CSBG Archive
A Year of Cool Comics – Day 178
Here is the latest in our year-long look at one cool comic (whether it be a self-contained work, an ongoing comic or a run on a long-running title that featured multiple creative teams on it over the years) a day (in no particular order whatsoever)! Here‘s the archive of the moments posted so far!
Today we look at Mark Waid and Ron Garney’s “return of Captain America” storyline from their first run on Captain America – Operation: Rebirth!!
Enjoy!
This series is one of those rare occasions where you really can’t tell for sure who is doing the better job on the title – the writer or the artist. Mark Waid came up with a really strong story for Cap’s return, but Ron Garney was so dynamic on the story that it’s just about insane.
The first awesome Garney page came early on in Captain America #445, where they actually bring Cap back. Cap’s body was breaking down due to the Super Soldier Serum expiring, as it was never intended to be working over fifty years later. A cure was found, but the Red Skull stole it – he then has a bunch of goons steal Cap’s near-death body and put him into cyrogenics while they pumped Cap’s body with the cure) – I absolutely how they handle the drama building up to double-page spread AND how the use of cryogenics is a throwback to Cap’s Silver Age return (classic!).
And, of course, the spread itself…
Click on the double-page spread to enlarge it!
Waid gets big-time credit for reversing Sharon Carter’s silly death. What an awesome foil/love interest he brought back to the title!
Then we get to the actual plot, which involves the Red Skull bringing Cap back because Adolf Hitler has taken control of the Cosmic Cube, and who’s the best person around for stopping Hitler – Captain freakin’ America, that’s who!
Of course, Skull’s plan involves Cap stopping Hitler, therefore leaving the Cube for the Skull himself – will Cap follow Skull’s plan?
Cap is just about to enter the bunker and destroy Hitler. Cap’s subconscious, though, in the form of Bucky, convinces him this is all a lie and that he cannot break through that bunker door. Cap understands and, as you would expect, he is quite upset over all this (the Skull even recreated Cap’s mother just to be nice to Cap to spur Cap on in his quest to defeat Hitler)…
Cap holding the shield to the Skull’s throat is one of the most bad-ass Cap shots ever.
What a great opening arc.
The ONLY drawback to me was the multiple inkers on the story – Garney deserved better than having a different inker seemingly every issue.
But yeah, what a start to a great run by Waid and Garney. And what’s especially neat is that 15 years later, both guys are still doing excellent work on their respective comic book titles. That’s always nice to see!
20 Comments
Dean
June 30, 2010 at 11:40 am
I don’t know that I can enjoy this with the impractical little wings on the side of Cap’s mask. Also, doesn’t he need a jacket? Maybe a long duster?
All kidding aside, I really need to hunt down the Waid-Garney run on CAPTAIN AMERICA. It came out during one of my vacations from comics and it looks right up my alley.
Jared
June 30, 2010 at 1:06 pm
I find this funny because it’s the exact story that made me STOP reading Cap regularly after fifteen years. Cap and the Red Skull teaming up to fight Hitler? Sorry but that’s the opposite of cool.
Todd
June 30, 2010 at 1:22 pm
Need to disagree with Jared. This story was so exciting after a couple of years of some of the worst Cap stories ever. It was refreshing and exhilarating. I was excited to read Cap for the first time in years.
Rob Schmidt
June 30, 2010 at 3:35 pm
A whole page to bust through a door? That’s a waste of space.
danjack
June 30, 2010 at 6:16 pm
Cap has always been one of my top 5 comic characters. i hated the writer’s take on Cap that existed for ~10 years before Waid. So, this was at the time, the greatest thing to read as it was so good + it wasn’t the stuff that i hated on Cap.
Nowadays, it is STILL one of the greatest storylines that i have ever read.
DFTBA
Mike
June 30, 2010 at 7:13 pm
Who are the pallbearers here? Thing, Widow, Mullet Cyclops, Quicksilver and… Clinton & Gore?
Brian Cronin
June 30, 2010 at 8:42 pm
It definitely is a weird mixed bag. I guess it was good PR for a mutant to be one of the pallbearers.
David Sole
June 30, 2010 at 9:41 pm
2 Mutants.
Brian Cronin
June 30, 2010 at 9:53 pm
Ha! True. I actually meant to say “for a member of the X-Men,” but I messed up.
wigley
June 30, 2010 at 9:55 pm
Are you sure that’s Cyclops and not Nomad.
Brian Cronin
June 30, 2010 at 10:16 pm
Nomad was “dead” at the time.
Travis Pelkie
July 1, 2010 at 12:21 am
Dude, I just reread this the other day, along with the Man Without a Country storyline (both in the $30 Op Rebirth trade from a few years back). Definitely a cool story. Man Without a Country might be even cooler, though.
Tomorrow, maybe?
googum
July 1, 2010 at 5:25 am
It’s a great one, but is it my imagination, or has Cap had a lot of funerals?
Matt K
July 1, 2010 at 7:18 am
Is that Matt Murdock istead of Cyclops? He’s the only other hero I can think of with the red glasses but then again, putting a blind guy as the lead person isn’t such a great idea. Oh and it doesn’t appear to be a mullet but Farah hair combined with a person directly behind him in the background.
OT: I definitly have to pick this up at some point as I’ve become a huge fan of Waid’s work.
Seth
July 2, 2010 at 12:34 pm
Who SHOULD the pallbearers had been? Thor, Iron Man, Hawkeye, Falcon,Nick Fury and I cant decide on a last one. Hank Pym? Reed Richards? Thing?
buttler
July 2, 2010 at 1:02 pm
Rick Jones, dude.
Seth
July 2, 2010 at 1:08 pm
Of course! Thanks Buttler. Any one got a better pallbearer list?
buttler
July 2, 2010 at 1:10 pm
Mind you, in the Marvel Universe “Rick Jones” is a pretty safe answer to almost any question.
Tom
July 3, 2010 at 12:15 pm
Brubaker’s stuff had me sold, but this confirms it: Captain America. Is. AWESOME.
Surfer
November 27, 2010 at 10:27 am
Thor, Iron Man, Hawkeye, Falcon,Nick Fury and I cant decide on a last one. Hank Pym? Reed Richards? Thing?
Of course! Thanks Buttler. Any one got a better pallbearer list?
How about adding the ‘butler’ himself…………
I say Jarvis
or add any team LEADER; Black Panther(Best), Reed Richards over Thing, or Cyclops etc