Captain America: Sam Wilson #5 - A Review

Sam Wilson's in the clutches of Serpent Solutions!  Misty Knight is on the case but even she's hard pressed to save Captain America in the nick of time now! Thankfully, help is coming form on high, in the form of a victim turned hero, who has unwittingly formed a special bond with Sam Wilson. Could a new Falcon be taking wing?  Perhaps... if he can survive the night.


I've praised Nick Spencer as a writer of comedy and political commentary before. This issue includes plenty of both (I particularly love Viper's speech about how a background in advertising is a natural fit for organized villainy) but it also showcases Spencer's talent for economy of storytelling.

There's several subplots going on in the background, ranging from Joaquin Torres's spirited retelling his life's story (which just so happens to give us a recap of the series so far) to the mostly silent flashback depicting Diamondback's downfall and return to supervillainy. Both are gripping tales for different reasons and the whole issue is a wonderful read.


The artwork by Paul Renaud and Romulo Fajardo perfectly matches the script, beat for beat. The action flows smoothly from panel to panel, even as it switches between multiple scenes. The action is well choreographed and the colors are well chosen.

Sam Wilson: Captain America #3 - A Review

Captain America is on the trail of Dr. Malus - one of many mad scientists using captured refugees fleeing to America as test subjects for their twisted experiments! But Malus is cannier than most and had a trap set for any heroes who came after him. Now Sam Wilson has become another of the bad doctor's experiments... and The Cap-Wolf has returned!

After two mostly serious issues dealing with current events, Nick Spencer delivers a story more in line with his usual comedic flair. Spencer revels in the lunacy of the Marvel Universe like few other writers and the humor takes center-stage this time around. After all, if you can't laugh at a flying werewolf Captain America, what can you laugh at?

Daniel Acuna does his usual fantastic job on the artwork, with an assist from Mike Choi this time around. Acuna's style is well suited to the stories Spencer crafts, being gritty and rough in design yet brightly colored.  Symbolically, it's as if the hope and idealism of America is shining through into the dark world that Sam Wilson inhabits.

Sam Wilson: Captain America #2 - A Review

Sam Wilson's never been one to turn away from a fight but he may be taking on more than he can handle as the new Captain America. From publicly opposing SHIELD's reported plan to use Cosmic Cube fragments to secretly alter reality to protecting illegal immigrants from human traffickers, Sam's been stirring up controversy in the press with his every action. But when he backs the work of a secretive whistle-blower known as The Whisperer, Sam will find himself fighting the man he respects most in the world - Steve Rogers!


You can say this for Nick Spencer - he is not one to shy away from controversy. Though his script is filled with metaphorically equivalencies, his real-world targets are clear. To Spencer's credit, he does not stand upon a soapbox but does allow for some reasoned discussion of differing viewpoints. Of particular note is the discussion between Sam and Steve Rogers, where Sam argues that sometimes you have to work outside the system to do the right thing while Steve argues that one still has to be held accountable to the laws regarding exposing corruption within a system.


Whatever your opinions on the story itself or the politics involved, it cannot be denied that the artwork is top-notch. Daniel Acuna draws some powerful figures. And his colors, mostly a variety of reds, white and blues, subtly reinforce the visual theme of the series.