Comments on: Comics Should Be Good Top 50 Countdown! - #25

By: Matt Sargeson

Matt Sargeson — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:58:08 +0000

I honestly don't get why people think Steve Rodgers will one day come back. For one, Brubaker's run is so based in 'reality' that I think he'd be doing himself a massive disservice by magicking the character back to life - even if he wanted to (which I seriously doubt), I don't see how he could without it deflating the great work that preceeded it. Maybe after Brubaker's done with Captain America, then he'll come back...but it doesn't look like he's leaving anytime soon. Second, why bring back Rogers when the new Cap is so brilliant? Roger's role, his symbol, had become worn and jaded, too much so to be culturally relevant in these times. The Winter Soldier represents the 21st century idea of America, playing as dirty as necessary to get the job done; no longer super-powered as it once was, but still capable of taking down the bad guys. His personal history is a great allegory for Americ's bloodied history of recent times...I just think he's the perfect character. I'm a huge Cap fan, I am, but I think I'd lose a lot of love for the whole image and character of Captain America if Steve came back...which is perhaps why #25 is just so damn important. After the 'death' of Superman, the Heroes Reborn debacle...who'dve thought anyone could have made a title so much better by killing of the lead character and having the balls to truly reinvent it. Go Brubaker, and go go Bucky Barnes!

By: J

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 05:58:35 +0000

The undeniable mark left in the Marvel Universe due to Steve Rogers' death that can not be disregarded. It affects every Avengers book to some degree, and the Marvel Landscape has changed. Without Cap as its the figurehead, the Avengers are disjointed, and lack the proper leadership currently. Secret Invasion and World War Hulk would be completely different if Cap was alive. I am not questioning whether the death will stick. I am questioning simply regarding this issue and his death, as the isolated event that had no effect on the Marvel Universe.

By: Josh

Josh — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 01:04:39 +0000

Whoa wait.... You mean the current series of Green Lantern No. 25 wasn't notable.... I noticed it hasn't been mentioned and it was only the conclusion to the biggest Green Lantern Story of sometime... For shame.... (Kidding) I also liked X-Force 25... I think it was the introduction of Exodus.

By: wwk5d

wwk5d — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 05:13:52 +0000

I wonder if Brubaker will be the one to bring Cap back, or if someone else will?

By: fourthworlder

fourthworlder — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 05:03:15 +0000

FF#25 would be my first pick, also, but I'm surprised that nobody's mentioned my other contender Captain Marvel #25 (Mar-Vell, not Shazam).
It was Jim Starlin's first ongoing title and he set up shop quick with his pet characters Thanos, Drax, Eros and Mentor. It took him a few issues to really get his own groove but it started in #25.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 03:36:47 +0000

Also, CC Beck had a peak readership of maybe 10,000,000. CA 25 may have had a readership of 1% of that, maybe averaging a reader for every 2 or 3 copies sold.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 03:29:52 +0000

Elvis Presley credited Captain Marvel Jr as the inspiration for his hair.

By: Tom from West Chester

Tom from West Chester — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 03:24:18 +0000

How is the first appearance of Captain Marvel Jr. highly relevant? I'm far from a Captain Marvel, Jr., expert so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Captain Marvel, Jr.'s solo book at one time (the mid 1940s or thereabouts) consistently the top selling comic book in the U.S.? That said I'd say he a significant and important character. (Also, and less notable unless you buy comics as an investment and not to read, I have a catalog from a few years back from Milestone Comics (I believe) where they claimed that a 9.8 CGC'd Captain Marvel, Jr., #2 was the most expensive comic book in the world. Not bad for not "particularly important or well known character.") That said I couldn't tell you anything about any Captain Marvel, Jr. story ever written and I agree with Brian that Brubaker's Captain America 25 is a more memorable issue #25. (As an end note, tt would have been easier to use the abbreviation "Cap." for one of them but tusing the abbreviation hat would have made this confusing.)

By: buttler

buttler — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:27:53 +0000

I dunno, I thought the best thing about X-Men #25 was the debut of El Tigre. That dude had class. And a sweet cape.

By: Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:12:36 +0000

Props to FF #25, though. The second and best Thing/Hulk battle and also the beginning of the first major Marvel crossover. IMO, true beginning of the Marvel Universe, when Stan finally realized what had developed over the past 2-plus years and decided to run with it.

D'oh! Meant to mention that one, and now, through the magic of editing, I did!

By: Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:10:50 +0000

I canâ€™t believe you forgot about Darkhawk.

I honestly was going to mention it as an example of 90s anniversary issues! That's hilarious.

By: Bill Reed

Bill Reed — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:17:55 +0000

I can't believe you forgot about Darkhawk.

By: Cove West

Cove West — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:17:02 +0000

I guess I'll stand up for X-MEN #25. We may look back on it now -- having witnessed the horror that was adamantiumless Wolverine of the 'do rag and lack-of-nose, the years of pointless teases promising the return of the SNIKT (Genesis? Seriously?), and a resolution that somehow supposed that Apocalypse and mutant Skrulls and a sword-wielding Wolverine were a match made in heaven -- and rather have our OWN adamantium ripped out of our pores. And we may shudder at the onslaught of inanity that Xavier's mindwipe of Magneto wrought. And the less said about Colossus, the better. But aside from X-MEN #1, there was no bigger single issue (in terms of status, though others had it beaten in sales) in the decade for the prototypical franchise of the decade. Sure, CAP #25 featured a death and was better written, but its impact to the Avengers franchise is relatively minor (has Cap's death fundamentally changed the nature of WWHulk or Secret Invasion or the Initiative storylines in the way that Zero Tolerance did without Magneto or Onslaught without a fully-functioning Wolverine?); in fact, very little has been made of the absence of Cap outside of the CAP title itself, at least when compared to how often the X-books referenced X-MEN #25 for five years. It's even debatable whether Cap's death is that much a bigger deal in and of itself than what happened to Magneto and Wolverine (imagine if X-MEN #25 happened today after the X-films and many cartoons and upcoming solo films for Mags and Wolvie, and if it was released on a slow news week). Besides....Gambit hologram on the cover! Mon dieu, bub! Hell, the return of Cable in X-FORCE #25 was a fangasm back in the day. Props to FF #25, though. The second and best Thing/Hulk battle and also the beginning of the first major Marvel crossover. IMO, true beginning of the Marvel Universe, when Stan finally realized what had developed over the past 2-plus years and decided to run with it.

By: buttler

buttler — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 19:58:14 +0000

Captain Marvel Jr. is relevant as the first sidekick who dares not speak his name.

By: Jeff R.

Jeff R. — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 19:21:16 +0000

DC Comics Presents #25 is full of bronze-age geeky goodness. The main story, with the Phantom Stranger as the guest, is the conclusion of one of the few ongoing subplots in the Superman family in that era, regarding Pete Ross's son Jon, and the backup is the first "Whatever Happened To..." story, which featured Hourman's first appearance in years.

#25 is a fairly popular final issue, too. (Untold Tales of Spider-man being one of the better books to make it only to that milestone and no farther...)

By: RichYan33

RichYan33 — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 19:03:38 +0000

I don't know. Unless a death has been permanent like...um....oh....uh Thunderbird! No. Green Arrow!! ROBIN? No. um...well, not Bucky anymore. He's back and I didn't think they'd ever go there. Harry Osbooornnneeee..... no......hmmmm...they brought Uncle Ben back in FNSM. Anyone?

So if they all come back when they die how does a death story have any impact?

Might make for a good blog. 50 best/worst death and returns.

By: Dalarsco

Dalarsco — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:03:17 +0000

How is the first appearance of Captain Marvel Jr. highly relevant? He isn't a particularly important or well known character, and I doubt it was a particularly good story. Was he the first superhero side-kick? If so then I agree that it's an important issue. If not then Cap's death trumps it. Not only has he been dead over a year with no sign of return, but the story was incredibly good and caught everyone off guard, since no one expected him to actually die until the last page.

By: David Frankel

David Frankel — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:28:20 +0000

I was thinking, "All-American Comics #25: first Dr. Mid-Nite... but probably even better would be ASTONISHING TALES #25: first Deathlok, particularly with Deathlok's imminent return.

But, not Shazam #25: first Isis.

By: SC

SC — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:50:39 +0000

This was a definite classic issue; one of my all-time favourite comics. The opening recap of Cap's origin, especially, is lyrically powerful.

By: Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:03:00 +0000

I need for a book to do a Quasar flashback so that we can see them use that fact, Jeff!

That is right up Christos Gage's alley! I hope he works it into an issue of Avengers Initiative!