With the release of Captain America: Brave New World in nine days, Marvel’s sentinel of liberty is at the forefront of many people’s minds. But not everyone can be caught up with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so some may be asking, “Isn’t that guy with the wings Falcon? I thought some blonde dude named Steve was Captain America…?” Well, worry not, dear reader: Captain America For Dummies is here to answer those questions and many more.
Writer Stuart Moore breaks Captain America’s world down into sections that deal with Cap’s origins, his allies and enemies, the meaning of Captain America, his greatest stories, and suggestions on what to read next. He makes it easy to catch up on everything Cap that’s happened since the 1940s.
Being pretty familiar with both current Captains America, I went into this book thinking there wasn’t too much I didn’t know about. Although I knew a lot of what was within, there were still some things that surprised me. Did you know that Steve Rogers once considered working as a police officer? Or that his origin has changed over time? Me neither. Moore does a good job at explaining how comics stories can progressively evolve either by changing things outright or new creative teams adding their own wrinkles to the story.
Besides detailing Bucky Barnes (The Winter Soldier) and Sam Wilson (previously The Falcon, now Captain America), Moore tells us about other sidekicks Cap has had through the years. There was a second Bucky named Rick Jones. There’s also Rikki Barnes, a “Bucky” from the 1990s comics who is from an alternate reality where her grandfather was never brainwashed into The Winter Soldier (but also because that story hadn’t been written yet).
Moore also goes into the many loves of Steve Rogers throughout the years. I had no idea that he had a romantic interest before Peggy Carter. Betsy Ross was her name and she eventually married a replacement Captain America (Jeffrey Mace). There are also his relationships with Peggy and her great-niece Sharon. Is it kind of weird if you think about it for more than a second? Sure, but sometimes comics are weird. Thankfully it seems Steve and Sharon are the couple that have endured and will remain together. But don’t forget that one time where Steve dated a former supervillain named Diamondback!
It’s no surprise that Cap’s number one foe Red Skull takes up most of the real estate in the villains chapter. The man with the crimson cranium has been trying (and failing) with dastardly plots since the 1940s after all. We even learn about a second Red Skull that popped up during the 1950s, Baron Zemo, Arnim Zola, M.O.D.O.K., The Serpent Society, and others.
One of my favorite sections of the book is where Moore talks about the others who’ve carried the shield in Steve’s stead. Sam Wilson is obviously the biggest one but Bucky and even a hero that went by the name of Spirit of ’76 also wielded it. Thankfully, Moore also details Isaiah Bradley and how he was experimented on and wronged. You also learn that Clint Barton (Hawkeye) was once considered as a replacement for Steve when he died – don’t worry, he got better (comics!). There’s also mention of one of my favorite alternate future Caps, Danielle Cage, the daughter of Luke Cage and Jessica Jones.
Moore goes on to explore the ideas Captain America fights for and against. He details Steve fighting Nazis, questioning authority during the Watergate era, and how both Steve and Sam are fighting the rise of fascism in the U.S. yet again – if you can count on something, it’s that Captain America stays relevant to the times. One bit I liked was how Moore details the beliefs of both Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson in their roles as Captain America. Steve believes in the inherent goodness of the U.S. winning out in the end, while Sam can only hope the country does the right thing and fights for its right to do so.
Closing out the book, Moore has some great suggestions on reading material should you wonder where to go next. He goes through Cap’s greatest battles while also providing issue numbers while also suggesting reading material for those more familiar with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Readers also get a list of ten times Cap wasn’t Cap – with entries of when Steve went by Nomad, when he was turned into a werewolf, and the zombified Colonel America from Marvel Zombies.
Although this book is a good resource, it wasn’t without some issues. There’s a part that talks about Steve’s relationship with Wolverine and mentions that his claws and spine are coated in Adamantium (not his whole skeleton, only his spine). There’s also mention of Red Skull’s minions causing the death of Bucky when it was Baron Zemo. And yes, I know I only caught those small things because I know better. One larger issue was that I wanted more Sam Wilson. Sure, Steve Rogers has been Captain America for over 80 years at this point – he should have a large swath of this book. But Sam has also been Cap for over a decade now – shouldn’t we learn some more about his loves/villains/exploits? How he has his own shield now? How this isn’t the first time he became Captain America? I really could’ve used more detail in regard to Sam before and after picking up the shield – especially since he has a movie about to drop.
I started reading Captain America comics 17 years ago with Brubaker’s legendary run and haven’t stopped. After all these years, this book still shed some light on things that I didn’t know. What it lacks in detail for some things, Captain America For Dummies makes up for it by cramming 80+ years of comics history into one easily digestible volume. Do you have a Captain America fan in your life or someone that’s Cap-curious? This is the book for them.
