Giant Size 6: Not Just a Boy Scout is truly "giant-size". It's our longest episode yet, and the longest we'll ever do (hold me to this, internet). I didn't split it because it's just that good.
It also features an excerpted interview with Rick Remender, who saved my ass at the last minute when I had trouble getting my intended/planned/booked guest.
Amazon links support the show, ESN, and paying my newly-acquired mortgage. All prices current as of this posting.
To my amazement, I found that almost every single issue of Cap recommended this week is available on Marvel Unlimited! We're working on joining the affiliate program for Marvel Unlimited, so try the trial for now, and watch the Twitter feed for our referral URL.
When possible, support great Local Comic Shops by ordering and shopping with them.
FULL STORYLINES
The Winter Soldier
Ed Brubaker/Steve Epting
available on Marvel Unlimited
v5 #1-9, 11-14
ComiXology: book 1 ($13), book 2 ($11) | Kindle: book 1 ($10), book 2 ($9)
Amazon: Ultimate TPB ($14), Hardcover ($22)
The most-visible chunk of Ed Brubaker's astonishingly great run on Captain America. Ed Brubaker's entire eight-year term on Cap is an amazing achievement to denote in Wikipedia articles, but it's also a really great way to immerse yourself in the character.
Marvel NOW! Captain America by Rick Remender
#1-12 available on Marvel Unlimited as of posting
Vol.1: Castaway in Dimension Z, Book 1
v7 #1-5
ComiXology: bundle ($9) | Kindle ($4, adds #6) | Amazon: Hardcover ($18)
Vol. 2: Castaway in Dimension Z, Book 2
v7 #6-10
ComiXology: bundle ($9) | Amazon: Hardcover ($18)
Vol. 3: Loose Nuke
v7 #11-15
ComiXology: bundle ($20) | Amazon: Hardcover ($16, out 29 April 2014)
The current run, written by Rick Remender (interviewed on this episode), is really great, and benefits from reading in collected volumes, much like all the best runs on Cap. ComiXology single-issue pricing is $1.99 for issues 8 months old and older, and standard $3.99 at 8 months and newer. Marvel Unlimited now has the entire Dimension Z arc available.
Man Out of Time
Mark Waid/Jorge Molina
available on Marvel Unlimited
Captain America: Man Out of Time #1-5
ComiXology: bundle ($10.99) | Amazon: TPB ($15, includes Avengers #4)
Written recently by Mark Waid, this is the best origin story to go with. Like his Superman: Birthright (which we discussed way back in an All-New Comic Shack that is soon-to-be-"reprinted" in this feed -Meddlin' Moisés), some of its best parts have been used in the recent movie, but as a read, it's clean, potent, and utterly magnificent.
Jack Kirby in the 70's
available on Marvel Unlimited
ComiXology: individual issues $1.99 each ($16 for Madbomb, $50 for all)
Madbomb
Captain America v1 #193-200
Amazon: TPB ($16)
Complete Run
Captain America v1 #193-214, Annual #3-4, Captain America's Bicentennial Battles
Amazon: Omnibus Hardcover ($50)
Kirby's run was best remembered as kinda weird, but more goofy and "comicbooky" than anything. The art is iconic, and absolutely gorgeous. Comics Alliance does some of the few comics listicles I really enjoy. They did one about Jack Kirby's entire run, which features the creation of Arnim Zola.
War and Remembrance
Roger Stern/John Byrne, Joe Rubinstein
available on Marvel Unlimited
Captain America v1 #247-255
ComiXology: not available | Amazon: Hardcover (from $7)
The Stern/Byrne run, collected in one volume, found all kinds of crazy stuff packed into 7 issues: Batroc the Leaper, all the Barons but Zemo, Cap drafted to run for President, and much, much more. Another milestone hit when "extremely handsome" Steve (Amanda's words) starts to date "the glass-blowing, future lawyer Jewess" (again Amanda) Bernie Rosenthal, who has always been a total dish (Moisés's assessment). The hardcover lists a 224 page count. The TPB? 208 pages. Amazon doesn't mention the difference, and both allegedly collect the same issues.
The Captain
Mark Gruenwald/Tom Morgan/Kieron Dwyer
available on Marvel Unlimited
v1 #332-350, Iron Man #228
ComiXology: not available | Amazon: TPB ($27)
The U.S. government claims a trademark over the persona of "Captain America", so rather than become their lackey, Steve adopts the black-suited, titular identity of The Captain. John said this could be considered the inception of the modern trend of "screw you, I'm gonna go get a black costume!", aka The Azrael Effect.
Jim Steranko's Captain America
available on Marvel Unlimited
v1 #110, 111, 113
ComiXology: single issues ($1.99 each, $6 total) | Amazon: Masterworks Vol.3 TPB (#101-113, $20)
Steranko's visuals redefined sequential panel work, and is a good chunk of the reason he was brought over from Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. to pitch in for a few issues. Brad says this art is a good chunk of why he became an animator. Amanda says it should be considered more iconic than it is. As of posting, the Masterworks TPB reprint drops on 13 May 2014, so pre-order it!
Giant Size does not support Captain America's troubling obsession with shark-punching.
The Bloodstone Hunt
Mark Gruenwald/Kieron Dwyer
available on Marvel Unlimited
v1 #357-364
ComiXology: not available | Amazon: TPB ($17)
This is a pulpy action-adventure that finds Cap searching for a monster-controlling magic gem, punching monsters and baddies along the way.
CROSSOVERS
Secret Wars
Jim Shooter/Michael Zeck
available on Marvel Unlimited
ComiXology: bundle ($19.99) | Kindle: ($10) | Amazon: TPB ($26)
A Marvel Comics crossover that is very near and dear to John, which finds a bunch of heroes fighting someone else's war. In a weird way, this is an unintended precursor to the world of Private Military Contractors who make up most of the troops in any "first world" war these days. It's from the era before crossovers started numbing brains.
Infinity Gauntlet
Jim Starlin/George Pérez & Ron Lim
available on Marvel Unlimited
ComiXology: bundle ($10.99) | Kindle: ($9) | Amazon: TPB ($14)
Moisés's first-ever comics crossover, like Secret Wars, featured a cast chock full of heroes and gave a healthy amount of focus on Cap. Read the whole thing, not just issues #3 and #6.
SINGLE ISSUES
Captain America v1 #395 "The House That Dripped...Dough?!"
available on Marvel Unlimited
Beware the power of...Doughboy!
Uncanny X-Men #268
available on Marvel Unlimited
This Claremont/Lee-era X-tale has Cap hanging out with Black Widow and Wolverine together again with Cap...for the first time.
Cable and Deadpool #25
available on Marvel Unlimited
Undercover agent "Roger Stevens" spies on Cable and paints murals!
TV, MOVIES, and GAMES
Captain America and Captain America II: Death Too Soon TV movies (1979)
trailer | unavailable for sale
Brad loved these shield-attached-to-a-motorcycle, FLAG-steroid-juicing TV productions and the toys of the era.
Captain America and the Avengers on Nintendo and Super Nintendo
Wrong or right, Moisés also loved these games, which hewed so close to the genre they were plastered over. The NES one was a weird choice in that it was basically a ripoff of Contra (jungles, floating platforms, and "shooting" stationary "boxes" for "items". The SNES one was basically Generic Side-Scrolling Beat-Up Game.
direct capture from the Blu-ray
Captain America (1990, trailer)
Blu-ray ($10)
Directed by Albert Pyun and starring Matt Salinger, son of JD Salinger. Yes, that JD Salinger. Worth it for curiosity/novelty value, and to see how truly far superhero movies have come in 20 years.
