Getting To Know Something Better Through Its Absence

I just finished reading Captain America # 26, by Brubaker, Epting and Perkins, the first issue after the Big Death Story. There've been some so-so one-shots since the previous, history-making 25th edition in this series, but none of them were written by Ed Brubaker. To say that those one-offs were disappointing would be putting it mildly (filler, or fluff, would be other names for them). Finally, almost three months after Cap made the news for all the wrong reasons, we get our first glimpse of how Bru plans to carry on a title whose lead character is now pushing up daisies.

By the end of the first page - shown here - I was already sucked right back into the magic that's existed in this title since it re-launched a couple years ago. Sure, the "Death of..." angle is what filled the air-time in March, and is the reason people were seeking out the previous issue like it was printed on sheets of gold. But the real appeal, for those of us who care about more than sensationalism and topics du jour, lies in the incredible characterizations that've been a staple of Captain America all through its current run. This issue brought it all back to that, as we got to see how Sharon Carter, Sam "Falcon" Wilson, the still-on-the-lam New Avengers, and Bucky "Winter Soldier" Barnes are all dealing with the loss of America's greatest hero. To them, he's all that and more, as boyfriend, best friend, beloved teammate, and former mentor.

And we also get to see more of Tony Stark's hypocrisy, as he espouses a remorse at how things turned out that's clearly not in line with his actions, which are more those of a winner who's on top of the world.

I remember how good the various Superman titles were, immediately following Superman's death in 1992, and how I could hardly wait for each new issue to come out. That was probably my favourite Superman period, even though it settled back into mediocrity pretty quickly after his return. The key difference here is that Cap had a great title before they killed him, full of three dimensional characters, both good and evil, surprises aplenty, and treats for the eye, each and every month. And not one bit of its allure has been lost - so far - by his absence. If anything, we're getting schooled even better in the moral strength of the character, through the reactions to his death by those closest to him. I still expect Steve Rogers will be back among the living before too many more Stanley Cup winners have been decided, but even if that happens: it's going to a triumphant return, if Ed Brubaker's involved. And I plan to enjoy the ride immensely, in the meantime.