upon before, but never so directly and convincingly. While I thought the first issue of this series was good, this second chapter has raised the bar significantly, and I pray the remainder of the series is as compelling and genuine a take on super-heroes as this one is. 10/10
