Whats Old, is New Again, Again.
Legacy has started and with it, a new look and feel for Captain America. Cap now gets a soft reboot after the devastating events of Secret Empire and with it a new team joins the book. With evil hydra Captain America gone (for now) and America slowly healing, what stories can be told? Will a healthy dose of Americana heal the old heroes’ soul? Or will his tour of the country be in vain?
As I read through this comic, it came off as a love letter, to not just the character of Captain America but the country he idealises. Its not preachy or shoved down your throat, which is great considering as, I’m not from America and it wouldn’t be relatable. Its honest and endearing as Steve Rogers strives to be the best he can be, by being a model that everyone should endeavour to become. That is what this comic is at its heart, an expression of Captain Americas sensibilities mixed with a fun and interesting plot.
Mark Waid is the writer of this issue, and it shows. He’s known contributor to titles such as; Justice league, Spiderman, Flash, Hulk and in my opinion defined others including; X-men, Archie, Daredevil and that’s not even including a fantastic graphic novel named Kingdom Come. He’s a very talented writer and it seems like whenever Marvel, DC or anybody needs to revitalise a character or storyline, they hire him. It worked most recently for Daredevil and from the looks of it, it’s going to work again for Captain America.
The other defining factor that makes the comic as enjoyable as it is, is the art. Chris Samnee has a style that is very retro, and the more I think about it, the more it suits this comic. Chris also worked with Mark Waid, when he wrote Daredevil and the design worked well then too. Its something about the line work, panelling and colours that makes it a pleasure to read.
After finishing this comic, I wanted the next one right away. If this issue is any indication of what the next few will be, ill be buying them immediately. Marvel has made the right choice and here’s hoping that this great creative team have enough stories to keep going for a long, long time.