Captain America #26

This issue has actually surpassed all my expectations. How can a book be this good when the title hero is dead? I even think that I found this single issue more satisfying then all three Fallen Son issues so far. How Falcon, Sharon Carter and the Winter Soldier are dealing with the death of Steve Rogers is far more interesting then anything that's going on in Fallen Son. It doesn't mean Fallen Son isn't any good... it just means that this issue is far better.

Everyone thought that Winter Soldier would simply be the next Captain America and that would be that. Ed Brubaker shows us in this issue that he has much bigger plans for this book then simply replacing Steve Rogers, and he's doing anything but position Winter Soldier to replace him (at least right now). The road that Cap's former partner is about to take is a very interesting one that could lead him in several different directions, and I can't wait to see what happens.

Brubaker also shows us that just because Steve Rogers is dead, it doesn't mean all his plot threads leading up to it die with him. It's become much more clear that the death in question was part of Brubaker's larger plot and not just a publicity stunt on Marvel's part. I have no idea where everything is going to lead with the Red Skull, Sharon Carter, Winter Soldier, ect... but "The Bru" is managing to write a great story with all these characters and it doesn't get confusing one bit. Where will this current story arc leave the Captain America title? I have no idea, but if this issue is any indication of how good it's going to be, I'm staying on it for the ride.