Rorschach Reviews: Captain America 4 Marvel NOW!

Rorschach Reviews

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Comic book: Captain America 4 Marvel NOW!

Creative team: Writer-Rick Remender
                         Art-John Romita Jr. and Klaus Janson 
                         Colors-Dean White

Release date: 20th February 2013

Score: 7/10

Pros:-Once again Remender explores some interesting aspects of Steve's childhood. 
        -The visuals of dimension Z are rendered stunningly
        -Remender also add really good emotional beats to the story. 

Cons:-Romita's art seems a little off in the close up and facial scenes. He draws all faces too similar and if it were not for the beard, Steve would look like a blonde Ian. 
         -There is not much action upsetting the casual reader
          

Main events: It's eleven years later, Steve has been training Zola's child in a mirror image of his and Bucky's past adventures, Steve admits there are bad and good sides to the child, They are hunting for the tribe which they are a part of, He claims that Ian (the boy) is now his son, They come across a mutate outpost, Ian kills his first mutate with a gun, Steve finds a map of Zolandia and a way out, The Zola controlled scree attached to Steve shows what happened to Ian's true mother, it's 1933 Steve is trying to save his sick mother, she is amnesiac and has some disease, the landlord is pressurizing Steve for money, Steve begs his bullies for help, He ends up stealing from a medical store, The bullies commend Steve on his guile claiming him to be a soon to be Gangster, Steve pays off the rent lying to his mom of a new job, The mother knowing the truth tells him to think about how he has to be honest and good unlike his father, Steve confesses to the store owner and begins to work it off at the store, In the present Steve shows Ian the Zola screen attached to his torso, Ian discovers the truth that Zola is his father, Zola's daughter Jet Black vows to save her brother and finish Captain America 

Best Quote: "Your father let his circumstances change him from a good man to a weak one. You promise me you'll never do the same, Steve. You promise me no matter what you'll be a good and honorable man, no matter the circumstances. It would kill me to see these hard times change you. You're a good person Steve, promise me you'll always keep that intact."-Steve's Mother, after Steve had stolen medicine and money to save them. 

Best Panel: Both Steve and Ian race to catch their food. Jumping together, the full body panel reminds readers of Captain America and Bucky together in WW2. Steve thinks his lucky to have come to Dimension Z, since he would not have met his son (Ian) if he hadn't. While Ian calls Steve pop asking him how the Shield is used. 

Remender and Romita leap forward a whooping eleven years after the startling last page revelation in the previous issue (Spoiler Warning: There is a screen with a Zola virus attached to Cap's torso). In these past years, Steve and Ian (Zola's boy) have become a part of the escaped mutates tribe. Steve has been teaching Ian his tricks making him an image of his former sidekicks mostly Bucky. It is fun to see the partnership between the two, there is a sense of urgency and foreboding concerning Ian's attitude. He is brash, arrogant and sarcastic yet loyal and honorable as Captain America notes. The relationship of father and son allows layers of characterization to Steve Rogers. Including his current condition, Steve goes through the emotional wreck of having telling Ian about his real father as well as the link with Zola making him find out about Ian's mother's condition and torture by Zola.

Using the affected mind of Steve through Zola's actions, Remender once again develops the past of a younger Rogers. Rogers in desperation to save his mother from sickness and prevent from becoming homeless is forced to steal, this shows a side of Rogers that is very unorthodox. It presents that even the honorable and essentially good man has had some pitfalls. In turn Remender thus makes Steve's mother his moral compass in a poverty ridden America soon to go to war. It's a great addition to Captain America's legend, and gives a fresh perspective to the character even after more than 7 decades. 

The art by Romita and Janson is spectacular in the long shots, the visuals of Dimension Z have been nothing but stunning since day one. The use of colors is sharply mixed creating a 60's psychedelic vibe, as mentioned a lot Remender harkens back to the early era of sci-fi Captain Americas adventures. While his writing reminds readers of the Jack Kirby way, he does not copy the style and instead creates his own identity among writers of this iconic character. 

The major problem with the book lies in Romita's close up shot and anatomical drawings, his style of drawing figures have become a little inconsistent. The faces all look the same and without certain changes such as a beard it is hard to decipher between characters. 

This is one of the low key and underrated books coming out of the Marvel NOW! initiative. Remender who has been a little out of the view due to the slow shipping schedule of Uncanny Avengers and the underwhelming (in art especially it's misleading cover) but underrated Captain America hopefully get's the limelight if not through as stronger push in the current books, then with hopefully another core book. Even then Captain America is enjoyable and a superbly going book.

'Nuff Said

Aneesh Raikundalia