Killing off a character is easy to do.The trick is bringing that character back to life in a way that the readers find acceptable - in other words, no dirty tricks involved.
Thankfully, that's exactly what's playing out in the long-awaited Captain America: Reborn. We finally learn at least part of the secret behind his disappearance - he's become unstuck in time (see Slaughterhouse Five).
As a result, he finds himself appearing at different points in his adventure-filled life, which is great because it gives us a good reason to see artists Bryan Hitch and Butch Guice give us their take on those moments. The art they're turning in here is stunning - easily the best in their career so far, and believe me, that's saying something.
Namor makes two appearances in the story (past and present), and he's given new intensity and power through the artwork. For a visual definition of the word rage, see page 3.
It would be easy to pick nits with Ed Brubaker's story here, since his story is based around a well-established science fiction concept - but what the heck, if the idea is good enough for Alan Moore to lift (for Watchmen), then we can hardly fault Brubaker for using such a powerful idea.
And it's being used to great effect here, as we relive the moments that made Steve Rogers into Captain America. And Steve's not exactly waiting around to be rescued, as he sets events into motion... ah, but that would be telling.
This is an outstanding series so far, and is making the long wait for Steve's return worthwhile. And ah, that last page...
If you're any kind of fan of Captain America, this series is highly recommended.
Grade: A
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