What do you think?
Rate this book
Captain America (2012) (Collected Editions)
Captain America, Vol. 1: Castaway in Dimension Z, Book One
Thrust into a bizarre, inhospitable world far from home, the all-new, high-adventure, mind-melting, tough-as-nails, sci-fi, pulp-fantasy era of Captain America starts NOW! Arnim Zola’s ambitions leave Captain America stranded in the upside-down territory known as Dimension Z. With no country and no allies, what’s left for the Sentinel of Liberty to protect? Just the one thing his foe values most: Zola’s son! Steve has saved the boy’s life, but can he keep him alive against the savage barbarians of Phrox — with the fate of a world hinging on his victory? And when Zola’s terrible experiments on the indigenous creatures give birth to a terrible new foe, the Odd War of Dimension Z begins! No flesh escapes the Patchwork!
Collecting: Captain America 1-5
Collecting: Captain America 1-5
136 pages, Hardcover
First published July 2, 2013
32 people are currently reading
903 people want to read
About the author
Rick Remender
1,247 books1,426 followersRick Remender is an American comic book writer and artist who resides in Los Angeles, California. He is the writer/co-creator of many independent comic books like Black Science, Deadly Class, LOW, Fear Agent and Seven to Eternity. Previously, he wrote The Punisher, Uncanny X-Force, Captain America and Uncanny Avengers for Marvel Comics.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews
March 4, 2014
When Ed Brubaker ended his already legendary run on Captain America, replacing him on the title would have been a tall order if the new writer was other than Rick Remender.
Instead of aping Brubaker's cloak and dagger stories, Remender brought Cap back to his science fiction roots. It's a deconstruction really, of what makes Captain America. It's not the super-soldier serum or his trusty shield. Captain America has always been about the man; and in particular, Steve Rogers and his Depression-era childhood right smack in the middle in the immigrant slums of New York City. He never let his alcholic father, wretched poverty, abusive bullies or his sick mother deter him from being the man he wanted to be.
In stark contrast, the villain of this storyline, Arnim Zola was a polar opposite. Zola was a child of privilege and gifted with a keen scientific mind, but he chose to be a monster. One of his most awful and early mockery of life acts reminded me of a Full Metal Alchemist episode that concerns a scientist, his daughter, and his obsession with chimeras. That was a powerful episode that until now I have no words to express how I felt after watching it.
This title is underrated. Because really, people need to move on from Brubaker and give Remender a chance to tell his own story.
Instead of aping Brubaker's cloak and dagger stories, Remender brought Cap back to his science fiction roots. It's a deconstruction really, of what makes Captain America. It's not the super-soldier serum or his trusty shield. Captain America has always been about the man; and in particular, Steve Rogers and his Depression-era childhood right smack in the middle in the immigrant slums of New York City. He never let his alcholic father, wretched poverty, abusive bullies or his sick mother deter him from being the man he wanted to be.
In stark contrast, the villain of this storyline, Arnim Zola was a polar opposite. Zola was a child of privilege and gifted with a keen scientific mind, but he chose to be a monster. One of his most awful and early mockery of life acts reminded me of a Full Metal Alchemist episode that concerns a scientist, his daughter, and his obsession with chimeras. That was a powerful episode that until now I have no words to express how I felt after watching it.
This title is underrated. Because really, people need to move on from Brubaker and give Remender a chance to tell his own story.
July 7, 2019
This is wildly different than Brubaker's run. But that's a good thing.
I love Brubaker's run but after many spy thriller stories and plenty of WW2 flashbacks, Remender went on a whole new route. Now, we go into a alternate reality where Red Skull is not the baddie here but Zola is! Cap is transporter here and implanted with something but escapes with Zola's child. Then he raises the boy. This is basically a lot like the New God of War, which is awesome. We also get flashbacks to when Steve was a child with his mother and other kids.
I was really surprised a bit how much I enjoyed this. I'm not a mega fan of the whole alternate reality thing. But it worked here really well. Probably because Remender writes a really solid Steve, the action is intense, and the struggle is real. I also enjoyed the flashbacks a lot and wanted more. Learning about Steve as a child is great. The art is good though I've seen Romita Jr. do better.
Overall, I'm excited to get further in Rick's run. A 4 out of 5.
I love Brubaker's run but after many spy thriller stories and plenty of WW2 flashbacks, Remender went on a whole new route. Now, we go into a alternate reality where Red Skull is not the baddie here but Zola is! Cap is transporter here and implanted with something but escapes with Zola's child. Then he raises the boy. This is basically a lot like the New God of War, which is awesome. We also get flashbacks to when Steve was a child with his mother and other kids.
I was really surprised a bit how much I enjoyed this. I'm not a mega fan of the whole alternate reality thing. But it worked here really well. Probably because Remender writes a really solid Steve, the action is intense, and the struggle is real. I also enjoyed the flashbacks a lot and wanted more. Learning about Steve as a child is great. The art is good though I've seen Romita Jr. do better.
Overall, I'm excited to get further in Rick's run. A 4 out of 5.
April 8, 2022
I.... really loved this.
I know, I'm surprised, too. I've heard a lot about the awful things Remender has done in other books. I know some stuff went down with Sam Wilson that was unforgivable.
That being said, I adored this volume. I loved it a lot. I never thought I would get a book with such a soft, humanizing concept. Captain America stuck in an unknown dimension and trying to protect a baby. Steve Rogers raising this child, hunting and scavenging for survival. And all while he's suffering the effects of the Zola virus. This was a concept I never, ever thought I would see.
Steve truly comes to care for this child. Even knowing where he came from and how much it ran the risk of endangering Steve's life, he grew to love this child. Named him Ian after his grandfather and put him above his own survival. Steve was truly living for this kid and this kid alone. It was incredibly moving and I'd be lying if I said I didn't tear up a few times while reading it.
Watching this kid grow up and start exhibiting some of Steve's characteristics was wonderful! The flashbacks to Steve's childhood and the difficulty of him having to train the kid to survive in a war were so good. Honestly, it just reminded me why I love the character so much.
So, yeah, I really loved this. The vibe really works! I felt the emotion and the desolation of it.
It reminded me quite a bit of Sweet Tooth with Mr. Jepperd and Sweet Tooth.
I know, I'm surprised, too. I've heard a lot about the awful things Remender has done in other books. I know some stuff went down with Sam Wilson that was unforgivable.
That being said, I adored this volume. I loved it a lot. I never thought I would get a book with such a soft, humanizing concept. Captain America stuck in an unknown dimension and trying to protect a baby. Steve Rogers raising this child, hunting and scavenging for survival. And all while he's suffering the effects of the Zola virus. This was a concept I never, ever thought I would see.
Steve truly comes to care for this child. Even knowing where he came from and how much it ran the risk of endangering Steve's life, he grew to love this child. Named him Ian after his grandfather and put him above his own survival. Steve was truly living for this kid and this kid alone. It was incredibly moving and I'd be lying if I said I didn't tear up a few times while reading it.
Watching this kid grow up and start exhibiting some of Steve's characteristics was wonderful! The flashbacks to Steve's childhood and the difficulty of him having to train the kid to survive in a war were so good. Honestly, it just reminded me why I love the character so much.
So, yeah, I really loved this. The vibe really works! I felt the emotion and the desolation of it.
It reminded me quite a bit of Sweet Tooth with Mr. Jepperd and Sweet Tooth.
January 8, 2016
Captain America gets sent to Dimension Z where Arnim Zola rules. Cap is stuck fighting off weird creatures and appears to be stranded.
I, uh, ugh, hmm...this picture sums things up.
I have long resisted the urge to put a Mr. Yuk sticker in my review for something, but I really just had to use it this time. This volume is super unnecessarily weird and particularly unenjoyable. No lead in just Cap's stuck in this messed up place for a long time.
No, just no.
I, uh, ugh, hmm...this picture sums things up.
I have long resisted the urge to put a Mr. Yuk sticker in my review for something, but I really just had to use it this time. This volume is super unnecessarily weird and particularly unenjoyable. No lead in just Cap's stuck in this messed up place for a long time.
No, just no.
February 21, 2022
This was such a cool book!
It starts off with an insight into Steve's past and I love despite the troubles and all how he became a noble man like that stealing incident and how he worked it off and then in the present getting lost in Dimension Z and the thing with Arnim Zola and raising a son meanwhile trying to stop the infection of Zola and also battling creatures there like the tyrant Zofjor and what not, its an adrenaline filled volume and has so many heartful and swoon-worthy moments and really shows Steve in hs best form and the man filled with such noble ideas and its one of those times i like the art of JRJR! Plus Ian is such a cute character!
It starts off with an insight into Steve's past and I love despite the troubles and all how he became a noble man like that stealing incident and how he worked it off and then in the present getting lost in Dimension Z and the thing with Arnim Zola and raising a son meanwhile trying to stop the infection of Zola and also battling creatures there like the tyrant Zofjor and what not, its an adrenaline filled volume and has so many heartful and swoon-worthy moments and really shows Steve in hs best form and the man filled with such noble ideas and its one of those times i like the art of JRJR! Plus Ian is such a cute character!
November 19, 2015
The summary of Captain America, Volume 1: Castaway in Dimension Z, Part 1, is as deep and complex as the book itself. Captain America is somehow transported to a cheesy, pulp sci-fi world run by Arnim Zola and has to survive, protect his son Ian, and escape. Think there’s more to this book? There isn’t. Cap suddenly has a son, the corny monsters attack for no reason, and somehow Cap is stuck in Dimension Z for years without escaping.
I know this is an overused maxim but it’s really relevant to this book: show don’t tell. If you suddenly give Cap a son for no reason and make him deeply care about him all without doing any of the character building necessary for the audience to feel the same, and then tell the audience that they should care too - that’s shitty writing. And yet that’s what happens here. It almost feels like a joke: here’s Cap - and here’s his son, Ian. Um, who the hell is Ian?! Get that annoying kid out of there!
There’s no story, just Cap and Ian running around a gloomy landscape being shot at by aliens who irritatingly talk in choppy english (“When found him he was combating mutates. Him hurricane” etc.). The bad guys are cardboard cutouts of monstrous looking foes with jagged teeth and drooling with glowing eyes. It’s like a four-year-old wrote this.
There are some redundant flashbacks to Cap as a child in the 1930s when he was having a hard time growing up, being bullied by older kids, which I guess was supposed to tie into Cap’s “son” Ian, passing on lessons he learned as a kid, or whatever. Then again I don’t give a damn about Ian so they were wasted efforts.
John Romita Jr. is joined by Klaus Janson and Tom Palmer so the book looks awesome - the art was the only saving grace here. Rick Remender’s script is wholly derivative and reads like it was thrown together in a weekend while doing other things. It’s easy to see where his Image series Black Science came from as it’s basically the same script as Dimension Z minus Cap.
This is a really shoddy comic that couldn’t be more shallow if it tried. I suppose if you like classic pulpy sci-fi, this is for you, but mixing that genre with Captain America doesn’t work (and anyway pulps are overrated - they’re horrible to read, even if it’s chic to look upon them as cool these days). Dimension Z is a Z-grade book.
I know this is an overused maxim but it’s really relevant to this book: show don’t tell. If you suddenly give Cap a son for no reason and make him deeply care about him all without doing any of the character building necessary for the audience to feel the same, and then tell the audience that they should care too - that’s shitty writing. And yet that’s what happens here. It almost feels like a joke: here’s Cap - and here’s his son, Ian. Um, who the hell is Ian?! Get that annoying kid out of there!
There’s no story, just Cap and Ian running around a gloomy landscape being shot at by aliens who irritatingly talk in choppy english (“When found him he was combating mutates. Him hurricane” etc.). The bad guys are cardboard cutouts of monstrous looking foes with jagged teeth and drooling with glowing eyes. It’s like a four-year-old wrote this.
There are some redundant flashbacks to Cap as a child in the 1930s when he was having a hard time growing up, being bullied by older kids, which I guess was supposed to tie into Cap’s “son” Ian, passing on lessons he learned as a kid, or whatever. Then again I don’t give a damn about Ian so they were wasted efforts.
John Romita Jr. is joined by Klaus Janson and Tom Palmer so the book looks awesome - the art was the only saving grace here. Rick Remender’s script is wholly derivative and reads like it was thrown together in a weekend while doing other things. It’s easy to see where his Image series Black Science came from as it’s basically the same script as Dimension Z minus Cap.
This is a really shoddy comic that couldn’t be more shallow if it tried. I suppose if you like classic pulpy sci-fi, this is for you, but mixing that genre with Captain America doesn’t work (and anyway pulps are overrated - they’re horrible to read, even if it’s chic to look upon them as cool these days). Dimension Z is a Z-grade book.
June 4, 2016
Warning: reading this is a tangent on a tangent, so my expectations for enrapturing my attention are Too Damned High.
Y'see, I'm on the mission to read Everything I Need To Understand Secret Wars. That mission takes me on the catch-up Journey to read the last couple of years of Hickman's Avengers' run. But somehow the Reading Order gods decreed that Captain America 16-22 (from Remender's recent run) are also necessary. So of course, being a big fan of pre-therapy Remender, and because I haven't read any of this run (despite checking the To-Read box on Goodreads), this apparently obligates me to start from the beginning.
I must hate myself.
So I'm off in the Savage Land while hunting Magneto - not entirely unrelated, but pretty far off the obvious path.
As usual, Remender comes up with these stellar-dense turns of phrase - short snippets that let you know you're just a fly on the wall, not the writer's terrified focus of exposition.
It's kinda unclear what we're supposed to make of Rogers' flashbacks to childhood, however.
(What the fuck is little Stevie up to?)
Does it matter *how* he got beat up, or what kinds of bullies he had? Do we learn anything in particular from the fact that there seemed to be a lot of Irish in New York in the period between World Wars? (Was that news to Remender? Has his life in Portland been that sheltered? I mean, we're living the dream of the 90's out here, but even then we had adequate textbooks in schools, didn't we? It wasn't *all* Texas creationism-and-American-exceptionalism-propaganda...)
There's something missing from this book - for all the fantastic creatures and imaginary cultures, for all the otherworldly scenery and long battled against an impossible enemy, this should be more...fun, shouldn't it?
Well, not *all* bad:
In fact, this is as depressing, as punishing, as the depths of despair Remender summoned for Flash Thompson in his Venom run. Mr. Remender, you better damned well make this pay off in the next book.
Y'see, I'm on the mission to read Everything I Need To Understand Secret Wars. That mission takes me on the catch-up Journey to read the last couple of years of Hickman's Avengers' run. But somehow the Reading Order gods decreed that Captain America 16-22 (from Remender's recent run) are also necessary. So of course, being a big fan of pre-therapy Remender, and because I haven't read any of this run (despite checking the To-Read box on Goodreads), this apparently obligates me to start from the beginning.
I must hate myself.
So I'm off in the Savage Land while hunting Magneto - not entirely unrelated, but pretty far off the obvious path.
As usual, Remender comes up with these stellar-dense turns of phrase - short snippets that let you know you're just a fly on the wall, not the writer's terrified focus of exposition.
It's kinda unclear what we're supposed to make of Rogers' flashbacks to childhood, however.
(What the fuck is little Stevie up to?)
Does it matter *how* he got beat up, or what kinds of bullies he had? Do we learn anything in particular from the fact that there seemed to be a lot of Irish in New York in the period between World Wars? (Was that news to Remender? Has his life in Portland been that sheltered? I mean, we're living the dream of the 90's out here, but even then we had adequate textbooks in schools, didn't we? It wasn't *all* Texas creationism-and-American-exceptionalism-propaganda...)
There's something missing from this book - for all the fantastic creatures and imaginary cultures, for all the otherworldly scenery and long battled against an impossible enemy, this should be more...fun, shouldn't it?
Well, not *all* bad:
In fact, this is as depressing, as punishing, as the depths of despair Remender summoned for Flash Thompson in his Venom run. Mr. Remender, you better damned well make this pay off in the next book.
May 31, 2014
In a major tone shift from Brubaker's take on the character, Remander puts Steve in a pulpy, The Island of Doctor Moreau tinged dimension run by Armin Zola. It's mostly fun, and it's actually a refreshing change of pace. I just wish that Remander hadn't taken so many emotional short cuts with Ian. He's Steve's adopted son, and I buy that he loves him and is protective of him. But I don't feel it, because we're skipping years between issues. We don't see them bonding, we're essentially just told that it happens. I still had fun, but it could have been better.
November 13, 2022
I understand that after years of Brubaker’s take on Cap a change of style was somewhat necessary. Well, I reckon we’re served on that account although one might find this a bit radical.
Still, I can’t totally dislike this book. The infernal trio Romita jr/Janson/White is mostly responsible, no two ways about it.
Yet, despite this hallucinating and out-of-place John Carter of Mars experience there is this Cap feeling. In his righteousness, his stubbornness, his commitment to doing what’s right to... his son? The spirit’s there at least.
Well, let’s keep an open mind and let this run follow its course.
Still, I can’t totally dislike this book. The infernal trio Romita jr/Janson/White is mostly responsible, no two ways about it.
Yet, despite this hallucinating and out-of-place John Carter of Mars experience there is this Cap feeling. In his righteousness, his stubbornness, his commitment to doing what’s right to... his son? The spirit’s there at least.
Well, let’s keep an open mind and let this run follow its course.
April 1, 2016
This was the weirdest thing ever. Let's just leave it at that.
April 22, 2018
Remender takes over after Brubaker’s run, and I’m surprised how much I like the shift in tone. Remender is capturing a little something more in Steve’s heart and showing more of his humanity. Enjoying the looks into young Steve’s past, too. Good stuff.
January 19, 2023
Very different to other captain America comics I’ve read before.
February 7, 2020
The flashbacks are very good. The rest is very weird. It doesn’t feel like Cap was the right hero for this story, but it’s also nice to see him in a different setting. Remender with Romita is also a strange pairing. Bizarre volume from top to bottom.
October 4, 2022
I wasn’t prepared to love this so much, but something about Dad!Steve just hits harder. I loved Brubaker’s interpretation of Captain America and thought there was no competing with that, and while this run is definitely weirder and more geared toward sci-fi, I really love the new directions Remender is taking the character. The stars and stripes don’t matter in a world controlled by Armin Zola, and while pure survival might break most characters down to their worst selves, it shows us that Steve Rogers is good down to his core. I loved everything about this, from the self-doubt and struggle against Zola’s mind control virus to watching him raise and train a kid who’s just as sweet and protective as Steve is.
A lot of sci-fi worlds are too much for me, but I really like this one and kind of wished for a bit more on Zola’s mutates and the physics of the dimension. There’s plenty there for context though, and I was really invested in Steve’s internal fight to save Ian and get the hell out of there or turn back and save the Phrox. I also really enjoy the artwork. It’s messier and grittier than some of the previous Cap runs, but it really suits the story that’s being told. I know how this ends (because spoilers are impossible to avoid in something almost twenty years old), but I’m looking forward to seeing it play out, and I’m probably going to have to add Ian Rogers to the list of characters I’m chasing down more content for.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
A lot of sci-fi worlds are too much for me, but I really like this one and kind of wished for a bit more on Zola’s mutates and the physics of the dimension. There’s plenty there for context though, and I was really invested in Steve’s internal fight to save Ian and get the hell out of there or turn back and save the Phrox. I also really enjoy the artwork. It’s messier and grittier than some of the previous Cap runs, but it really suits the story that’s being told. I know how this ends (because spoilers are impossible to avoid in something almost twenty years old), but I’m looking forward to seeing it play out, and I’m probably going to have to add Ian Rogers to the list of characters I’m chasing down more content for.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
October 2, 2015
Liked it. Liked it a lot, actually. It may have faults, but I thought Remender executed the story well. This was just plain old-fashioned good, weird storytelling. And while I realize that a lot of folks out there aren't the biggest fans of John Romita (seems like a 'love it or leave it' mentality), I personally think this book allowed him to showcase his talents. Fun times!
May 5, 2015
3.5 stars! I picked this up on a whim, I'm a fan of Captain America and thought I would give this a try! I liked it, the style was different than what I'm used to and the story was a bit confusing for me but overall I enjoyed it and will look forward reading more Captain America!
June 23, 2017
3.5
This seemed a good place to read stuff from before time runs out secret wars etc.
I feel like this was Cap as Fear Agent...and that's fun.
Art was fun instead of hyper real.
Also makes the one off about Ian make more sense
This seemed a good place to read stuff from before time runs out secret wars etc.
I feel like this was Cap as Fear Agent...and that's fun.
Art was fun instead of hyper real.
Also makes the one off about Ian make more sense
October 13, 2014
“Steve Rogers is a patriotic soldier, directed by a personal ethical compass, belief in the American dream and faith in his fellow man. He’s clever, roughish, quick with a sly look and droll comment. He can punch out bad people and jump through glass. He’s the person you wish you were […] He’s not superhuman; he’s just the pinnacle of our natural potential.” – Rick Remender
***
There is a special place in my heart for Captain America.
I remember the night I sat down to watch “Captain America: The First Avenger” when the film came out in 2011. My eyes were immediately glued to the screen – and say what you want, but it was for reasons other than the fact that the character was played by the (inarguably) gorgeous Chris Evans (though I’ll admit without shame that that didn’t hurt). I knew almost immediately that Steve Rogers was the type of character I could stand behind. He was made for great things. And he is oh-so easy to love. When he jumped on that grenade (not knowing it was a test) to protect his fellow soldiers? I cried. I cried and cried because I had such respect for that character. And then my next immediate thought was, “Why the hell haven’t I been reading these comics??”
So alas, here I am, finally beginning to pick up this series so that I can spend more time with the character I have grown to love. I ordered the first three volumes of the “Marvel Now: Captain America” comics before I even began reading the first. I had that much faith in the character. As long as Steve Rogers remained – well – Steve Rogers, I knew I would be happy. And now, having finished the first volume, I can say I have not been let down.
Rick Remender took a character I love, kept him true to his values, and produced one hell of a story. Captain America is still the character I fell in love with – and more badass than ever. He’s damaged and vulnerable, but that’s what makes him great. Forget his superhuman strength – it’s his mental toughness that is most admirable. No matter what, we can count on Captain America to stand up and fight. And in this first volume, “Castaway in Dimension Z,” you’ll witness his strength firsthand. Again, and again, and again. That’s what makes Steve Rogers so great. That’s what makes him so easy to love. That’s what makes him a hero.
As Remender remarks, “He will no doubt spend his entire life protecting people from the endless sea of chaos that surrounds the Marvel Universe.” And I will no doubt be there to follow him throughout it all.
***
There is a special place in my heart for Captain America.
I remember the night I sat down to watch “Captain America: The First Avenger” when the film came out in 2011. My eyes were immediately glued to the screen – and say what you want, but it was for reasons other than the fact that the character was played by the (inarguably) gorgeous Chris Evans (though I’ll admit without shame that that didn’t hurt). I knew almost immediately that Steve Rogers was the type of character I could stand behind. He was made for great things. And he is oh-so easy to love. When he jumped on that grenade (not knowing it was a test) to protect his fellow soldiers? I cried. I cried and cried because I had such respect for that character. And then my next immediate thought was, “Why the hell haven’t I been reading these comics??”
So alas, here I am, finally beginning to pick up this series so that I can spend more time with the character I have grown to love. I ordered the first three volumes of the “Marvel Now: Captain America” comics before I even began reading the first. I had that much faith in the character. As long as Steve Rogers remained – well – Steve Rogers, I knew I would be happy. And now, having finished the first volume, I can say I have not been let down.
Rick Remender took a character I love, kept him true to his values, and produced one hell of a story. Captain America is still the character I fell in love with – and more badass than ever. He’s damaged and vulnerable, but that’s what makes him great. Forget his superhuman strength – it’s his mental toughness that is most admirable. No matter what, we can count on Captain America to stand up and fight. And in this first volume, “Castaway in Dimension Z,” you’ll witness his strength firsthand. Again, and again, and again. That’s what makes Steve Rogers so great. That’s what makes him so easy to love. That’s what makes him a hero.
As Remender remarks, “He will no doubt spend his entire life protecting people from the endless sea of chaos that surrounds the Marvel Universe.” And I will no doubt be there to follow him throughout it all.
July 3, 2014
I legitimately have no words for this run. Remender does nothing but fuck up Captain America's character and ruin themes that have been central to Steve's story for decades.
He seems to have no regard for the writers that came before him and seems to use every side character as a plot point for more manpain.
I am extremely unimpressed with this run. Captain America has always been my favorite hero and seeing such a wonderful character be brought down so far is actually heartbreaking.
I cannot believe that this run is still getting some good reviews and I cannot believe that Marvel can publish this without hesitation when it has blatant racist and sexist points. They have made great strides by incorporating more pocs and women characters in group comics and in individual runs.
If I could give it 0 stars, I would.
He seems to have no regard for the writers that came before him and seems to use every side character as a plot point for more manpain.
I am extremely unimpressed with this run. Captain America has always been my favorite hero and seeing such a wonderful character be brought down so far is actually heartbreaking.
I cannot believe that this run is still getting some good reviews and I cannot believe that Marvel can publish this without hesitation when it has blatant racist and sexist points. They have made great strides by incorporating more pocs and women characters in group comics and in individual runs.
If I could give it 0 stars, I would.
September 2, 2016
Shades of the Franken-Castle storyline from the Punisher, this might be just a bit too strange a story to really get behind. I like Remender's work, especially on X-Force, but exiling Steve Rogers to another dimension, one ruled by his arch foe, Arnim Zola, is really out there. And I can't look at John Romita, Jr.'s artwork without constantly being reminded of Kick-Ass. It's just a bit too cartoony for something that is supposed to be taken seriously. Still, I guess I'll see where things go in the next volume. Really liked the first collection of Remender's Uncanny Avengers.
August 15, 2016
Classic.
April 2, 2021
Captain America: Castaway in Dimension Z Book 1. The first volume of Captain America as part of Marvel NOW! Also a revisit to this series as I gave up on it when it was first coming out. My first introduction to Cap in the comics, like a lot of people was Ed Brubaker’s run. This is Rick Remender’s take on the character, with John Romita Jr. on art duties.
This is a very different take on a Captain America (Steve Rogers) story. We are used to him being the man out of time, but here he is also a stranger in a strange land. When a mission goes wrong Cap ends up stranded in this strange, hellish landscape that is Dimension Z. No allies apart from his trusty shield. It reminded me of what they did with the Hulk character in Planet Hulk.
The villain behind all of this: long time foe Arnim Zola who wants access to Cap’s super soldier serum for his experiments. Zola also rules over this twisted landscape.
Cap needs to stay ahead of Zola, and the strange creatures that inhabit this place. This is made harder when he rescues a small boy. We get to see a different side to Cap as he raises this child as his own. We also get flashbacks to Steve’s own upbringing and how that shaped him before becoming Cap.
The artwork is typical of John Romita Jr. It is the very blocky style he has become known for, which I have liked in other books. Recently in Wolverine: Enemy of the State and his work on Eternals. Here though it doesn’t always work for me. It’s not bad, I’ve just seen the artist do better.
Those that are looking to read Captain America for the first time and get into the character, I would not recommend starting here. If you are used to the style of Captain America stories from the films you will not get that here. This is clearly not a spy, espionage thriller. For fans of the character this is a new direction and worth a read.
This is a very different take on a Captain America (Steve Rogers) story. We are used to him being the man out of time, but here he is also a stranger in a strange land. When a mission goes wrong Cap ends up stranded in this strange, hellish landscape that is Dimension Z. No allies apart from his trusty shield. It reminded me of what they did with the Hulk character in Planet Hulk.
The villain behind all of this: long time foe Arnim Zola who wants access to Cap’s super soldier serum for his experiments. Zola also rules over this twisted landscape.
Cap needs to stay ahead of Zola, and the strange creatures that inhabit this place. This is made harder when he rescues a small boy. We get to see a different side to Cap as he raises this child as his own. We also get flashbacks to Steve’s own upbringing and how that shaped him before becoming Cap.
The artwork is typical of John Romita Jr. It is the very blocky style he has become known for, which I have liked in other books. Recently in Wolverine: Enemy of the State and his work on Eternals. Here though it doesn’t always work for me. It’s not bad, I’ve just seen the artist do better.
Those that are looking to read Captain America for the first time and get into the character, I would not recommend starting here. If you are used to the style of Captain America stories from the films you will not get that here. This is clearly not a spy, espionage thriller. For fans of the character this is a new direction and worth a read.
February 24, 2025
(4,5🌟)
"My father let his circumstances change him from a good man to a weak one --
IM AM NOT MY FATHER, YOU WILL NOT CORRUPT ME".
Minha parte favorita dessa história, é a inversão de um papel muito importante: O Capitão América é um símbolo, uma luz de esperança que guia os outros e não deixa eles pararem de seguir em frente, mas o que acontece quando não tem ninguém pra ele motivar e ele mesmo não consegue ver esperança no caminho a frente ?
A questão da rivalidade com o vilão dessa história não tanto me pegou, mas aí é culpa minha de não ser tão engajado no universo do personagem, mas nessa própria história é passado o tom de ódio entre os dois, sendo mostrado de forma brilhante um resumo em duas páginas de quem é esse vilão e quais são suas motivações.
É engraçado pois eu tinha ganhado essa revista faz tempo e nunca dei bola pra ela, então por causa do filme do Negro América, eu li a run em que ele é o capitão nos quadrinhos e pela empolgação disso tudo é que eu peguei essa história, apenas pra descobrir que aqui é mostrado o motivo do Rogers ter se aposentado do manto.
Recomendo a leitura pra qualquer um que seja fã do herói.
"My father let his circumstances change him from a good man to a weak one --
IM AM NOT MY FATHER, YOU WILL NOT CORRUPT ME".
Minha parte favorita dessa história, é a inversão de um papel muito importante: O Capitão América é um símbolo, uma luz de esperança que guia os outros e não deixa eles pararem de seguir em frente, mas o que acontece quando não tem ninguém pra ele motivar e ele mesmo não consegue ver esperança no caminho a frente ?
A questão da rivalidade com o vilão dessa história não tanto me pegou, mas aí é culpa minha de não ser tão engajado no universo do personagem, mas nessa própria história é passado o tom de ódio entre os dois, sendo mostrado de forma brilhante um resumo em duas páginas de quem é esse vilão e quais são suas motivações.
É engraçado pois eu tinha ganhado essa revista faz tempo e nunca dei bola pra ela, então por causa do filme do Negro América, eu li a run em que ele é o capitão nos quadrinhos e pela empolgação disso tudo é que eu peguei essa história, apenas pra descobrir que aqui é mostrado o motivo do Rogers ter se aposentado do manto.
Recomendo a leitura pra qualquer um que seja fã do herói.
March 8, 2020
I rounded up from a 3.5 on this one.
Rick Remender does a really good job of throwing CA in a new direction, and a really left field one at that. Lots of Jack Kirby homage - pretty much the whole book, and having JR JR on for pencils was a stroke of luck.
On the downside, JR JR - as good as he is - somehow gets a pass for the fact that he can't draw children. As a couple of kids are the second and third leads in this (and the following) collection - it gets really awkward at times. There are pages that no editor in their right mind would send to press.
It is also a pretty light and fast book that gets VERY dark for one or two page spans every once in a while - - Cap justifying killing, using some frightening language - and the human condition being defined as profoundly bleak.
I loved some pages and sequences.
It's unfortunate that Marvel's hardbound collections include about 1/3rd back-matter in the page count. It would be far better for those pages to contain story.
Rick Remender does a really good job of throwing CA in a new direction, and a really left field one at that. Lots of Jack Kirby homage - pretty much the whole book, and having JR JR on for pencils was a stroke of luck.
On the downside, JR JR - as good as he is - somehow gets a pass for the fact that he can't draw children. As a couple of kids are the second and third leads in this (and the following) collection - it gets really awkward at times. There are pages that no editor in their right mind would send to press.
It is also a pretty light and fast book that gets VERY dark for one or two page spans every once in a while - - Cap justifying killing, using some frightening language - and the human condition being defined as profoundly bleak.
I loved some pages and sequences.
It's unfortunate that Marvel's hardbound collections include about 1/3rd back-matter in the page count. It would be far better for those pages to contain story.
Read
January 23, 2020The overarching story of the novel follows the similarly known captain america in a new dimension, doctored by Arnim Zola with himself in charge. The dimension follows a post apocalyptic/fascist landscapes, with the world mirroring a distorted world with an Orwellian society coming out of it. All of which holding the key to Captain Americas escape. The story diverts from the usual super hero style, though its literary merit doesn't deliver to larger stories and pieces. Rather it follows a similar merit to a sci fi drama, with Rogers scouting and surviving a long period of time within the alien world.
May 28, 2017
To start off with I do not like the art work of John Romita Jr. and wish a better artist was working on Cap 1 and 2.
Steve trap in a different dimension that his enemy, Zola, rules over, while raising his adopted son Ian would of make a great story if it was plain out more and didn't feel like it was rush.
Steve trap in a different dimension that his enemy, Zola, rules over, while raising his adopted son Ian would of make a great story if it was plain out more and didn't feel like it was rush.
January 23, 2017
This was ok... bought this for $3 with about 25 other graphic novels and had fun reading it... always liked Captain America
August 1, 2016
Have I read Ed Brubaker's 'legendary' run on Captain America?
No.
Do I plan to?
Sure.
I also plan to read every book by Stephen King, earn a Bachelor's degree in social work, climb Mount Kilimanjaro and see Metallica in concert.
Never said I was gonna do it tomorrow.
So, no. I'm not familiar with one of the most well-known Marvel runs in history.
I'm not even sorry.
Rick Remender's Castaway in Dimension Z is a damn good ride as far as I'm concerned.
I'm a frickin' millennial, (Jesus I hate that word...) alright? I'm a little more prone to newer models.
Doesn't mean I can't appreciate the classics.
Just means I tend to look in directions like Remender's first.
Steve Rogers, better known as Captain America, torn between finally letting go of his past and settling down with the woman he's in love with and remaining the only thing he's even been good at, has been captured by the mutant bio-terrorist Arnim Zola.
Subjected to an experimental injection, Rogers uses what little strength he has left to take down Zola's guards, and escape with the infant 'son' (for lack of a better word) of the mad scientist.
There's only one problem.
Steve and the baby boy are trapped in enemy territory, the destroyed land of Dimension Z, where Zola rules all and 'death to Captain America' is the battle cry.
Rogers has no choice but to run, not only for his life, but for that of the boy he risked it to save.
More than a decade passes, Rogers raises the boy, who he names Ian, as his own. He will never know his murderous bloodline, he will be a hero and fight the tyranny of his birth father's rule and right the wrongs of his ruined world.
But, not far away, Zola's daughter, warrior princess Jet Black, rules with an iron fist.
And when she finds out the man who 'murdered' her baby brother is still alive, she sounds the alarm, and every enemy Rogers and Ian have are rushing at them.
Having found a way home, having gotten so close, our heroes have to turn back.
They have to do the right thing.
Art specs.
John Romita Jr. is my favorite graphic artist of all time. He's the number one Marvel artist in my book, (the second and third places being held by David Aja and Tony Moore, respectively) and I would probably read anything he illustrated.
He breaks, bloodies, bruises, bends and destroys my favorite characters in the best ways possible.
Automatic ten out of ten as far as art goes.
I'll visit the more classic Captain America some day, but Rick Remender's will suit me just fine until then.
No.
Do I plan to?
Sure.
I also plan to read every book by Stephen King, earn a Bachelor's degree in social work, climb Mount Kilimanjaro and see Metallica in concert.
Never said I was gonna do it tomorrow.
So, no. I'm not familiar with one of the most well-known Marvel runs in history.
I'm not even sorry.
Rick Remender's Castaway in Dimension Z is a damn good ride as far as I'm concerned.
I'm a frickin' millennial, (Jesus I hate that word...) alright? I'm a little more prone to newer models.
Doesn't mean I can't appreciate the classics.
Just means I tend to look in directions like Remender's first.
Steve Rogers, better known as Captain America, torn between finally letting go of his past and settling down with the woman he's in love with and remaining the only thing he's even been good at, has been captured by the mutant bio-terrorist Arnim Zola.
Subjected to an experimental injection, Rogers uses what little strength he has left to take down Zola's guards, and escape with the infant 'son' (for lack of a better word) of the mad scientist.
There's only one problem.
Steve and the baby boy are trapped in enemy territory, the destroyed land of Dimension Z, where Zola rules all and 'death to Captain America' is the battle cry.
Rogers has no choice but to run, not only for his life, but for that of the boy he risked it to save.
More than a decade passes, Rogers raises the boy, who he names Ian, as his own. He will never know his murderous bloodline, he will be a hero and fight the tyranny of his birth father's rule and right the wrongs of his ruined world.
But, not far away, Zola's daughter, warrior princess Jet Black, rules with an iron fist.
And when she finds out the man who 'murdered' her baby brother is still alive, she sounds the alarm, and every enemy Rogers and Ian have are rushing at them.
Having found a way home, having gotten so close, our heroes have to turn back.
They have to do the right thing.
Art specs.
John Romita Jr. is my favorite graphic artist of all time. He's the number one Marvel artist in my book, (the second and third places being held by David Aja and Tony Moore, respectively) and I would probably read anything he illustrated.
He breaks, bloodies, bruises, bends and destroys my favorite characters in the best ways possible.
Automatic ten out of ten as far as art goes.
I'll visit the more classic Captain America some day, but Rick Remender's will suit me just fine until then.
July 24, 2013
Rick Remender doesn't know how to do anything on a small scale. Everything he does is crossover event enormous. His arcs in a single book could easily be company-wide crossovers with huge implications. He knows exactly how to write Silver Age stories in a modern voice. He goes big in every issue and aims to shock. And what's more, they're entertaining from start to finish.
Fans of Brubaker's sleepy, yawning spy Captain America books will sneer at this new direction with disdain. Let them. Captain America was never meant to work in the shadows, skulking around. He's a symbol. He's a metaphor for hope. He's meant to be a beacon, not in the spotlight because he is the spotlight. So instead of Brubaker imposing his typically gritty style on Cap (an dont get me wrong, I love Ed, just not when he writes capes books) we get Remender imposing his hard-as-nails hard-boiled sci-fi on the man. Which one works better? The one that's closest to the heart of Jack Kirby, of course.
Unlike his new Uncanny Avengers book, this isn't just fun. It has heart. You can feel its pulse. He's really tryin his damnedest to tell a Cap story that's all his without making Cap into something he isn't. Remender understands the heart of the character and that's the most important thing we could ever ask of a writer.
Although I could do without the flashbacks to little Steve's past, they're short and over in an instant. Otherwise, this book fires on all cylinders. Totally against the grain for what we have been seeing in the Captain America books over the last decade or so and still hitting all the right notes for the character. Internal monologue drives this arc and it is all so spot on it made me giddy.
John Romita Jr doesn't put his best foot forward in this, though. I know his style's changed a bit since the glory days, but it feels too wispy. I need darker, harder inks. I need more shadows. Ever since he did the 'Celestials' art for Gaiman it just hasn't felt the same. It feels a little too hollow. If he'd only beef it up, this book would be unstoppable. Because he's the perfect artist with the perfect style to accompany Remender on his fabulously strange odyssey.
Writing: A
Art: B-
Fans of Brubaker's sleepy, yawning spy Captain America books will sneer at this new direction with disdain. Let them. Captain America was never meant to work in the shadows, skulking around. He's a symbol. He's a metaphor for hope. He's meant to be a beacon, not in the spotlight because he is the spotlight. So instead of Brubaker imposing his typically gritty style on Cap (an dont get me wrong, I love Ed, just not when he writes capes books) we get Remender imposing his hard-as-nails hard-boiled sci-fi on the man. Which one works better? The one that's closest to the heart of Jack Kirby, of course.
Unlike his new Uncanny Avengers book, this isn't just fun. It has heart. You can feel its pulse. He's really tryin his damnedest to tell a Cap story that's all his without making Cap into something he isn't. Remender understands the heart of the character and that's the most important thing we could ever ask of a writer.
Although I could do without the flashbacks to little Steve's past, they're short and over in an instant. Otherwise, this book fires on all cylinders. Totally against the grain for what we have been seeing in the Captain America books over the last decade or so and still hitting all the right notes for the character. Internal monologue drives this arc and it is all so spot on it made me giddy.
John Romita Jr doesn't put his best foot forward in this, though. I know his style's changed a bit since the glory days, but it feels too wispy. I need darker, harder inks. I need more shadows. Ever since he did the 'Celestials' art for Gaiman it just hasn't felt the same. It feels a little too hollow. If he'd only beef it up, this book would be unstoppable. Because he's the perfect artist with the perfect style to accompany Remender on his fabulously strange odyssey.
Writing: A
Art: B-
August 4, 2015
This book has a lot of SPUNK. Rick Remender is so fucking excited to write Cap like one of his creator owned books, that he immediately thrusts him into an alternate dimension and gives him a computer face tummy virus. Twelve years pass in the span of five issues, Cap has a son, shit just gets wild here, and for the most part, I can applaud Marvel for doing something weird with such a huge property. So yeah, hooray for outside the box Cap book.
Does it work though? I don't know. I don't think so. Everything's a little too off-the-wall, and this thing is just riddled with plot holes that rely on you to heavily suspend disbelief for the sake of this weird world that we're in. I mean, it has two suns, gravity is wonky, it's upside-down and topsy turvy, so anything can happen! It comes off as cheating, in order to tell a way too loaded story, and doesn't drive the character anywhere new. There's some good ol' fashion woman beating tossed in, in the form of childhood Cap flashbacks, and really, if I were to summarize what's happening so far in this book, irresponsible would be my word of choice. Why does Arnim Zola have a magic land of make-believe? Why gooey black & white cap clones? Why slap Steve's mom around so much?
Then there's JRJR. I STILL don't know how to feel about JRJR. Sometimes his work is real pretty with inspiring designs. Other times I'm just totally lost inside the size of somebody's head, or the awful Leifeldian shape of their hair.
I put this one over at three stars, because at the end of the day, I enjoyed reading it, and am holding out hope for part 2 to solve some of my grievances. It's weird, and at least unexpected. Maybe Rick and John were just too excited and they can reel it in for the next volume. We'll see, because I already bought it used.
Does it work though? I don't know. I don't think so. Everything's a little too off-the-wall, and this thing is just riddled with plot holes that rely on you to heavily suspend disbelief for the sake of this weird world that we're in. I mean, it has two suns, gravity is wonky, it's upside-down and topsy turvy, so anything can happen! It comes off as cheating, in order to tell a way too loaded story, and doesn't drive the character anywhere new. There's some good ol' fashion woman beating tossed in, in the form of childhood Cap flashbacks, and really, if I were to summarize what's happening so far in this book, irresponsible would be my word of choice. Why does Arnim Zola have a magic land of make-believe? Why gooey black & white cap clones? Why slap Steve's mom around so much?
Then there's JRJR. I STILL don't know how to feel about JRJR. Sometimes his work is real pretty with inspiring designs. Other times I'm just totally lost inside the size of somebody's head, or the awful Leifeldian shape of their hair.
I put this one over at three stars, because at the end of the day, I enjoyed reading it, and am holding out hope for part 2 to solve some of my grievances. It's weird, and at least unexpected. Maybe Rick and John were just too excited and they can reel it in for the next volume. We'll see, because I already bought it used.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews