“Comic numbering used to be so much easier to follow. What happened, Jack?”
Captain America #4
Marvel (April, 2005; from the ComiXology digital trade Captain America: Winter Soldier Ultimate Collection)
“Out Of Time” part 4
WRITER: Ed Brubaker
ARTISTS: Steve Epting & Michael Lark
COLORIST: Frank D’Armata
LETTERER: Randy Gentile
ASSISTANT EDITORS: Nicole Wiley, Molly Lazer, and Andy Schmidt
EDITOR: Tom Brevoort
Sharon is sent to track down Jack Monroe when they find the weapon that killed Red Skull and his fingerprints are on it. Meanwhile, Captain America is sent to Arlington because two former replacement Captains America, previously the Spirit of 76 and the first Patriot, had their gravestones smashed, but not Bucky’s. On his way back from the cemetery he’s attacked by Crossbones but he’s distracted by more false memories. Upset that Cap isn’t on his game after a Russian (who is planning to take over Roxxon) told him where to find the hero and insisting he didn’t attack any gravestones, he leaves a banged-up Cap in the middle of the road. Back with Sharon she finds Monroe’s corpse just before someone knocks him out could.
What they got right: Brubaker is leaning into Captain America lore by including other patriotic superheroes of the Marvel/Atlas/Timely comics of the past. and their connection to Captain America. And he’s doing so without needing to have read any of the comics from that time period. Those who think a longtime continuity is hard for new readers to follow, you just have to do it right. I didn’t know about a lot of this history before now and you get what you need to follow along without being bogged down with history the reader isn’t aware of. I didn’t feel lost in these discussions at all.
What they got wrong: I hope all these piling mysteries are going to be resolved in a satisfying manner by the time this arc is done. I’m also assuming, based on the collection its in, that there are ties to Bucky and the Winter Soldier. Reading once a week is making it a pain to keep track of them all, so I can only imagine what it was like when you had to go four weeks before the next chapter.
What I think overall: I’m kind of neutral towards this issue, but piling mysteries has never really been my kind of storytelling. I’m hoping for a resolution soon.
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