Category Archives: Comics

Captain America: Alternate Visions and Versions

In the12-issue series, Avengers Forever (1998-99, Kurt Busiek), Captain America and several fellow Avengers past, present, and future are drawn through time by perenial foe Kang the Conqueror to help him fight his own future self, Immortus. Brought from just … Continue reading

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Other Super-Soldiers?

Before we move on to beginning of Steve Rogers’ career as Captain America, let’s take a  brief aside to consider the consequences of Prof. Erskine’s demise.  The presumption that the serum, if it could be recreated, would work on anyone … Continue reading

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Becoming Captain America (part 2)

This narrative attempts to bring together in a seamless account all the diverse elements depicted in the comics listed in Part 1.  The base story line is that of CAC #1 (March 1941), with later additions and embellishments as documented. … Continue reading

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Becoming Captain America (part 1)

Captain America’s initial origin story is told in his first published appearance in Captain America Comics #1 (March 1941; hereafter CAC). Over the years numerous Timely/Marvel writers have enhanced, embellished (and sometimes confused!) his story. Two significant “modern” story arcs … Continue reading

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The Weight of Story: Marvels and “What Really Matters”

In his essay, “On Stories,” C. S. Lewis employs the marvelous word “Redskinnery” to describe “what really mattered to him” when he read stories set in the western American frontier.  “Take away the feathers, the high cheek-bones, the whiskered trousers, … Continue reading

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Before Captain America: Young Steve Rogers

Steve Rogers, the boy who would become Captain America, was born in New York on July 4, 1917 the only child of Joseph and Sarah Rogers. His parents are described as immigrants living on New York’s Lower East Side who … Continue reading

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The Odyssey of Captain America

From my mid-20s until my early 40s, I walked away from my adolescent comic-book habit.  I sold off my original collection (large tears now welling up . . .) and was relatively ignorant of the goings-on in the Marvel Universe.  … Continue reading

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On Comics and Life

I read the comics every day and have done so for as long as I can remember.  One of the things I really miss from my days in the classroom is having a bulletin board on which to proudly display … Continue reading

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