For me, the new Captain America represents the exception to many of my rules. I don't generally like comics where long-running shared universe characters are killed off for shock value. I don't generally like books where the real world intrudes too heavily on the superhero genre, because it usually has the effect of losing what makes the hero special. And I'm usually not crazy about the heavily photo-referenced art, as I tend to find it pretty stiff. Captain America does and has all three of those things, but it's one of my favorite comics out of Marvel right now, and the reason it's the exception to my personal rules is that it's just about perfectly executed. Excellent writing with terrific character moments, jaw-dropping action that makes you forget you're not watching live action and a sense of imagination that remains grounded in the real world at the same time make for the best Captain America we've had in a long, long time.
I know it's probably better not to make comparisons and to let the Brubaker/Epting run stand on its own, but I can't resist, this really does read like Captain America done by the creators of 24. The same mixture of action and character drama, the same beautifully executed gunfights and the same sense of talented, self-sacrificing people working behind the scenes in the name of protecting society are all there. Except that alongside the machine guns, flashbangs and martial arts, we've got flying cars, guys in yellow costumes and weapons of mass destruction that involve reshaping the fabric of reality. This really does feel more like an action movie (or action TV show) than a superhero comic, though.
Something that might annoy me, if it wasn't that Brubaker is also writing a superhero comic here. Sure, the bad guys are using realistic-looking machine guns and have plans that seem more down to earth than your average supervillains, but they're still decked out in the A.I.M. yellow beekeeper suits. Which, by the way, look badass when Epting draws them, proving once again that costumes and the other superhero genre trappings that some creators and fans look down on are only as weak as the talent who can't work up the imagination to use them properly. There's a sense of wonder here despite the more gritty and realistic approach, seen in both the trappings of A.I.M. and SHIELD and in the amazing level of skill and derring-do that Captain America brings to his job.
Even if this book were terribly written, the artwork would still make it worth a read. Epting brings super-detailed realism to these pages, such that we're seeing real people using these costumes and technology, and it actually heightens the sense of wonder, because Epting retains some of the flash and style of superhero comics alongside his realistic look. The redesign of Union Jack, the design for A.I.M.'s hoverjet and the look of the A.I.M. troops all show off an appreciation for the superhero elements right alongside the more real world elements like detailed guns, city backdrops or subway tunnels. Then there's Michael Lark, whose flashback artwork to World War II really does have a cool newsreel look to it, and has that same ultra-real, ultra-detailed look. I think that Frank D'Armata could serve to up the brightness of the colors just a little bit, as the darkness can sometimes be a little oppressive, but for the most part, his coloring is also exquisite, giving Epting's pencils an almost-painted look and contributing heavily to the newsreel look of Lark's work.
The action really is my favorite part of this comic, but it's not the only selling point. The flashbacks to World War II and the indications that Cap is edgy, distracted, maybe even misremembering his past, lead me to believe that there's a deeper story going on with the Cosmic Cube and the mysterious foe wielding it. The interaction between Sharon Carter and Steve Rogers in Paris is terrific character stuff, and I really liked hearing Brubaker's insights into the French character as filtered through Captain America. Then there's that shocker of an ending, which, like the ending of issue one, serves notice that Brubaker isn't afraid to shake things up. I have a twinge of regret at the seeming fate of this character, who I always liked, but as long as there's a reason in the story for it beyond "look, how shocking!" I'll probably be OK with it in the end. 10/10
