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Marvel Press Novels
Captain America: Dark Designs
The tenth title in Titan Books' Marvel fiction reissue program, featuring the Captain America story,
Captain America: Dark Designs
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Steve Rogers knows the art of survival better than most. Decades under ice will do that to a man. But the Avengers chipped more than rock-hard morality and super strength out from under that permafrost. When Cap takes out a terrorist cell threatening to poison the world, he'll discover a threat far more deadly. An incurable virus has hidden in his body for years -- and now it's come to the surface. To save the world, he'll have to return to his own personal hell: deep freeze.
And he'll have to take an old friend with him. Having survived his own death by inhabiting a clone of Steve Rogers, the Red Skull has inherited the virus -- and he's a little less willing to play martyr. As the deadly disease shifts and evolves, new patterns emerge. Can Captain America contain the Red Skull before the virus runs rampant?
Steve Rogers knows the art of survival better than most. Decades under ice will do that to a man. But the Avengers chipped more than rock-hard morality and super strength out from under that permafrost. When Cap takes out a terrorist cell threatening to poison the world, he'll discover a threat far more deadly. An incurable virus has hidden in his body for years -- and now it's come to the surface. To save the world, he'll have to return to his own personal hell: deep freeze.
And he'll have to take an old friend with him. Having survived his own death by inhabiting a clone of Steve Rogers, the Red Skull has inherited the virus -- and he's a little less willing to play martyr. As the deadly disease shifts and evolves, new patterns emerge. Can Captain America contain the Red Skull before the virus runs rampant?
336 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 19, 2016
37 people are currently reading
648 people want to read
About the author
Stefan Petrucha
343 books274 followersStefan Petrucha (born January 27, 1959) is an American writer for adults and young adults. He has written graphic novels in the The X-Files and Nancy Drew series, as well as science fiction and horror.
Born in the Bronx, he has spent time in the big city and the suburbs, and now lives in western Massachusetts with his wife, fellow writer Sarah Kinney, and their daughters. At times he has been a tech writer, an educational writer, a public relations writer and an editor for trade journals, but his preference is for fiction in all its forms.
Born in the Bronx, he has spent time in the big city and the suburbs, and now lives in western Massachusetts with his wife, fellow writer Sarah Kinney, and their daughters. At times he has been a tech writer, an educational writer, a public relations writer and an editor for trade journals, but his preference is for fiction in all its forms.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
June 30, 2022
This was a fun Cap prose novel. It was written and published pre-Covid, and it's amusing to see how S.H.I.E.L.D. and the world and Steve Rogers and everybody is willing to follow the CDC recommendations and guidelines. If only the real world worked like comics, right? Briefly, the Red Skull, aided by Arnim Zola, is out to finish Cap once and for all, before the virus with which they're both infected incapacitates him. Cap, aided by Iron Man, Nick Fury, and a Wakandan doctor, try to curtail the Skull without allowing the world to end. Hitler had a group of doomsday weapons left lying around that Skull activates, and they wreak some havoc before the good guys come out on top. Skull is apparently killed and cremated, but Steve starts cataloging the number of times the Skull has been killed and reborn, which is pretty amusing. The novel drags a little in the middle and could have lost a few pages, but I enjoyed it. Looking at the mass market paperback cover, does anyone else think the artist was maybe influenced a lot by James Bama's Doc Savage paintings? Excelsior!
May 10, 2016
A very solid four star book.
Disclaimer: I LOVE CAPTAIN AMERICA! The one from Marvel Cineverse more than any. Which is where most of my Cap knowledge comes from. I do not have a clue as to whether Dark Designs is from the graphic novels...I will say that I did google and amazon the title and only came up with copies of this specific novel, leading me to believe it's an original story.
First, I must mention the cover under the book jacket. Gorgeous silver foiling create Cap's shield and letters on the spine on a matte black finish had cover. Beautiful!
Second, while this book isn't a graphic novel by any means, it does have some art...every two to four chapters. Not many pages, but very nice. The images are grey-scale (black & white), clearly drawn and colored. A great surprise, because I wasn't expecting to find art at all in the pages of this book.
Third, if I had to date this story, it would be somewhere after The Avengers and slightly before Captain America: Winter Soldier, movie wise. Though it does mention the Infinity Wars have happened already and the Cineverse isn't there yet. (They film next year.)
So for my review:
That's always on my mind when I read/watch anything Cap. It's heartbreaking.
This time, though, there is talk of sending him back into a deep freeze because Cap has picked up a viral pathogen. While it remains dormant in Steve Roger's blood, this pathogen has extinction level possibilities. Meaning Cap is in quarantine. Just as The Red Skull in Cap's clone (apparently that's a thing in the Marvel Universe not in the Cineverse) is calling forth Nazi Sleeper Robots. Why? Well, because he has the same virus as Cap, though his form is active. Zola, or the robotic consciousness of him, gives Red Skull some options, and Skull chose the Sleepers.
That quote came from Tony Stark himself. While I have this "thing" about Iron Man hogging the spotlight from Cap's movie, I did enjoy his addition to the book. He's snarky, and quippy, and really plays off Steve's "living in a whole new world" thing...They were true comrades in the best sense. Working together to defeat the evils and keep the virus at bay.
Nick Fury showed up, SHIELD still a force to be reckoned with (before Hydra took them down). He stuck fear in many a doctor and was as fun to have Samuel L Jackson's voice in my head along with Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. The three made for a great trio--one serious, one snarky, and one bad ass commander.
There were no other Avengers/Captain America characters in the mix, but then the story didn't need them. It was strong and intriguing all on its own.
WARNING: Some parts were intense and worrisome, which made for a great story. The beginning was horribly slow. A lot of mention of gun/tank specifics took the possibility of something awesome to begin the book. If the first chapter or two wasn't wholly necessary for some information that carries throughout the story, I'd say skip it.
And because I love Falcon: Sam Wilson was only mentioned, never took part.
Okay, so I cried... Peggy and Steve always...
Anyway, this book was pleasantly entertaining. If it had less tedium upfront--I mean, I don't need to know every single gun the soldiers are carrying--this could have been five stars easily.
*I NEED A HERO READ - MAY 2016 THEME* Going to definitely look into more of Marvel's prose novels, hopefully will find some of my favorite characters in there. (Ant-Man, Falcon, Winter Soldier...)
Disclaimer: I LOVE CAPTAIN AMERICA! The one from Marvel Cineverse more than any. Which is where most of my Cap knowledge comes from. I do not have a clue as to whether Dark Designs is from the graphic novels...I will say that I did google and amazon the title and only came up with copies of this specific novel, leading me to believe it's an original story.
First, I must mention the cover under the book jacket. Gorgeous silver foiling create Cap's shield and letters on the spine on a matte black finish had cover. Beautiful!
Second, while this book isn't a graphic novel by any means, it does have some art...every two to four chapters. Not many pages, but very nice. The images are grey-scale (black & white), clearly drawn and colored. A great surprise, because I wasn't expecting to find art at all in the pages of this book.
Third, if I had to date this story, it would be somewhere after The Avengers and slightly before Captain America: Winter Soldier, movie wise. Though it does mention the Infinity Wars have happened already and the Cineverse isn't there yet. (They film next year.)
So for my review:
"Forty years. I'll wake up in a completely different world. Everyone I know will either be gone or nearing the end of their time. Again."
That's always on my mind when I read/watch anything Cap. It's heartbreaking.
This time, though, there is talk of sending him back into a deep freeze because Cap has picked up a viral pathogen. While it remains dormant in Steve Roger's blood, this pathogen has extinction level possibilities. Meaning Cap is in quarantine. Just as The Red Skull in Cap's clone (apparently that's a thing in the Marvel Universe not in the Cineverse) is calling forth Nazi Sleeper Robots. Why? Well, because he has the same virus as Cap, though his form is active. Zola, or the robotic consciousness of him, gives Red Skull some options, and Skull chose the Sleepers.
"Hey, old man. Heard you got some kind of flu or something, so I figured I'd pitch in."
That quote came from Tony Stark himself. While I have this "thing" about Iron Man hogging the spotlight from Cap's movie, I did enjoy his addition to the book. He's snarky, and quippy, and really plays off Steve's "living in a whole new world" thing...They were true comrades in the best sense. Working together to defeat the evils and keep the virus at bay.
Nick Fury showed up, SHIELD still a force to be reckoned with (before Hydra took them down). He stuck fear in many a doctor and was as fun to have Samuel L Jackson's voice in my head along with Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. The three made for a great trio--one serious, one snarky, and one bad ass commander.
There were no other Avengers/Captain America characters in the mix, but then the story didn't need them. It was strong and intriguing all on its own.
WARNING: Some parts were intense and worrisome, which made for a great story. The beginning was horribly slow. A lot of mention of gun/tank specifics took the possibility of something awesome to begin the book. If the first chapter or two wasn't wholly necessary for some information that carries throughout the story, I'd say skip it.
And because I love Falcon: Sam Wilson was only mentioned, never took part.
It had been difficult, to be sure--especially when his first love, Peggy Carter--now in her eighties--said through her tears, "At least this time, I'll know where you are, that you're alive."
Okay, so I cried... Peggy and Steve always...
Anyway, this book was pleasantly entertaining. If it had less tedium upfront--I mean, I don't need to know every single gun the soldiers are carrying--this could have been five stars easily.
*I NEED A HERO READ - MAY 2016 THEME* Going to definitely look into more of Marvel's prose novels, hopefully will find some of my favorite characters in there. (Ant-Man, Falcon, Winter Soldier...)
July 27, 2021
An entertaining Captain America adventure story with the requisite degree of self-sacrificing heroism and creepy villainy (courtesy of Johann Schmidt AKA Der Roter Totenkopf Red Skull) as well as compelling side characters the author clearly invested time in bringing to life such as the winsome Wakandan Dr. N'Tomo and obsessive epidemiologist Dr. Kade.
Points lost for me due to the contrived nature of the external threat but since it's a superhero novel I guess one shouldn't have to suspend disbelief that much. Even so the ending was a touch far fetched, even if some Just Desserts were served.
Points lost for me due to the contrived nature of the external threat but since it's a superhero novel I guess one shouldn't have to suspend disbelief that much. Even so the ending was a touch far fetched, even if some Just Desserts were served.
January 7, 2019
After the events of the Civil War movie I pretty much lost all my respect for Captain America, purely because of all the pain he put Iron Man through. I'm Team Tony Stark all the way! But I would be lying if I said this book didn't make me want to respect Captain America again. Dark Designs featured not only Steve Rogers, but Nick Fury and Tony Stark as well. The book as a whole was great, but the ending felt kind of like a cop out to me. However, the epilogue was enough to keep me happy.
February 9, 2022
A Captain America story with lots of action fighting this threat....whatever. It just was not very interesting.
April 16, 2021
Recensione completa -> https://thebooksblender.altervista.or...
December 13, 2019
The tenth title in Titan Books’ Marvel Fiction reissue program, Captain America: Dark Designs focuses on the ongoing conflict between arch-nemeses Steve Rogers and Johann Schmidt, better known as Captain America and the Red Skull. Rather than taking place in its own separate universe, this story actually references and builds upon two key moments within Captain America continuity; the time that Cap fought against the Sleeper robots in Tales of Suspense # 72-74, and the time that the Red Skull had his memories implanted in the body of a Steve Rogers clone (Captain America # 350) by Arnim Zola. The novel provides enough backstory to explain these events to those unfamiliar with the original comics to ensure the story is accessible to all, but it is interesting to see the novel tied so tightly to the Marvel Comics continuity.
Much like Superman over at DC Comics, Captain America has something of a “boy scout” quality to him and writer Stefan Petrucha explores the character’s inherent honour and willingness to sacrifice himself to do the right thing. Whilst reading, I often found myself recalling Chris Evans’ take on the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and how he puts his duty before his own personal gain. Petrucha challenges the character by giving him a threat that he can’t punch into submission, and forcing him to face his greatest fear – becoming frozen in time once again. While Cap’s conflicts with the multitude of Sleeper robots is entertaining and provides the reader with plenty of action set-pieces, it is his attempts to deal with the isolation brought on by the virus that really drives the narrative here.
While this is undoubtedly a Captain America story, the novel also features some memorable guest appearances from Nick Fury and Iron Man as the pair attempt to support Cap during these testing times. These cameos help present the novel as part of the Marvel Universe where crossovers and team-ups between heroes are as frequent as alien attacks and radioactive experiments gone wrong. With the level of danger that occurs in this story, it would be remiss not to have a secondary superhero make an appearance and the unique friendship between Captain America and Tony Stark translates to prose just as well as it does to the panel and the big-screen.
The highlight of the novel for me was the Red Skull segments and how Petrucha subverted the usual multi-layered machinations of the super-villain to instead present a dying man attempting to survive at any cost. Bad guys are always more interesting than the heroes, and this remains true for this novel as I found the sequences with the Red Skull to be the most engaging chapters of the book. Petrucha writes the Red Skull well, balancing his evilness and hatred for Captain America with his newfound desperation and weakness. There were a number of moments that subverted my expectations throughout the story, and it wasn’t until reading the twist-ending epilogue that I could see the eponymous ‘Dark Designs’ that were truly guiding the events. Outside of the Marvel Universe, it might be a twist too far – but this is a world where gods and monsters exist together.
Moving from panel to prose effortlessly, Captain America: Dark Designs loses none of its impact as an action-packed adventure. Stefan Petrucha understands just what makes these characters tick as he places them both on an inevitable path towards a final conflict. A refreshing alternative to comics, this longer-paced narrative allows readers to spend a bit longer with the characters and feels just as big-budget as the latest cinematic entries.
Much like Superman over at DC Comics, Captain America has something of a “boy scout” quality to him and writer Stefan Petrucha explores the character’s inherent honour and willingness to sacrifice himself to do the right thing. Whilst reading, I often found myself recalling Chris Evans’ take on the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and how he puts his duty before his own personal gain. Petrucha challenges the character by giving him a threat that he can’t punch into submission, and forcing him to face his greatest fear – becoming frozen in time once again. While Cap’s conflicts with the multitude of Sleeper robots is entertaining and provides the reader with plenty of action set-pieces, it is his attempts to deal with the isolation brought on by the virus that really drives the narrative here.
While this is undoubtedly a Captain America story, the novel also features some memorable guest appearances from Nick Fury and Iron Man as the pair attempt to support Cap during these testing times. These cameos help present the novel as part of the Marvel Universe where crossovers and team-ups between heroes are as frequent as alien attacks and radioactive experiments gone wrong. With the level of danger that occurs in this story, it would be remiss not to have a secondary superhero make an appearance and the unique friendship between Captain America and Tony Stark translates to prose just as well as it does to the panel and the big-screen.
The highlight of the novel for me was the Red Skull segments and how Petrucha subverted the usual multi-layered machinations of the super-villain to instead present a dying man attempting to survive at any cost. Bad guys are always more interesting than the heroes, and this remains true for this novel as I found the sequences with the Red Skull to be the most engaging chapters of the book. Petrucha writes the Red Skull well, balancing his evilness and hatred for Captain America with his newfound desperation and weakness. There were a number of moments that subverted my expectations throughout the story, and it wasn’t until reading the twist-ending epilogue that I could see the eponymous ‘Dark Designs’ that were truly guiding the events. Outside of the Marvel Universe, it might be a twist too far – but this is a world where gods and monsters exist together.
Moving from panel to prose effortlessly, Captain America: Dark Designs loses none of its impact as an action-packed adventure. Stefan Petrucha understands just what makes these characters tick as he places them both on an inevitable path towards a final conflict. A refreshing alternative to comics, this longer-paced narrative allows readers to spend a bit longer with the characters and feels just as big-budget as the latest cinematic entries.
July 9, 2017
Great story. Features not only Cap himself, but also Iron Man, (Stark), Nick Fury and the villain Red Skull.
Also we saw the new Spiderman movie today. Tasha liked it a lot. I thought it was entertaining. But as I was telling her, it is the 7th Spiderman movie we've seen if you include his role in the Civil War movie. Entertaining, though and isn't that the point of these books and movies?
Also we saw the new Spiderman movie today. Tasha liked it a lot. I thought it was entertaining. But as I was telling her, it is the 7th Spiderman movie we've seen if you include his role in the Civil War movie. Entertaining, though and isn't that the point of these books and movies?
July 18, 2017
An action packed book. One boss battle after another.
October 26, 2019
I have to admit that when it comes to these Marvel tie in books I do have a bit of a soft spot for them. They are fun and easy reads and they are accessible for readers who only know Marvel via the Avengers films, like myself. Unsurprisingly, Dark Designs has a cinematic quality to it, plenty of big set pieces, explosions and battles, with enough nods to established characters which really help with visualisation. One of my favourite of the battles takes place in Paris starting at the Louvre and covering the length and breadth of the city all the way to a climactic finish in the Seine – this is of course helped immensely by the arrival of Tony Stark who actually steals the show for most of this book. There is amazing banter from him as always which was much needed as actually, for a Captain America book, I felt that his character came across as pretty flat. He was almost secondary to the sinister Red Skull, who I think may have appeared in a series of S.H.E.I.L.D once, he felt very familiar, but utterly insane! His sinister presence is actually pretty chilling at times as he releases a series of Sleepers born out of WWII Nazi tech, the liberties taken though with the technological capabilities of the time are those which can only be taken with a comic book edge! The presence of Dr N’Tomo as well was fabulous, Black Panther is one of my favourite films of the Marvelverse, so the talk of Wakanda was very welcome – although sadly shows how chronically underrepresented female characters are in the book.
It does feel formulaic at times, but i think with these books a linear style works because you always know what you’re going to get and in part is what makes these enjoyable reads, I really enjoyed the addition of the artwork in some of the chapters too, it was interesting to see more of the graphic novel versions of Captain America and was a nice touch. The epilogue was great too, really unexpected and puts quite the slant on things, it was a great way to end the story.
An enjoyable 3.5 Stars for this little slice of the Marvel Universe.
It does feel formulaic at times, but i think with these books a linear style works because you always know what you’re going to get and in part is what makes these enjoyable reads, I really enjoyed the addition of the artwork in some of the chapters too, it was interesting to see more of the graphic novel versions of Captain America and was a nice touch. The epilogue was great too, really unexpected and puts quite the slant on things, it was a great way to end the story.
An enjoyable 3.5 Stars for this little slice of the Marvel Universe.
March 6, 2020
I chose to round down to two stars for my review of "Dark Designs," by Stefan Petrucha. It's a tale of Captain America versus the Red Skull in the modern era with a world-ending pandemic in the mix. That virus has been inside Captain America since he was frozen in ice during World War Two. When the Red Skull and Arnim Zola cloned a new body for the Red Skull from Captain America's DNA, the virus was replicated as well. Fast forward to the 00's and the Red Skull is dying from the virus and Captain America is asymptomatic. But viral experts say that Cap should be frozen or incinerated to stop a potential world-ending plague from spreading.
Seeing his death rapidly approaching, the Red Skull activates some World War Two-era Nazi robotic technology to finally bring down Captain America. Iron Man/Tony Stark joins in to help fight the robotic devices and work on a cure for Captain America. Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. also get heavily involved in the situation.
I had a few problems with "Dark Designs." Overall, the story isn't that interesting. It lags a lot, especially during the "fighting the Nazi robots" parts, which take up a BIG chunk of the novel. Also, Captain America is so heroic and righteous that he's pretty darn dull to read about. I fully expected him to eat a lot of bran and poop and American flag at some point.
For me, the most entertaining parts of the novel were the Red Skull and Arnim Zola making like the Odd Couple and when the Red Skull is directly interacting with Captain America.
And I have no idea what they were thinking with the cover art. Captain America looks like a frail teenager, not the Nazi-stomping hero of the USA.
If you're a big fan of these Marvel Comics novelizations or Captain America, you may enjoy this novel. But I think there are FAR better options for your reading time out there.
Also, does anyone really want to read about a possible world-ending pandemic right now...?
Seeing his death rapidly approaching, the Red Skull activates some World War Two-era Nazi robotic technology to finally bring down Captain America. Iron Man/Tony Stark joins in to help fight the robotic devices and work on a cure for Captain America. Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. also get heavily involved in the situation.
I had a few problems with "Dark Designs." Overall, the story isn't that interesting. It lags a lot, especially during the "fighting the Nazi robots" parts, which take up a BIG chunk of the novel. Also, Captain America is so heroic and righteous that he's pretty darn dull to read about. I fully expected him to eat a lot of bran and poop and American flag at some point.
For me, the most entertaining parts of the novel were the Red Skull and Arnim Zola making like the Odd Couple and when the Red Skull is directly interacting with Captain America.
And I have no idea what they were thinking with the cover art. Captain America looks like a frail teenager, not the Nazi-stomping hero of the USA.
If you're a big fan of these Marvel Comics novelizations or Captain America, you may enjoy this novel. But I think there are FAR better options for your reading time out there.
Also, does anyone really want to read about a possible world-ending pandemic right now...?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2017
So our favorite super soldier Captain America is the perfect representation of the protection our country deserves. He will do anything to make sure the country and its people are safe. What happens if he finds he's infected with an extinction level virus. If the virus infects anyone else the world will end. But Cap doesn't have time to be quarantined, the sleeper robots from Nazi Germany have awoken and will battle only Captain America or destroy anything in their path.
This production from GraphicAudio brings to life the marvel universe in an audio presentation that delivers the punch that is a Movie in your Mind.
This production from GraphicAudio brings to life the marvel universe in an audio presentation that delivers the punch that is a Movie in your Mind.
September 27, 2016
We listened to the GraphicAudio audiobook for this story, which was the expected high quality production with great voice actors, sound effects, etc. The story itself was a bit... obvious. To the extent that we almost didn't finish the book, but there wasn't anything better to do so inertia.
November 4, 2016
Interesting story and a fun read. Recommended or any Capital fan.
March 15, 2021
Captain America and Marvel's Coronavirus.
Yeah, that title really pop's out doesn't it?
This was an unexpectedly satisfying read. I started this book like most of my Marvel prose novels with the intent to just sit back and read my latest superhero adventure. This started off strong given the fact that it deals with the dangers of a mass outbreak of rabies throughout some parts of Africa. Now, this was interesting to me given the theories that most of the internet had about COVID-19 being a weaponized virus. The conflict was obviously resolved by the Sentinel of Liberty himself, but as we head out to get checked out to see if the super-soldier serum can hold out against rabies we find something so much worse.
It would seem that good old Captain America has been transporting a strain of an Extinction Level Virus since he was thawed out of the ice. This virus is extremely contagious and deadly; so, now Cap has to go into quarantine while they figure out a way to exterminate the virus. I could see the parallels with our current situation and they terrified and excited me. Stefan Petrucha saw 2020 coming.
But sadly as in every superhero comic book, trouble waits for no hero. There are dark designs transpiring in the background that are gunning for the First Avenger. Now Captain America has to watch and wait as different World War II nazi machines wreak havoc throughout the world all in the hope of drawing him out and exterminating him.
So the good Captain has to fight some Nazis all while avoiding spreading the virus.
The Dark Designs:
All in all this book was filled with action, suspense, and surprises. If you're looking for a good Captain America adventure then this book is for you. And if you stick to the epilogue you will be glad and thankful that COVID-19 isn't this virus.
An extinction level virus's introspection:
4.5 out of 5 stars.
Yeah, that title really pop's out doesn't it?
This was an unexpectedly satisfying read. I started this book like most of my Marvel prose novels with the intent to just sit back and read my latest superhero adventure. This started off strong given the fact that it deals with the dangers of a mass outbreak of rabies throughout some parts of Africa. Now, this was interesting to me given the theories that most of the internet had about COVID-19 being a weaponized virus. The conflict was obviously resolved by the Sentinel of Liberty himself, but as we head out to get checked out to see if the super-soldier serum can hold out against rabies we find something so much worse.
It would seem that good old Captain America has been transporting a strain of an Extinction Level Virus since he was thawed out of the ice. This virus is extremely contagious and deadly; so, now Cap has to go into quarantine while they figure out a way to exterminate the virus. I could see the parallels with our current situation and they terrified and excited me. Stefan Petrucha saw 2020 coming.
But sadly as in every superhero comic book, trouble waits for no hero. There are dark designs transpiring in the background that are gunning for the First Avenger. Now Captain America has to watch and wait as different World War II nazi machines wreak havoc throughout the world all in the hope of drawing him out and exterminating him.
The colossus spoke again:
"Wenn Kapitän Amerika ist nicht hier innerhalb enire stunde, werden viele zivilisten sterben."
...
The translation appeared on their screens: "If Captain America is not here within an hour many civilians will die."
So the good Captain has to fight some Nazis all while avoiding spreading the virus.
The Dark Designs:
All in all this book was filled with action, suspense, and surprises. If you're looking for a good Captain America adventure then this book is for you. And if you stick to the epilogue you will be glad and thankful that COVID-19 isn't this virus.
An extinction level virus's introspection:
4.5 out of 5 stars.
October 16, 2019
Captain America: Dark Designs is the latest Marvel prose book from Titan Books and author Stefan Petrucha, who has previously brought comic book characters to the world of prose having written Spider-Man: Forever Young, and Deadpool: Paws.
Captain America: Dark Designs sees the iconic super soldier having to face an enemy that he's no equipped to beat, a virus. After a routine mission to stop the launch of a deadly pathogen Cap is examined on board the S.H.I.E.L.D. hellicarrier, where it's discovered that he is playing host to a virus that could wipe out all of humanity.
To make matters worse, the Red Skull, who is living inside a cloned body of Captain America, also has the virus; though his has activated. The Red Skull launches an assault on Cap using a series of Nazi robots. Now Captain America must try to find a way to stop these deadly machines whilst not triggering an extinction level event.
One of the biggest draws to comics is the artwork, and they way that it's used in super hero comics to create a level of action and spectacle that sometimes the written word can find difficult. Action scenes in books are great, but can sometimes feel like the weaker part of a story as the author tries to describe the amazing feats their characters are making. This is something that comics can sidestep, displaying amazing scenes across splash pages and dynamic panels. The problem when you take characters that we're used to reading in this one format and moving it to another is that you run the risk of the action becoming the weaker part of the story.
Whilst Stefan Petrucha is able to tell great action scenes, and there are some great moments of action to be found in this book, it does feel a little like he's fallen into this pitfall here. The succession of different robot foes, and eventually the Red Skull meant that towards the end of the novel I started to find myself becoming a little tired of the action scenes and just wanted to skip over them. This isn't the best thing when writing action stories.
However, this doesn't ruin the story in any way. yes, it means that there are duller moments every now and then, but the core story was so engaging that I was able to forgive these dips in my engagement. Seeing Captain America stuck within isolation was such an interesting take on the character, especially when he was faced with the possibility of having to go into cryogenic suspension in order to stop the virus. We get to see the internal struggle he has with this idea, of having to be frozen once again and potentially lose everything and everyone he knows and loves a second time.
Captain America lost out on having his life once already, of seeing family and friends, the woman he loved. He missed out on settling down and having a life with Peggy Carter because of becoming frozen, and it still haunts him. Seeing him knowing that he will have to go through that all over again, but volunteering to do so to save other lives shows how admirable and good a character he is.
This is one of the benefits of telling this kind of story in prose form over a regular comic, as we're allowed to have these scenes of personal introspection and deeper conversations as the writer isn't trying to write to a pre-set comic issue page length. It also means that some of the side characters get more of a spotlight too. Doctor Nia N'Tomo is one of these characters, a disease specialist who is working to cure Cap. We get to see a very real and somewhat sweet relationship develop between her and Cap across the novel, and I was often finding myself wanting to see more of the two of them together in scenes.
The standout character of the book, however, was doctor Winston Kade. A much older and more seasoned disease specialist than N'Tomo, he;s the man who first discovers the virus inside Cap and predicts that it's possible for it to destroy the human race. Initially just seeming to be a bit of a brash and grumpy man there turns out to be a lot more layers to the character than initially expected, and the more I learnt about him and his past over the course of the book the more I found him to be fascinating. He's a character that definitely sits within the grey between good and bad, who has only the noblest of intentions but will go to extremes to meet them, his arc was by far my favourite part of the story.
Captain America: Dark Designs is an interesting Captain America story, one that I don't think would have worked as well in comic form as it does here. The longer time with the characters and their inner minds were a highlight, and helped to keep me interested between the action sc
Captain America: Dark Designs sees the iconic super soldier having to face an enemy that he's no equipped to beat, a virus. After a routine mission to stop the launch of a deadly pathogen Cap is examined on board the S.H.I.E.L.D. hellicarrier, where it's discovered that he is playing host to a virus that could wipe out all of humanity.
To make matters worse, the Red Skull, who is living inside a cloned body of Captain America, also has the virus; though his has activated. The Red Skull launches an assault on Cap using a series of Nazi robots. Now Captain America must try to find a way to stop these deadly machines whilst not triggering an extinction level event.
One of the biggest draws to comics is the artwork, and they way that it's used in super hero comics to create a level of action and spectacle that sometimes the written word can find difficult. Action scenes in books are great, but can sometimes feel like the weaker part of a story as the author tries to describe the amazing feats their characters are making. This is something that comics can sidestep, displaying amazing scenes across splash pages and dynamic panels. The problem when you take characters that we're used to reading in this one format and moving it to another is that you run the risk of the action becoming the weaker part of the story.
Whilst Stefan Petrucha is able to tell great action scenes, and there are some great moments of action to be found in this book, it does feel a little like he's fallen into this pitfall here. The succession of different robot foes, and eventually the Red Skull meant that towards the end of the novel I started to find myself becoming a little tired of the action scenes and just wanted to skip over them. This isn't the best thing when writing action stories.
However, this doesn't ruin the story in any way. yes, it means that there are duller moments every now and then, but the core story was so engaging that I was able to forgive these dips in my engagement. Seeing Captain America stuck within isolation was such an interesting take on the character, especially when he was faced with the possibility of having to go into cryogenic suspension in order to stop the virus. We get to see the internal struggle he has with this idea, of having to be frozen once again and potentially lose everything and everyone he knows and loves a second time.
Captain America lost out on having his life once already, of seeing family and friends, the woman he loved. He missed out on settling down and having a life with Peggy Carter because of becoming frozen, and it still haunts him. Seeing him knowing that he will have to go through that all over again, but volunteering to do so to save other lives shows how admirable and good a character he is.
This is one of the benefits of telling this kind of story in prose form over a regular comic, as we're allowed to have these scenes of personal introspection and deeper conversations as the writer isn't trying to write to a pre-set comic issue page length. It also means that some of the side characters get more of a spotlight too. Doctor Nia N'Tomo is one of these characters, a disease specialist who is working to cure Cap. We get to see a very real and somewhat sweet relationship develop between her and Cap across the novel, and I was often finding myself wanting to see more of the two of them together in scenes.
The standout character of the book, however, was doctor Winston Kade. A much older and more seasoned disease specialist than N'Tomo, he;s the man who first discovers the virus inside Cap and predicts that it's possible for it to destroy the human race. Initially just seeming to be a bit of a brash and grumpy man there turns out to be a lot more layers to the character than initially expected, and the more I learnt about him and his past over the course of the book the more I found him to be fascinating. He's a character that definitely sits within the grey between good and bad, who has only the noblest of intentions but will go to extremes to meet them, his arc was by far my favourite part of the story.
Captain America: Dark Designs is an interesting Captain America story, one that I don't think would have worked as well in comic form as it does here. The longer time with the characters and their inner minds were a highlight, and helped to keep me interested between the action sc
July 3, 2016
Thots while reading:
It's kinda funny, but chapter six involves a giant robot [one of the Reich's Sleepers] being activated by the Red Skull and set to attacking Paris. Four teams of SHIELD agents are being sent in to deal with it and Captain America is to act as an 'armchair general.'
"Forty years. I'll wake up in a completely different world. Everyone I know will either be gone or nearing the end of their time. Again." (41) A powerful quote from the book.
"Dr. Zola, I believe you've given new meaning to the term 'grammar Nazi'" (146). Hah! That was a hilarious comment by the Red Skull! Definitely one of the better lines in the book.
----------------------------------------
Okay, I stand corrected. Iron Man does come into the book [for a bit], as do the Wakandans. I could not decide if it takes place 'inbetween the movies' or at some point in the comic-universe. In the comics, Peggy had been dead for some time, yet references are made to Peggy still being alive throughout the book [including on pages 227 - 228]. I do wish Thor would have made an appearance; that would have been pretty cool, having 'The Big Three' together. Or even Hawkeye and Sam Wilson. Ah, well.
Also, another thing that made me think it was tied more into the movies is Tony Stark. His behavior and verbiage is more in line with the movies than with the comics. Well, maybe until recently. I have not been reading the Iron Man comics for several years, now, so it is possible Marvel has changed his behavior to be more in line with the movies as opposed to the comics. But in the comics I remember reading, he was more methodical and not so...neurotic? disjointed in his thinking? I realize the author is going for trying to present Tony as focusing on everything, which makes him seem 'unfocused', but it makes Tony seem scatter-brained as opposed to a genius.
I liked how the book preserved the 'buddy-relationship' between Cap and Tony. That is one thing that I have not cared for in the comics, how their relationship was torn apart during the first 'Civil War' event, and how they made Cap say things that he never once said or indicated he thought or believed about Tony prior to the Civil War, about how Cap always thought Tony was some kind of spoiled rich kid who never had to do an honest day's work in his life, how Tony was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. This 'hatred of all things-Tony' continued with Tony being a part of the 'new Illuminati' that formed in the third volume of the New Avengers, and Cap ending up opposing Tony and even hating Tony. I hated what they did to their friendship. Considering all that Tony did to help Cap reacclimate to the 'Modern World' after being found in the ice as well as the number of times Tony had to rebuild his company from the ground up with nothing but his reputation as initial capital, it was pretty cheeky on the part of the Civil War authors to make Cap say the nasty things he said about Tony. I know their relationship was strained at times prior to Civil War [such as the "Iron Armor Wars" or when Tony led a squad of Avengers to 'kill' the Supreme Intelligence (the leader of the Kree Empire at the time of the Kree-Shi'ar War)], but they always managed to repair their friendship and work together. So, yeah, I was happy to see that relationship maintained in this book. Granted, the witty repartee was more in line with the movies as opposed to the comics.
The Sleepers. I do not know how I feel about them. The Nazis were apparently able to 'hide' more 'Sleeper' robots 'around the world' than was previously realized. References are made to prior Sleepers that Cap has battled; perhaps they are from stories in the comics I have not read. That is fine with me; the four Sleeper robots in this story are a bit much, though. I do not know how I feel about them as being the 'villains' against whom Cap [and Iron Man, to a lesser extent] fought. I suppose, due to the nature and plot of the story, it makes some sort of sense, but I still am not sure how I cared for it.
It is definitely a different kind of Captain America story .
The book moves at a decent pace. I thought it had some interesting concepts in it . There was another part of the book that I also liked. It was a relatively fast read for me; I did enjoy reading it.
I enjoyed how Cap interacted with Nick Fury and the rest of SHIELD. That was more in line with the comics than with the movies, in my opinion, and helped set the story more in the 'comic-universe' as opposed to the Marvel Movies. That is okay with me, though. I do not mind that it was set in the comics universe and not the movies. Nick Fury has always been a source of great amusement for me, as he is portrayed as practically omniscient, yet he still manages to make mistakes or overlook things that are probably pretty obvious. I love the character; don't get me wrong. I love when he is written this way; he was also written that way for the Ultimate Universe as well. He's a great character when written properly [correctly?].
Overall, I enjoyed the book and am glad I read it. I thought at first it was going to be a weak book, but I am glad to say that I was gratefully mistaken as the book progressed. It was a good book, and I enjoyed reading it.
It's kinda funny, but chapter six involves a giant robot [one of the Reich's Sleepers] being activated by the Red Skull and set to attacking Paris. Four teams of SHIELD agents are being sent in to deal with it and Captain America is to act as an 'armchair general.'
"Forty years. I'll wake up in a completely different world. Everyone I know will either be gone or nearing the end of their time. Again." (41) A powerful quote from the book.
"Dr. Zola, I believe you've given new meaning to the term 'grammar Nazi'" (146). Hah! That was a hilarious comment by the Red Skull! Definitely one of the better lines in the book.
----------------------------------------
Okay, I stand corrected. Iron Man does come into the book [for a bit], as do the Wakandans. I could not decide if it takes place 'inbetween the movies' or at some point in the comic-universe. In the comics, Peggy had been dead for some time, yet references are made to Peggy still being alive throughout the book [including on pages 227 - 228]. I do wish Thor would have made an appearance; that would have been pretty cool, having 'The Big Three' together. Or even Hawkeye and Sam Wilson. Ah, well.
Also, another thing that made me think it was tied more into the movies is Tony Stark. His behavior and verbiage is more in line with the movies than with the comics. Well, maybe until recently. I have not been reading the Iron Man comics for several years, now, so it is possible Marvel has changed his behavior to be more in line with the movies as opposed to the comics. But in the comics I remember reading, he was more methodical and not so...neurotic? disjointed in his thinking? I realize the author is going for trying to present Tony as focusing on everything, which makes him seem 'unfocused', but it makes Tony seem scatter-brained as opposed to a genius.
I liked how the book preserved the 'buddy-relationship' between Cap and Tony. That is one thing that I have not cared for in the comics, how their relationship was torn apart during the first 'Civil War' event, and how they made Cap say things that he never once said or indicated he thought or believed about Tony prior to the Civil War, about how Cap always thought Tony was some kind of spoiled rich kid who never had to do an honest day's work in his life, how Tony was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. This 'hatred of all things-Tony' continued with Tony being a part of the 'new Illuminati' that formed in the third volume of the New Avengers, and Cap ending up opposing Tony and even hating Tony. I hated what they did to their friendship. Considering all that Tony did to help Cap reacclimate to the 'Modern World' after being found in the ice as well as the number of times Tony had to rebuild his company from the ground up with nothing but his reputation as initial capital, it was pretty cheeky on the part of the Civil War authors to make Cap say the nasty things he said about Tony. I know their relationship was strained at times prior to Civil War [such as the "Iron Armor Wars" or when Tony led a squad of Avengers to 'kill' the Supreme Intelligence (the leader of the Kree Empire at the time of the Kree-Shi'ar War)], but they always managed to repair their friendship and work together. So, yeah, I was happy to see that relationship maintained in this book. Granted, the witty repartee was more in line with the movies as opposed to the comics.
The Sleepers. I do not know how I feel about them. The Nazis were apparently able to 'hide' more 'Sleeper' robots 'around the world' than was previously realized. References are made to prior Sleepers that Cap has battled; perhaps they are from stories in the comics I have not read. That is fine with me; the four Sleeper robots in this story are a bit much, though. I do not know how I feel about them as being the 'villains' against whom Cap [and Iron Man, to a lesser extent] fought. I suppose, due to the nature and plot of the story, it makes some sort of sense, but I still am not sure how I cared for it.
It is definitely a different kind of Captain America story .
The book moves at a decent pace. I thought it had some interesting concepts in it . There was another part of the book that I also liked. It was a relatively fast read for me; I did enjoy reading it.
I enjoyed how Cap interacted with Nick Fury and the rest of SHIELD. That was more in line with the comics than with the movies, in my opinion, and helped set the story more in the 'comic-universe' as opposed to the Marvel Movies. That is okay with me, though. I do not mind that it was set in the comics universe and not the movies. Nick Fury has always been a source of great amusement for me, as he is portrayed as practically omniscient, yet he still manages to make mistakes or overlook things that are probably pretty obvious. I love the character; don't get me wrong. I love when he is written this way; he was also written that way for the Ultimate Universe as well. He's a great character when written properly [correctly?].
Overall, I enjoyed the book and am glad I read it. I thought at first it was going to be a weak book, but I am glad to say that I was gratefully mistaken as the book progressed. It was a good book, and I enjoyed reading it.
August 24, 2024
"Captain America: Dark Designs" by Stefan Petrucha Review
Star Rating: 3/5 Stars
The novelisation of Captain America: Dark Designs delivers a solid, if unremarkable, reading experience for fans of the Marvel universe. The book does a good job of translating the film’s fast-paced action sequences into text, allowing readers to vividly imagine the battles and daring feats of Captain America. The prose is straightforward and easy to follow, making it an accessible read for both younger audiences and die-hard fans of the character.
One of the strengths of the novelisation is its exploration of Captain America’s internal struggles. The added introspection provides a deeper understanding of his motivations, especially as he grapples with the moral complexities of his mission. These moments of self-reflection give readers a glimpse into the man behind the shield, which is a nice complement to the action-heavy narrative.
However, the novel falls short in a few key areas. The plot remains largely predictable, sticking closely to the formula of the movie without adding any significant twists or layers. The villain, who had potential to be a more complex and intriguing character, is disappointingly one-dimensional, and the supporting cast doesn’t receive much development. This lack of depth makes the story feel more like a straightforward retelling than a fully fleshed-out novel.
Overall, Captain America: Dark Designs is a decent companion to the film, offering a bit more insight into the hero’s thoughts and motivations. While it’s an enjoyable read for those who want to revisit the story, it doesn’t offer much new or exciting content beyond what was already seen on screen. Fans of Captain America will appreciate the effort, but it’s unlikely to leave a lasting impact.
Star Rating: 3/5 Stars
The novelisation of Captain America: Dark Designs delivers a solid, if unremarkable, reading experience for fans of the Marvel universe. The book does a good job of translating the film’s fast-paced action sequences into text, allowing readers to vividly imagine the battles and daring feats of Captain America. The prose is straightforward and easy to follow, making it an accessible read for both younger audiences and die-hard fans of the character.
One of the strengths of the novelisation is its exploration of Captain America’s internal struggles. The added introspection provides a deeper understanding of his motivations, especially as he grapples with the moral complexities of his mission. These moments of self-reflection give readers a glimpse into the man behind the shield, which is a nice complement to the action-heavy narrative.
However, the novel falls short in a few key areas. The plot remains largely predictable, sticking closely to the formula of the movie without adding any significant twists or layers. The villain, who had potential to be a more complex and intriguing character, is disappointingly one-dimensional, and the supporting cast doesn’t receive much development. This lack of depth makes the story feel more like a straightforward retelling than a fully fleshed-out novel.
Overall, Captain America: Dark Designs is a decent companion to the film, offering a bit more insight into the hero’s thoughts and motivations. While it’s an enjoyable read for those who want to revisit the story, it doesn’t offer much new or exciting content beyond what was already seen on screen. Fans of Captain America will appreciate the effort, but it’s unlikely to leave a lasting impact.
April 19, 2023
Oggi sono qui per parlarvi di un'altra bellissima opera arrivata nelle nostre librerie.
Come sapete sono una grande amante del genere, quindi potevo mai farmelo scappare?
Assolutamente no.
Ammetto: sono team Iron Man, mai amato particolarmente Capitan America ma nell'ultimo periodo ho iniziato ad apprezzarlo un po' di più e quindi ho voluto leggere questo romanzo.
Sappiamo tutti cos'è successo a Steve Rogers dopo la guerra con Teschio Rosso: il congelamento lo ha portato a perdere tutte le persone che amavano e a risvegliarsi in un mondo totalmente diverso.
In questo romanzo, purtroppo rilevano in lui un agente patogeno virale e per questo si pensa di rimandarlo nuovamente in ibernazione, così che possa restare dormiente in lui in attesa di essere distrutto con una soluzione che per ora non sembra trovarsi.
Come lui, anche il clone Teschio rosso è infetto ma a differenza di Cap che sinora è solo in quarantena, in lui il virus è del tutto attivo.
" Quarant'anni. Mi sveglierò in un mondo completamente diverso. Tutti quelli che conosco se ne andranno o si avvicineranno alla fine del loro tempo. Di nuovo. "
Ho amato che in questo romanzo ci siano stati tutti i personaggi Marvel da me più amati, compreso Tony.
Questo volume mi ha donato tante emozioni, molte ansiogene perché mamma mia davvero che ansia per sapere come andrà a finire.
A differenza dei film e dei fumetti che ho sempre trovato pesanti, questo libro mi ha elettrizzata ed emozionata tanto che in una sola giornata l'ho finito.
Un ottimo capitolo della storia di Captain America che sicuramente piacerà a tutti coloro che lo amano o che vogliono conoscerlo in un'avventura diversa dal solito.
Come sapete sono una grande amante del genere, quindi potevo mai farmelo scappare?
Assolutamente no.
Ammetto: sono team Iron Man, mai amato particolarmente Capitan America ma nell'ultimo periodo ho iniziato ad apprezzarlo un po' di più e quindi ho voluto leggere questo romanzo.
Sappiamo tutti cos'è successo a Steve Rogers dopo la guerra con Teschio Rosso: il congelamento lo ha portato a perdere tutte le persone che amavano e a risvegliarsi in un mondo totalmente diverso.
In questo romanzo, purtroppo rilevano in lui un agente patogeno virale e per questo si pensa di rimandarlo nuovamente in ibernazione, così che possa restare dormiente in lui in attesa di essere distrutto con una soluzione che per ora non sembra trovarsi.
Come lui, anche il clone Teschio rosso è infetto ma a differenza di Cap che sinora è solo in quarantena, in lui il virus è del tutto attivo.
" Quarant'anni. Mi sveglierò in un mondo completamente diverso. Tutti quelli che conosco se ne andranno o si avvicineranno alla fine del loro tempo. Di nuovo. "
Ho amato che in questo romanzo ci siano stati tutti i personaggi Marvel da me più amati, compreso Tony.
Questo volume mi ha donato tante emozioni, molte ansiogene perché mamma mia davvero che ansia per sapere come andrà a finire.
A differenza dei film e dei fumetti che ho sempre trovato pesanti, questo libro mi ha elettrizzata ed emozionata tanto che in una sola giornata l'ho finito.
Un ottimo capitolo della storia di Captain America che sicuramente piacerà a tutti coloro che lo amano o che vogliono conoscerlo in un'avventura diversa dal solito.
October 27, 2018
A Review of the Audiobook
Published in 2016 by GraphicAudio.
Performed by a multiple performers.
Duration: approximately 6 hours.
S.H.I.E.L.D. doctors discover a dormant virus in Captain America's bloodstream while performing a newfangled ultra deep scan after an encounter with a different dangerous virus. This is not just any virus, it is an "extinction-level" virus, meaning it has the potential to wipe out the human race if it were to become an active virus.
So, Captain America is placed into a containment area so the virus won't kill off the world in case it goes active. But, giant old Nazi robots from World War II keep coming to life with Adolf Hitler's voice demanding to fight Captain America. If he doesn't show up to fight, they threaten to start killing nearby civilians. Iron Man shows up to help, but these robots are really just too much for one Avenger to handle and everyone else is busy, unreachable or just too unpredictable (you don't unleash Hulk into downtown Paris).
How can Captain America fight these robots when he is supposed to be under quarantine? What's making these robots come to life after all of these years? How long has Captain America been carrying this virus and where did he pick it up? Will S.H.I.E.L.D. ...
Read more at: https://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2018...
Published in 2016 by GraphicAudio.
Performed by a multiple performers.
Duration: approximately 6 hours.
S.H.I.E.L.D. doctors discover a dormant virus in Captain America's bloodstream while performing a newfangled ultra deep scan after an encounter with a different dangerous virus. This is not just any virus, it is an "extinction-level" virus, meaning it has the potential to wipe out the human race if it were to become an active virus.
So, Captain America is placed into a containment area so the virus won't kill off the world in case it goes active. But, giant old Nazi robots from World War II keep coming to life with Adolf Hitler's voice demanding to fight Captain America. If he doesn't show up to fight, they threaten to start killing nearby civilians. Iron Man shows up to help, but these robots are really just too much for one Avenger to handle and everyone else is busy, unreachable or just too unpredictable (you don't unleash Hulk into downtown Paris).
How can Captain America fight these robots when he is supposed to be under quarantine? What's making these robots come to life after all of these years? How long has Captain America been carrying this virus and where did he pick it up? Will S.H.I.E.L.D. ...
Read more at: https://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2018...
June 28, 2022
Captain America tidak menyadari bahwa di dalam tubuhnya terdapat virus berbahaya sehingga ia harus dikarantina. Namun, tiba-tiba saja muncul para monster bernama 'The Sleepers'. Mereka merupakan monster yang dibuat ketika Hitler masih berkuasa dan memburu Captain America untuk dikalahkan. Karena ia tidak bisa ke mana-mana, awalnya ia meminta bantuan Iron-Man. Lantas, karena dirasa si monster terlalu kuat, Captain America pun turun tangan dan tentu saja harus memakai kostum khusus yang harus melindunginya supaya virusnya tidak menyebar ke masyarakat luas.
Selain itu, ada tokoh bernama Dr. Kade yang meneliti virus yang berada di dalam tubuh Captain America. Ia bersikeras bahwa Captain America tidak diperbolehkan keluar supaya orang-orang di luar tidak tertular. Ia pun memiliki prinsip lebih baik mengorbankan satu orang untuk menyelamatkan jutaan orang, seperti yang pernah ia lakukan saat wabah Ebola terjadi di Afrika. Di sisi lain, ada Dr. N'tomo yang lebih ramah kepada Captain America dan mulai menyelidiki penyebab kenapa Dr. Kade memiliki prinsip yang kaku seperti itu.
Lantas, pada akhirnya, kita akan mengetahui asal virus tersebut setelah Captain America mengalahkan para monster dan otak di baliknya, yaitu Red Skull.
Selain itu, ada tokoh bernama Dr. Kade yang meneliti virus yang berada di dalam tubuh Captain America. Ia bersikeras bahwa Captain America tidak diperbolehkan keluar supaya orang-orang di luar tidak tertular. Ia pun memiliki prinsip lebih baik mengorbankan satu orang untuk menyelamatkan jutaan orang, seperti yang pernah ia lakukan saat wabah Ebola terjadi di Afrika. Di sisi lain, ada Dr. N'tomo yang lebih ramah kepada Captain America dan mulai menyelidiki penyebab kenapa Dr. Kade memiliki prinsip yang kaku seperti itu.
Lantas, pada akhirnya, kita akan mengetahui asal virus tersebut setelah Captain America mengalahkan para monster dan otak di baliknya, yaitu Red Skull.
February 4, 2025
This was my first time reading a Marvel book, and wow—what an experience! If you’ve only seen the movies, Captain America: Dark Designs is a fantastic starting point. It stands on its own, so you don’t need to have read other Marvel novels to dive in. The pacing is excellent, blending intense action with gripping suspense. I absolutely loved Iron Man’s entrance—it was a perfect mix of wit and heroics, staying true to his character.
As the story unfolded, the stakes kept rising, and by the final chapters, I was speed-reading, unable to put the book down. The suspense was intense, and the twists kept me on edge, making me desperate to see how it would all end. If you’re a fan of Marvel’s cinematic universe and want to experience a deeper, more thrilling take on Captain America’s world, this book is a must-read!
As the story unfolded, the stakes kept rising, and by the final chapters, I was speed-reading, unable to put the book down. The suspense was intense, and the twists kept me on edge, making me desperate to see how it would all end. If you’re a fan of Marvel’s cinematic universe and want to experience a deeper, more thrilling take on Captain America’s world, this book is a must-read!
July 1, 2020
First of all, and I believe this is of topmost importance as an element of a good book, the language used in the book was elaborate, never too simplified or flabby.
For comic lovers, it should be an entertaining alternative as a plot. Creative when it comes to the planning and the twists of it, and the characters included in the novel are not to disappoint the reader, since they are all time classics. The rest of the existing characters are no dissonance, though; they link to the main personas smoothly and manage to give a great result in the end.
I additionally found the book painfully contemporary due to the existing virus crisis.
Very good choice for anyone who loves comic books but would like an alternative way of enjoying them!
For comic lovers, it should be an entertaining alternative as a plot. Creative when it comes to the planning and the twists of it, and the characters included in the novel are not to disappoint the reader, since they are all time classics. The rest of the existing characters are no dissonance, though; they link to the main personas smoothly and manage to give a great result in the end.
I additionally found the book painfully contemporary due to the existing virus crisis.
Very good choice for anyone who loves comic books but would like an alternative way of enjoying them!
July 1, 2022
Surprisingly good comic-based fiction. It’s much more adult action thriller than juvenile super hero stuff. The plot revolves around an imminent pandemic threat that comes at the same time as Steve Rogers and SHIELD are dealing with the machinations of a long-buried Nazi fascist plan to kill Captain America. Great supporting cast includes Nick Fury, Tony Stark and introduces Dr Nia N’Tomo, an internationally respected epidemiologist from Wakanda. The suspense and action is believable, successfully avoiding the over-the-top nature that comics can carry with them. When the action really ramps up it is a pretty exciting rollercoaster ride. And the book offers up an epilogue which is a clever take on Marvel cinematic post-credits scenes. Great read well worth the time.
May 28, 2018
Did this one as an audio book. In fact it was an audio play. Many different voices and sound effects. My first experience with an audio book like this.
Cap is my favourite super hero, so when i found a non comic book about him i had to give it a go.
Overall it was all right. I found some of the background effects to be a bit distracting at times and in the battle scenes it got a bit loud that i struggled to hear the characters talking.
the story itself was believable, Red Skull is the antagonist. there was plenty of action but again sometimes too loud.
all in all it was ok. I would give another one a try if i find one.
Cap is my favourite super hero, so when i found a non comic book about him i had to give it a go.
Overall it was all right. I found some of the background effects to be a bit distracting at times and in the battle scenes it got a bit loud that i struggled to hear the characters talking.
the story itself was believable, Red Skull is the antagonist. there was plenty of action but again sometimes too loud.
all in all it was ok. I would give another one a try if i find one.
May 3, 2021
While the fighting and the Avengers characters were fun to read about, the story is awful. Cap fighting impossible robots? Okay. One at a time? Um...sure, I guess. And each are released and the encounter is drawn out for 20+ pages while introducing side characters with backgrounds and emotional ties that you learn about only to see them killed right away just as another robot comes to life and another fight happens for another 20+ pages? Lol I'm good, thanks.
December 30, 2019
I read superhero novels mainly for nostalgia purposes. (Aw, who am I kidding? I read them in an attempt to somehow reclaim my youth and youthful delights).
Most of the time, they turn out to be average and that's what this one was a good 98% of the time (upper-end average to be sure). However, the killer Epilogue worked very well for me and I have to bump it up a notch.
Most of the time, they turn out to be average and that's what this one was a good 98% of the time (upper-end average to be sure). However, the killer Epilogue worked very well for me and I have to bump it up a notch.
July 25, 2021
Couldn't be bothered to finish, very boring throughout, didn't care about any of the characters. The villain (Red Skull), had a very plain villain motive which is to just kill Captain America because he's evil. Probably one of the most boring books I read this year (Ana Rocha: shadows of justice being the most boring)
August 1, 2024
What in the flying f*** was that ending? I’m so confused. Also, who or what is this sentient thing?!
This was really good, a little rudimentary but still good. Lovedthe audiobook, it was another graphic audiobook with a full cast but it was a little slow for me at the end and I read the last 30 or so pages traditionally.
Cool beans Cap!
This was really good, a little rudimentary but still good. Lovedthe audiobook, it was another graphic audiobook with a full cast but it was a little slow for me at the end and I read the last 30 or so pages traditionally.
Cool beans Cap!
August 9, 2017
These books are great. You know what you are getting, lots of crazy action and superheros! And these are superbly narrated by the team at Graphic Audio....would listen to pretty much anything they do. Fabulous to listen to.
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