Broken Frontier

Writer Ed Brubaker has been synonymous with the character of Steve Rogers for over six years now, having written him in over sixty issues of Captain America as well as various other miniseries and specials. Brubaker has defined Cap for this generation, through and beyond death, now into the latest chapter of his life. Rogers is no longer Captain America, but he still has a mission and the will to see it through.

Steve Rogers: Super Soldier #1 is a new path for the character, and at the same time, a return to form for him. In the early issues of Brubaker’s run, the tone of Captain America was that of a superhero espionage story. Cap was both a team player and lone wolf, deciding what he needed to get done on his own and what missions needed back up. He would venture out in disguise or lurk in the shadows like a special ops member, not always leading with his shield. It most definitely had a foot in the same pool that birthed early adventures of superspy, Nick Fury. The irony is not lost on me that Rogers now holds Fury’s old position as the world’s “Top Cop” (I dislike that term, but that’s what they say). It’s almost as if this was always the plan and most definitely has been an organic progression of the character.

The writer crafts a story that exclusively belongs to Rogers and his past. When a scientist with direct ties to his origins is purportedly selling a super soldier formula, it’s up to Steve to get to the bottom of it, and keep the formula from getting into the wrong hands, all while trying to prevent any international incident. His job hasn’t gotten any easier since retiring the stars and stripes accented uniform.

Supporting Brubaker on this mission is artist Dale Eaglesham, fresh off his stint with Jonathan Hickman on Fantastic Four. With Hickman, he was able to revitalize the look and feel of Marvel’s first family. Here, his muscular and All-American flavor sits very well with the story Brubaker is telling. It’s a smooth and archetypical style that captures Rogers’ wholesome nature, even while he’s kicking someone’s butt. The action scenes are beautiful with a great flow that never gets confusing. I’d be remiss not to mention the expressions and acting that Eaglesham attributes to the characters. There are scenes in this book that are so expressive, I wouldn’t be surprised if Brubaker toned back dialogue. The message is clear enough in the pencils, accentuated with Andy Troy’s colorfully realistic color palette.

Unclear if this is a miniseries or new ongoing, it’s a great start none the less. Steve is a wonderful character that doesn’t belong on any shelf, so I’m personally glad that they have new and exciting stories to tell about him. I’d also like to start a petition that whatever the print run of this book is, be it six issue mini or full on five year run, please keep this creative team intact. They are squarely responsible for the magic within and I look forward to seeing where they take Commander Rogers from here.

Also, bonus points are in order for including Pete Wisdom in the story. Makes me miss Captain Britain and MI:13 even more than I already do. Please, make him a recurring character whenever you can. The dynamic between him and Steve is more fun and fresher than could have been expected in theory.