Best Captain America stories

Other than Brubaker's run what do you feel are the best Cap stories...today's trailer got me in the mood for some Cap

I was thinking the same thing, hahaha.

Unfortunately, I'm no Captain America expect, so I can't help with your question.

yeah I've been reading Marvel pretty much my entire adult life and the only one I can think of is the Brubaker run

The Marvels Project is a really good book and one that I feel is underrated. It is written by Ed Brubaker, but I don't know if I would consider it part of his "Captain America run" as it's a pretty self-contained story and really doesn't have anything to do with his run other than that it has Captain America in it. It's focus is more on the Golden Age characters from Marvel's Timely Comics days, but gives them a more modern origin (for that time period) and shows the introductions of superheroes in the Marvel Universe, including Cap's origin.

@danhimself: I haven't even read that haha. I've mostly been a Spider-Man only reader from Marvel. I've only just recently in the last couple years started to explore other titles (thanks mostly in part to the movies).

So I guess I'll start with Brubaker's run :P.

I would like to point out that the first issue of Living Legend was pretty awesome

@danhimself: Rick Remender's current run is actually quite good. Wacky, sci-fi stuff that was inspired by the 70s/80s Kirby stuff.

But if you want one complete 5-issue story arc to satisfy your Cap craving, then I'd suggest Captain America: Man Out of Time by Mark Waid. Waid has been known to be a great writer for Cap, really understanding the character, though he's never been on the title for more than a few story arcs.

Man Out of Time is a more character driven story, focusing on Cap adjusting to the times. It's a good piece to accompany the Winter Soldier trailer as that's an important angle the films seem to be addressing with Steve - his adjustment to the modern times.

My exact thoughts after seeing the trailer. I'm hoping we get a Cap expert on here so he or she can divulge great stories. I really want to reread The Winter Soldier arc now though

@danhimself: I liked LL as well. Have you read any of Remender's current run? I've enjoyed it so far

@peppeyhare: yeah I've been reading it and enjoying it as well

I'd also say the Ultimates Volumes 1 and 2 are good reads.

Good reads but paint Cap in a horrible picture.

@arturocalakayvee: It paints Cap more like your Granpa then the uber PC mother Theresa type of 616 fame, but I don't think it paints him bad. Sure he isn't as nice a guy as our Steve, but he is a good guy.

@risingbean: To be honest, I like the uber PC Mother Theresa type we get in the 616 verse. I mean, yeah, Cap eventually changes into a better man as the Ultimate U goes on but originally he was a total d!ck. Didn't he try to steal Janet from Hank?

I didn't read all of the Ultimates but I agree with this ^

The real Steve Rogers is where it's at. Once again, Man Out of Time by Mark Waid. That's a great exploration of who Cap is and what makes him so great.

@arturocalakayvee: I don't think he tried to steal her. After Hank beat and nearly killed her, Steve played white knight and put Hank in traction. Janet split from Hank and Steve and Janet got together. The only thing that makes it look hinky is that during the verbal fight that took place before the physical, Hank said that the newspapers had a picture of Janet with her tongue down Steve's throat.

It's never brought up again and no picture is actually shown. So whether something was fabricated that Hank fell for, or if it happened we can't discern. Hell maybe it never happened and he was being irrational? I dunno. I just know he beat Jan into a hospital stay and Steve returned that favor.

While I really do like PC Steve, I feel that Ult version is cool in his own right. And I think the Ultimates 1-2 would fit for anybody pumping themselves up on Captain America.

@extremis: Sure, read 616 but for blockbuster type action concerning Cap, The Ultimates is a nice piece of Cap centric work.

theres plenty of "blockbuster" real Cap too though. Ultimates seems pretty cool from what I've already read but real Cap is still better.

@extremis: It all comes down to personal preference. I'm a big fan of the Ultimate U so I figured I'd let OP know that Ultimates is a worthy read.

@risingbean: gotcha, I wasn't trying to invalidate what you said just stating my opinion too

@extremis: Oh it's all good. I'm a fan of both U's so selling 616 is no problem.

Co-sign Man out of Time, and the Marvels Project as well. I think Brubaker's run as a whole is a superb introduction for newer readers - and the Death of Captain America trilogy (if you haven't read it) is a masterpiece. Beyond Brubaker, I'd also recommend some of the older stuff like Mark Waid's Captain America: Operation Rebirth, and the Englehart/Gruenwald runs. And of course there are some great Avengers stories like Kurt Busiek's run and the Under Siege storyline.

As for the matter of Ultimate Cap, I would thoroughly recommend Ultimates 1/Ultimates 2 (Avoid 3 unless you're some kind of kinky S&M masochist). Ultimate Captain America is a more 'practical' take on 616 Cap, and he's more like how Cap would be, had he really been a grunt from the 40s. He's more soldier than superhero, and while he does have a tendency to rely on his fists to solve problems, he ultimately has a good heart. Ult. Cap also has a lot of badass moments.

1) winter solider

2) rest of brubakers run

3) man out of time

4) operation rebirtth

5) brubakers year-ish cap run (1-18 I think)

6) remenders run

7) captain America no more

Anything from golden age is pretty fun if u want some outdated war propaganda stuff.

There are several golden/silver age "best of" omnibus's. I recommend those!

Hope that gets you started.