The United States of Captain America #4 by Christopher Cantwell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This issue was a definite improvement over the last, with some much needed humour being added by the presence of John Walker. However, the real good stuff here is the backup strip, by Alyssa Wong, which introduces us to Arielle Agbayani, the campus Captain America.

This strip is beautifully illustrated by Jodi Nishijima and sees the campus Captain America teaming up with other girls on campus to bring a serial abuser, who repeatedly gets away with harassing the female students because his rich parents financially support the college, to justice.

It’s a story that could have easily been mishandled but it’s executed very well.

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The United States of Captain America #3 by Darcie Little Badger
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is…not good.

After this series got off to a string start, it’s got progressively worse as it’s gone along. We started with Cap musing on the nature of the American dream, the second had Cap reminiscing about a time he nearly peed on Gettysburg and the third gave us a Native American man dressed up in the American flag. Which…doesn’t feel right.

The art is also incredibly weak. Eaglesham is inking himself here, it seems, and he’s not doing himself any favours.

The second story, which is, at least, written by a Native American writer, really doesn’t feel like it’s about the same character…who’s working as a construction worker here, something he didn’t seem to be doing in the main story, where he was basically the local handy man.

The whole book feels rushed and ill conceived. Which is a shame, because this series felt like it had so much promise at the start.

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The United States of Captain America #2 by Christopher Cantwell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’ve been enjoying Cantwell’s Iron Man run but this book is a bit of an odd fish. Each issue introduces us to a new member of the underground network of Captain Americas – ordinary members of the public who suit up in cap inspired costumes and mete our street level justice. And the a back up strip focuses more on the new character.

I have to wonder if we’ll ever see any of these new characters again. It’s not that they’re not interesting, on the contrary I find them more interesting than Cap himself, it’s more that I wonder how much mileage there is in a disparate group of underground, part-time Captain Americas.

The previous issue opened with Cap musing on the nature of the American dream and how it has been warped over the years. This one opened with Cap remembering the time he nearly peed on Gettysburg. It doesn’t quite have the same impact…

We’re introduced to a young black woman who’s been campaigning for clean water in her community in the day time and dispensing vigilante justice by night. The allusion to Flint, Michigan is clear, plus she’s a former gymnast, which feels incredibly timely given that Simon Byles is all over the news right now.

The fake Captain America and the mysterious woman from last issue turn up here, and are gunning for our new young hero, and it’s up to Cap and the other Cap to save here…which involves a run in with some racist police. Finally the true identities of the mysterious man and woman who seem to be attacking members of the underground network of Captains America are revealed. I won’t say who they are but it wasn’t entirely surprising.

The art is decent, the writing is decent, but there’s nothing here that really wowed me. I certainly enjoyed the previous issue more.

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The United States of Captain America #1 by Christopher Cantwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lol at anyone calling this “far left.” Also lol at anyone complaining about politics in a comic about a hero who is literally wrapped in his country’s flag. That’s inherently political. And while Steve pontificating on the American dream fell a little flat for me, not being American, I liked the sentiment.

I also liked the way tis book was split into two halves. The first introduces us to “the plot” as it were. Someone has stolen Steve’s shield, he and Falcon give chase, this leads to them discovering the underground network of Captain Americas (or should that be Captains America?) and we meet Aaron Fisher, the Captain America of the railways. And, lastly, a plot to assassinate them seems to be afoot.

The second half serves as an origin story for Aaron, a young gay kid who finds himself living on the streets and when kidnapped and put in a work camp by Roxxon, takes on the mantle of Captain America to fight back and free everyone in the camp. I liked Aaron, he reminds me of my own kid.

I’m intrigued to see where this is going and excited to meet more Captains America along the way.

And for those who don’t want politics in their comics, I’ve got news for you…everything’s political.

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