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Essential Captain America
Essential Captain America, Vol. 4
After gaining superhuman strength, the Living Legend learns he'll need every bit of it against such team efforts as the Crimson Cowl's Crimewave, the Serpent Squad and Nightshade's Werewolves. Alongside his crimefighting compatriot, the Falcon, Cap discovers secrets in the shadows of eras past thrown by Dr. Faustus, the Yellow Claw and the mysterious Phoenix--but a final battle with the Secret Empire throws Cap's future into question! But when Cap dons the cape of the Nomad, will the Falcon stick with him or stand by his replacement? It may be a question only the Red Skull can answer! Guest-starring the Avengers, Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D., the X-Men and Namor the Sub-Mariner! COLLECTING: Captain America #157-186
600 pages, Paperback
First published June 10, 1975
2 people are currently reading
107 people want to read
About the author
Steve Englehart
1,395 books97 followersSee also John Harkness.
Steve Englehart went to Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. After a stint in the Army, he moved to New York and began to write for Marvel Comics. That led to long runs on Captain America, The Hulk, The Avengers, Dr. Strange, and a dozen other titles. Midway through that period he moved to California (where he remains), and met and married his wife Terry.
He was finally hired away from Marvel by DC Comics, to be their lead writer and revamp their core characters (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and Green Lantern). He did, but he also wrote a solo Batman series (immediately dubbed the "definitive" version) that later became Warner Brothers' first Batman film (the good one).
After that he left comics for a time, traveled in Europe for a year, wrote a novel (The Point Man™), and came back to design video games for Atari (E.T., Garfield). But he still liked comics, so he created Coyote™, which within its first year was rated one of America's ten best series. Other projects he owned (Scorpio Rose™, The Djinn™) were mixed with company series (Green Lantern [with Joe Staton], Silver Surfer, Fantastic Four). Meanwhile, he continued his game design for Activision, Electronic Arts, Sega, and Brøderbund.
And once he and Terry had their two sons, Alex and Eric, he naturally told them stories. Rustle's Christmas Adventure was first devised for them. He went on to add a run of mid-grade books to his bibliography, including the DNAgers™ adventure series, and Countdown to Flight, a biography of the Wright brothers selected by NASA as the basis for their school curriculum on the invention of the airplane.
In 1992 Steve was asked to co-create a comics pantheon called the Ultraverse. One of his contributions, The Night Man, became not only a successful comics series, but also a television show. That led to more Hollywood work, including animated series such as Street Fighter, GI Joe, and Team Atlantis for Disney.
Steve Englehart went to Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. After a stint in the Army, he moved to New York and began to write for Marvel Comics. That led to long runs on Captain America, The Hulk, The Avengers, Dr. Strange, and a dozen other titles. Midway through that period he moved to California (where he remains), and met and married his wife Terry.
He was finally hired away from Marvel by DC Comics, to be their lead writer and revamp their core characters (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and Green Lantern). He did, but he also wrote a solo Batman series (immediately dubbed the "definitive" version) that later became Warner Brothers' first Batman film (the good one).
After that he left comics for a time, traveled in Europe for a year, wrote a novel (The Point Man™), and came back to design video games for Atari (E.T., Garfield). But he still liked comics, so he created Coyote™, which within its first year was rated one of America's ten best series. Other projects he owned (Scorpio Rose™, The Djinn™) were mixed with company series (Green Lantern [with Joe Staton], Silver Surfer, Fantastic Four). Meanwhile, he continued his game design for Activision, Electronic Arts, Sega, and Brøderbund.
And once he and Terry had their two sons, Alex and Eric, he naturally told them stories. Rustle's Christmas Adventure was first devised for them. He went on to add a run of mid-grade books to his bibliography, including the DNAgers™ adventure series, and Countdown to Flight, a biography of the Wright brothers selected by NASA as the basis for their school curriculum on the invention of the airplane.
In 1992 Steve was asked to co-create a comics pantheon called the Ultraverse. One of his contributions, The Night Man, became not only a successful comics series, but also a television show. That led to more Hollywood work, including animated series such as Street Fighter, GI Joe, and Team Atlantis for Disney.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 4, 2022
Yikes... this started with some of the same heart and fun that I like about the classic Cap comics and then swan dived straight into ignorance.
I like the Nomad era. However short it was, it's a big part of Cap's history and I really liked that. I loved seeing Sam get his wings. Although I appreciate that the films didn't make Sam get them because he felt inferior to Cap, I wished they'd come from Wakanda from the start. Still, Sam and Steve's partnership is what makes this books fun.
The retcon of Sam's history to make him a former criminal and Red Skull's creation was really sh*tty. There's no way around that. Not only was it completely unneeded, it was executed in a way that was just incredibly racist. Sure, we expect the Red Skull to use racist rhetoric, but taking an upstanding black male character who worked tirelessly to help the underprivileged in his neighborhood and turning him into a no good former criminal is racist. Why do it? Why ruin one of the few black characters in Marvel at the time - and one of the few with no ties to crime.
*Sighs* we continue on
I like the Nomad era. However short it was, it's a big part of Cap's history and I really liked that. I loved seeing Sam get his wings. Although I appreciate that the films didn't make Sam get them because he felt inferior to Cap, I wished they'd come from Wakanda from the start. Still, Sam and Steve's partnership is what makes this books fun.
The retcon of Sam's history to make him a former criminal and Red Skull's creation was really sh*tty. There's no way around that. Not only was it completely unneeded, it was executed in a way that was just incredibly racist. Sure, we expect the Red Skull to use racist rhetoric, but taking an upstanding black male character who worked tirelessly to help the underprivileged in his neighborhood and turning him into a no good former criminal is racist. Why do it? Why ruin one of the few black characters in Marvel at the time - and one of the few with no ties to crime.
*Sighs* we continue on
July 6, 2024
This black and white collection reprints 30 issues of Captain America & the Falcon from back in 1973 - 1975, all of which I originally read when I was 14 - 16 years old. I haven't read them since, but the excitement and intrigue came back to me.
Englehart was one of the very best comic book writers of the 70s, and Captain America was probably second only to his work on the Avengers as proof. That said, the last two issues of this collection revealed a retcon he created that was among the worst ideas anybody came up with in comics. I mean, the Falcon was always treated as a second banana in those days, even when Englehart came up with the idea of giving him wings in issue 171, the cover image of which is used on this book. But deciding that he had been a criminal before the Red Skull changed him into a pawn to be trained into a superhero by Captain America and then turned back into a mind-slave of the Skull - that was just plain mishandling of a character who should have been treated better.
Still, the real treat in this book is the run from 169 to 183, when Captain America encounters a criminal conspiracy run by - well, it turns out to be Richard Nixon without saying it was Richard Nixon - and then gives up his identity because America doesn't stand for what he thought it was. After a couple months, he decides to start a new superhero identity, the Nomad - and the sequence wherein he trips over the cape he added to that costume is still one of the greatest in superhero comics history. Eventually, of course, he returns to his main gig, after the Red Skull has returned to the murderous ways of his WWII days.
Sal Buscema's art work is great storytelling, and then the last few issues, primarily drawn by Frank Robbins, are sublime comics art. I love the combination of Robbins' heavy Milton Caniff influence with his own take on the Jack Kirby school of super heroics - there are some incredible action poses in these issues, as well as just plain highly enjoyable individual panels.
The book ends on a cliff-hanger, and I confess I can't remember what happens next, though I do remember being very frustrated shortly after this as Englehart left the book and it was in a holding pattern for a couple issues until Kirby took over and completely wiped away every idea that had been developed in the years before. That made for some entertaining comic books, but at the time I was invested in the idea that all the Marvel comics were telling a consistent story, and it bothered me that continuity was abandoned. I'd still like to find a Volume 5 of this series, though.
Englehart was one of the very best comic book writers of the 70s, and Captain America was probably second only to his work on the Avengers as proof. That said, the last two issues of this collection revealed a retcon he created that was among the worst ideas anybody came up with in comics. I mean, the Falcon was always treated as a second banana in those days, even when Englehart came up with the idea of giving him wings in issue 171, the cover image of which is used on this book. But deciding that he had been a criminal before the Red Skull changed him into a pawn to be trained into a superhero by Captain America and then turned back into a mind-slave of the Skull - that was just plain mishandling of a character who should have been treated better.
Still, the real treat in this book is the run from 169 to 183, when Captain America encounters a criminal conspiracy run by - well, it turns out to be Richard Nixon without saying it was Richard Nixon - and then gives up his identity because America doesn't stand for what he thought it was. After a couple months, he decides to start a new superhero identity, the Nomad - and the sequence wherein he trips over the cape he added to that costume is still one of the greatest in superhero comics history. Eventually, of course, he returns to his main gig, after the Red Skull has returned to the murderous ways of his WWII days.
Sal Buscema's art work is great storytelling, and then the last few issues, primarily drawn by Frank Robbins, are sublime comics art. I love the combination of Robbins' heavy Milton Caniff influence with his own take on the Jack Kirby school of super heroics - there are some incredible action poses in these issues, as well as just plain highly enjoyable individual panels.
The book ends on a cliff-hanger, and I confess I can't remember what happens next, though I do remember being very frustrated shortly after this as Englehart left the book and it was in a holding pattern for a couple issues until Kirby took over and completely wiped away every idea that had been developed in the years before. That made for some entertaining comic books, but at the time I was invested in the idea that all the Marvel comics were telling a consistent story, and it bothered me that continuity was abandoned. I'd still like to find a Volume 5 of this series, though.
January 13, 2018
Better than earlier issues, but Steve Englehart's plots often sound better in theory than they read in reality. He's also saddled with some horrible art during his issues, which changes to surreal art when Frank Robbins comes on board.
October 28, 2020
The Nomad arc is a classic Captain America story that I've been looking forward to and it didn't disapoint. The addition of Frank Robbins art was horrendous but even that didn't bring it down too much.
March 14, 2025
Steve Englehart. A writer who
Se reach, more often than not, exceeded his grasp, but who nevertheless kept trying to push the medium forward.
A lot of Cap's central mythology is established in these pages. Absolutely terrific.
Se reach, more often than not, exceeded his grasp, but who nevertheless kept trying to push the medium forward.
A lot of Cap's central mythology is established in these pages. Absolutely terrific.
September 9, 2011
I used to be a fan of the superheroes who were on the fringe of the main stage of the Marvel Universe--Ghost Rider, Moon Knight, Werewolf By Night, Dr. Strange, Master of Kung Fu, Daredevil, Silver Surfer, Alpha Flight, etc.--& if I did throw my spotlight onto center stage, you would find it fall on Spider-Man & the X-Men. I wasn't a Captain America fan. This would come later.
The 1st Captain America comics I bought of the 7-11 spinner racks as a kid were the Kirby "Madbomb" story arc. I loved them, but I wasn't really into the whole Cap & The Falcon team-up (I'm still not) & when I hit my 30s, I started to realize how cool Cap was. This is when I started to buy the Essential Captain America collections (plus a lot of Avengers books) & knew I would have to go through the entire Cap Saga, one volume at a time. I started with this one & it is here that I found so many cool revelations about the character.
I loved the fact Marvel pulled in the political climate of the time--Watergate--& had Cap question his ideals & what the United States meant to him. He realized the U.S. of his time had become corrupt & felt there was no place for Captain America to be in it. So he took himself out of the game & became Nomand, the Man Without a Country--so fucking lame, but important. It was a plot device to show that no matter how dark the times get in this country, this country will always need someone like Captain America. It made me love the character more than I ever have.
With that said, it is so cool to read old-school Marvel comics & see how much the idea of having each character within the Universe, at that time, have their own story lines all to themselves but sometimes would bleed into other titles without having the BIG EVENT comics of today. It makes me wish Marvel would go back to that style. In this volume, Cap tangles with the Viper, Madame Hydra, King Cobra & the Eel (aka., The Serpent Squad), the son of Baron Zemo, Nightshade, Dr. Faustus &, of course, The Red Skull--unfortunately with The Falcon in tow. I just can't get into The Falcon & it's like Marvel had to have another team-up comic like they had in Power Man & Iron Fist. You can forgive the Power Man & Iron Fist tag team title because they were rather weak on their own. Captain America is a strong enough character to be a solo one & to partner him with a truly weak character, The Falcon, turns him into a kind of superhero babysitter who's always having to deal with his partner's jealousy. It gets old very fast. How many times do you have to have a "I'm-sorry-for-not-recognizing-your-value" speech from Captain America before The Falcon gets it through his thick skull? On the bright side, I love how The Viper's poison antidote mixes with Cap's Super Soldier Serum genetic make-up, giving him much needed super-strength--a great addition to a great character.
I would've given this 4 stars (not 5 due to Englehart's cheezy writing) if Cap were solo. In my opinion, having The Falcon in the way grants it to be a 3 star collection. Also I should mention, Sal Buscema lends great pencil work to the collection, but my favorite artist within this collection would have to be Frank Robbins. I wish he had contributed more to the series.
All in all, I am now a die-hard Captain America fan & take back what I used to say about him in the past.
The 1st Captain America comics I bought of the 7-11 spinner racks as a kid were the Kirby "Madbomb" story arc. I loved them, but I wasn't really into the whole Cap & The Falcon team-up (I'm still not) & when I hit my 30s, I started to realize how cool Cap was. This is when I started to buy the Essential Captain America collections (plus a lot of Avengers books) & knew I would have to go through the entire Cap Saga, one volume at a time. I started with this one & it is here that I found so many cool revelations about the character.
I loved the fact Marvel pulled in the political climate of the time--Watergate--& had Cap question his ideals & what the United States meant to him. He realized the U.S. of his time had become corrupt & felt there was no place for Captain America to be in it. So he took himself out of the game & became Nomand, the Man Without a Country--so fucking lame, but important. It was a plot device to show that no matter how dark the times get in this country, this country will always need someone like Captain America. It made me love the character more than I ever have.
With that said, it is so cool to read old-school Marvel comics & see how much the idea of having each character within the Universe, at that time, have their own story lines all to themselves but sometimes would bleed into other titles without having the BIG EVENT comics of today. It makes me wish Marvel would go back to that style. In this volume, Cap tangles with the Viper, Madame Hydra, King Cobra & the Eel (aka., The Serpent Squad), the son of Baron Zemo, Nightshade, Dr. Faustus &, of course, The Red Skull--unfortunately with The Falcon in tow. I just can't get into The Falcon & it's like Marvel had to have another team-up comic like they had in Power Man & Iron Fist. You can forgive the Power Man & Iron Fist tag team title because they were rather weak on their own. Captain America is a strong enough character to be a solo one & to partner him with a truly weak character, The Falcon, turns him into a kind of superhero babysitter who's always having to deal with his partner's jealousy. It gets old very fast. How many times do you have to have a "I'm-sorry-for-not-recognizing-your-value" speech from Captain America before The Falcon gets it through his thick skull? On the bright side, I love how The Viper's poison antidote mixes with Cap's Super Soldier Serum genetic make-up, giving him much needed super-strength--a great addition to a great character.
I would've given this 4 stars (not 5 due to Englehart's cheezy writing) if Cap were solo. In my opinion, having The Falcon in the way grants it to be a 3 star collection. Also I should mention, Sal Buscema lends great pencil work to the collection, but my favorite artist within this collection would have to be Frank Robbins. I wish he had contributed more to the series.
All in all, I am now a die-hard Captain America fan & take back what I used to say about him in the past.
January 14, 2014
While still some fun moments, a rare step back in the '70s Marvel Comics prime. A big thing was when Captain America renounced being Captain America and became the Nomad, a "big moment" as Captain America goes away...and then he decides to go back to being a "new" Captain America.
A comparison came to mind with the cynically received "Death of Superman" and "Return of Superman", as the death was so permanent until a couple of years later. But at least those were action stories. There is so much talking about American symbology and coming to terms with corruption in the government, a classic case of "Tell Not Show", even weirder in a visual medium!
So Captain/Nomad stumbles through some sort of not threatening villains, making "major moments" out of changing costumes. It sort of ruins some great moments like a massive team-up with the X-Men against a PR campaign against Captain America. That kind of stuff is awesome, as well as his sort of romance with Sharon Carter.
The Falcon seems like a bigger third wheel than usual here, as they try to establish himself as his own guy with backstory and love interests while Captain America loses his uniform, and it falls flat trying to force a double comic in one like that.
The big moment was too verbose, but the little stories were mostly classics.
A comparison came to mind with the cynically received "Death of Superman" and "Return of Superman", as the death was so permanent until a couple of years later. But at least those were action stories. There is so much talking about American symbology and coming to terms with corruption in the government, a classic case of "Tell Not Show", even weirder in a visual medium!
So Captain/Nomad stumbles through some sort of not threatening villains, making "major moments" out of changing costumes. It sort of ruins some great moments like a massive team-up with the X-Men against a PR campaign against Captain America. That kind of stuff is awesome, as well as his sort of romance with Sharon Carter.
The Falcon seems like a bigger third wheel than usual here, as they try to establish himself as his own guy with backstory and love interests while Captain America loses his uniform, and it falls flat trying to force a double comic in one like that.
The big moment was too verbose, but the little stories were mostly classics.
March 5, 2023
Great Marvel Readthrough, pt 17
Much like Chris Claremont, Steve Englehart is a decent comics writer/storyteller but his dialogue is maddening. It's even below the level of bad radio drama dialogue -- here, everyone explains their every action, no matter how trivial. Even "secret plans" are revealed before they're even set into motion.
But other than that, this collection was a lot of fun to read.
The Nomad plotline seemed unneccessary given the brevity of it all (four issuses, or so), but was still interesting.
As was the slightly homoerotic gym that Steve Rogers works out in -- a small gym with 'not many members' and seemingly one employee, Roscoe.
Much like Chris Claremont, Steve Englehart is a decent comics writer/storyteller but his dialogue is maddening. It's even below the level of bad radio drama dialogue -- here, everyone explains their every action, no matter how trivial. Even "secret plans" are revealed before they're even set into motion.
But other than that, this collection was a lot of fun to read.
The Nomad plotline seemed unneccessary given the brevity of it all (four issuses, or so), but was still interesting.
As was the slightly homoerotic gym that Steve Rogers works out in -- a small gym with 'not many members' and seemingly one employee, Roscoe.
June 5, 2014
Pretty good. The last few issues are starting to veer into territory I'm not quite fond of. (Cap seems to be becoming a bit more aggressive, perhaps to "fit the times.")
This book ends on a big cliffhanger, which is just how they happened to be collected.
This book ends on a big cliffhanger, which is just how they happened to be collected.
July 10, 2015
Captain America #172-175 3 stars each.
Captain America Annual #4 2 stars.
Captain America Annual #4 2 stars.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews