Lower Decks

I’ve finally had a chance to read Captain America #600 so I can give my thoughts on that issue as well as the upcoming Captain America: Reborn miniseries that starts this week. I’ll also talk about WildStorm’s intriguing Storming Paradise miniseries and DC’s latest The Warlord series.

Captain America #600

Has it really been 600 issues? According to the cover gallery included in #600 it has. I know I haven’t read nearly that many, only picking up the series around issue #438 of the first volume. I’ve been with the title, through its various incarnations, ever sense. #600 was interesting but certainly not worth $4.99 so I’m glad I got it through my subscription.

Captain America #600 (Courtesy of the Grand Comics Database)

There were a lot of things going on with this issue. A brief introduction that seemed totally unnecessary, then updates on various characters (Sharon Carter, the Red Skull, etc.). There was also a visit with two characters I didn’t recognize at all but it probably meant something to longtime readers. An additional short segment saw the Bucky from “Heroes Reborn” meet up with a Young Avenger. I was not a fan of “Heroes Reborn” and have no plans on following up on what this female Bucky is doing in the regular Marvel universe.

The story about a collector selling all his Captain America collectibles was neat and I wonder if there was an “in joke” involved with the comic book publisher who wanted to exploit the late Cap for financial gain. A swipe at someone, perhaps?

The meat and potatoes of the issue, though, was revelation that the gun Sharon, under mind control, shot Steve Rogers with was no ordinary gun. That means he’s alive! Maybe it was just a paintball gun. Or a stun gun. Either way, Sharon is convinced Steve is alive and that there’s still time to save him. Forget about his body being pretty darn dead when it was left in the Arctic.

So now, it seems, Sharon, James “Bucky” Barnes and others will be tracking down the body and finding a way to revive Steve. That’s not exciting at all to me. It all revolves around the fact that Sharon used a mysterious weapon to shoot Steve with. That’s a lot to swallow.

I didn’t bother reading the reprint story included in the issue. The art wasn’t appealing it all. I don’t know much about the costs involved with printing a comic book but I hope the price wasn’t increased simply to offer the reprint.

Captain America: Reborn

I hadn’t planned on purchasing Reborn but now that we know it’s actually Captain America: Reborn rather than just strongly suspecting, I’ll be heading out to the local comic shop to get the first issue on Wednesday and I’ll order the other four issues online. I’m not yet sold on the idea of Steve Rogers returning but if the miniseries does a spectacular job of explaining how he didn’t die (or even a fine job) I think I can live with it.

Like many people, I never thought Steve Rogers had been killed off forever. It was only a matter of time before he came back. Now is as good a time as any, I suppose. The big question is what will become of James Barnes and his version of Captain America when/if Steve puts the uniform back on.

Storming Paradise

I read the fifth issue of this six-issue miniseries a few days ago. I’ve enjoyed the story so far. It was something I decided to try out without knowing anything more than the basic plot: what if the Allies had to invade Japan to end World War II? Alternative fiction isn’t a genre I’m a huge fan of but the cover looked appealing.

Storming Paradise #1 (Courtesy of the Grand Comics Database)

The sixth month delay between #4 and #5 really hurt the book, just as it would hurt any book. I truly think Storming Paradise would have worked much better as a graphic novel instead of a weekly comic. It’s an unusual book, for starters, and any delay is going to put off some potential readers. A graphic novel with the whole story ready to read probably would have been an easier sell.

The Warlord

I picked up the first issue of DC’s The Warlord based solely on the cover. It’s apparently the fourth volume, the first having run from 1977 to 1988, the second in 1992 and the third just a few years ago in 2006. I had hoped it would be a “lost world” or “lost races” story and in many ways it is.

Warlord #1 (Courtesy of the Grand Comics Database)

Like DC’s The War That Time Forgot, however, I found The Warlord disappointing. The inclusion of magic really frustrated me. It’s one thing to show another world deep inside the Earth (at least, I think that’s where the action takes place) filled with strange peoples and animals. It’s quite another to throw magic into the mix.