Captain America #697
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Chris Samnee
Publisher: Marvel
Mark Waid and Chris Samnee have done a masterful job of portraying just who Captain America is and what he represents. While previous issues have focused on Captain America the legend, this one has focused on Captain America the soldier. Like the last two, this issue works as a standalone story but unlike the other issues, this one ends with a cliffhanger leading to an exciting new arc.
Kraven make his appearance as the villain this issue. We are introduced to the typical “man is the most dangerous game” type scenario but with a little twist. Kraven manages to drug Steve and drop him in the middle of a jungle but the twist is that he’s not the prey; instead, a normal guy from Virginia Tech is stuck there with him. The jungle is booby trapped and Steve has to make it out of the jungle while keeping average Joe safe. The beginning of the hunt is great and perfectly captures just what kind of person Steve is. Kraven gives his usual spiel. Steve counters with unwavering courage but when he hears the screams for help and asks who it is; Kraven responds with does it matter? The answer is no and immediately, we see Steve jump out the window without a doubt in his mind on what to do next.
For the rest of the issue we see Captain America fight leopards, disarm land mines and evade snakes. It’s a lot of fun and throughout we see Steve ordering around the average Joe to help get him out of the jungle. It really illustrated how great of a leader Steve is. He was always barking orders and knew exactly what to do in any scenario.
Samnee absolutely delivered on the art side of this issue. The way he portrays Captain America is what works to really sell the story and set the lighthearted tone. Without him, this series would not have been able to accomplish what it’s done so far. The ending has me really excited. While I had a lot of fun reading these standalone issues, I can’t wait to see this creative team tackle a more long form arc.
Artist: Chris Samnee
Publisher: Marvel
Mark Waid and Chris Samnee have done a masterful job of portraying just who Captain America is and what he represents. While previous issues have focused on Captain America the legend, this one has focused on Captain America the soldier. Like the last two, this issue works as a standalone story but unlike the other issues, this one ends with a cliffhanger leading to an exciting new arc.
Kraven make his appearance as the villain this issue. We are introduced to the typical “man is the most dangerous game” type scenario but with a little twist. Kraven manages to drug Steve and drop him in the middle of a jungle but the twist is that he’s not the prey; instead, a normal guy from Virginia Tech is stuck there with him. The jungle is booby trapped and Steve has to make it out of the jungle while keeping average Joe safe. The beginning of the hunt is great and perfectly captures just what kind of person Steve is. Kraven gives his usual spiel. Steve counters with unwavering courage but when he hears the screams for help and asks who it is; Kraven responds with does it matter? The answer is no and immediately, we see Steve jump out the window without a doubt in his mind on what to do next.
For the rest of the issue we see Captain America fight leopards, disarm land mines and evade snakes. It’s a lot of fun and throughout we see Steve ordering around the average Joe to help get him out of the jungle. It really illustrated how great of a leader Steve is. He was always barking orders and knew exactly what to do in any scenario.
Samnee absolutely delivered on the art side of this issue. The way he portrays Captain America is what works to really sell the story and set the lighthearted tone. Without him, this series would not have been able to accomplish what it’s done so far. The ending has me really excited. While I had a lot of fun reading these standalone issues, I can’t wait to see this creative team tackle a more long form arc.
A Look Inside
