All-New Captain America #5

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undeadpool

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Edited By undeadpool

The Good

Comics of any stripe have always been a mirror into which society peers. Even when they were squarely aimed at children, it didn’t take much to see what they were really trying to say to a wider audience, and that continues to be true today. This issue opens with a brief flashback of Sam Wilson overhearing a rather verbose criticism of his new role as Captain America and while it could come off as ham-fisted, the sad truth is that with a lot of the rhetoric that gets thrown around, it’s actually one of the more civil versions of the critique. This is actually a great indicator that Rick Remender has not only heard these points, but hasn’t merely dismissed them out of hand. They’re dismissed, don’t mistake, but they’re dismissed in a way that attacks the argument rather than the arguer as we flash back forward to Wilson’s struggle against Zemo. And just when all hope seems lost, we get perhaps the most unexpected return of them all AND a display of Cap’s powers used to an extent they never had been before. Much like Aquaman, there’s an impetus for Wilson to prove himself and prove that his powers are more than just the punchline to every “lame superpowers” list. We also get an absolute emotional punch to the gut by issue’s end and the notion that things just became a great deal more personal for the man formerly known as the Falcon.

Stuart Immonen continues to be an absolute force on pencils, giving us action that feels more like we’re blinking in the midst of a very brutal fight than a series of still images on paper. The blocking is especially impressive and gives both a sense of place and flow to the events as well as grounding what is a very fantastical story with a dense, emotional core that keeps things relatable. Another massive factor in that are the inks of Wade Von Grawbadger, which calcify Immonen’s visuals into a cohesive, coherent and massively impactful issue. The use of shadows in particular makes the issue feel both vibrant and grim, making sure it never descends into being overly dark, and the colors of Marte Gracia are a huge part of it. There’s a depth to his palette that makes it suited for a diverse tone of books, and this issue in particular goes through a LOT of tonal shifts, all of them organic.

The Bad

There are couple of times when it feels like Cap needs to get his priorities more in line with the immediacy of certain situations. It got him in trouble last issue and it gets him in trouble again in this issue in the exact same way.

We also get a storyline extension in the form of a contingency plan that, quite frankly, sounds like it either should have been the initial plan or at least a PART of the initial plan, making it feel a bit tacked on.

The Verdict

It’s hard to believe this is only issue 5 as this story, and the characters in it, already feel so developed and evolved. Remender’s done a fantastic job of writing memorable, stand-out moments and characters and the artists have rendered them fantastically as well, and this issue’s no exception. The plotline veers into coincidence and luck a little more than is probably healthy, but that hardly ruins what has been an intense, roughneck, deeply satisfying issue.

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CurrentThor2015

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Really liked this issue, and yes, Sam's power really fixed the situation that nobody else could have really solved which was great.

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staypuffed

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Cannot wait to read it!

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jonsolo7

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Loved seeing Ian return, I was really starting to hate Remender for killing him off like that.

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LiveForever

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#4  Edited By LiveForever

Stuart Immonen's art mixed with Rick Remender's writing is the surest example of lipstick on a pig that I can think of.

Just what we need. Another character that's as unkillable as Wolverine.

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capelibra

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I was all set to dislike the change in direction that came with making Sam Cap (especially since I just recently started reading Steve's storylines with in regularity). But this is one of the few titles I anxiously look forward to each month. I echo Corey's sentiment (BTW Corey, love your reviews!)...I can't believe we're only 5 issues in. This story's so robust (and the art...my god!) it feels like I've been reading it much longer.

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gunswordfist_

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So Cap really is black now? I have not been keeping up.

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eamon542000

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Happy to see Baron Blood here!

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Zearing

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#9  Edited By Zearing

So Cap really is black now? I have not been keeping up.

Yes, Falcon took over the mantle of Captain America after Steve Rodgers was depowered.

I still think of him as Captain Falcon in my head, but he is Cap now.

Anyway, I liked the issue, and can't wait to read the next one.

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sasquatch888

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so is sam a mutant or not? ...I remember when I was young falcon had a limited series and he fought a sentinel that identified him as a mutant I think...how does he control birds?

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DrellAssassin

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This continues to be an outstanding book. The focus on fleshing out Sam's character has been great, and I can't wait to see where it goes next.

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marcohtx

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#12  Edited By marcohtx

That conversation between father and son mirrors the real world so much. You have the older fan, who doesn't like change, and is used to things the way he knows it, and then you have a kid who is perfectly okay with it, and justifies Sam as being Steve's longtime partner, and the most qualified to take the mantle. I'm still annoyed that people think that whenever a black character gets a push, that its only for political correctness, and not because he may be be a big fit. But eventually, it wont be such a big deal in the future. I still need Sam to be able to show some lightness, and not always be broody though. I still love that damn suit.

RIP Redwing

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Kreniigh

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#14  Edited By Kreniigh

As someone who likes having heroes put through a wringer, I'm a fan of Remender's stuff, but ultimately it's going to lose impact if they keep bouncing back from massive injury like this.

No, not Ian, but Sam, who's fighting pretty well in the last half of the book for someone with a pierced lung and hands sliced to the bone. His costume healed, too, apparently.