Captain America: Man Without a Country

Captain America (1968) #450-453

by Mark Waid, Ron Garney (Illustrator)

Accused of attacking a U.S. military base, C aptain America has been removed from his position and exiled from the country. Captain America has to do something to cl ear his name but first he must save the United States from a nother threat. '

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Fiction

96 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1998

About the author

Mark Waid is an American comic book writer widely known for shaping modern superhero storytelling through influential runs on major characters at both DC Comics and Marvel Comics. Raised in Alabama, he developed an early fascination with comic books, particularly classic stories featuring the Legion of Super-Heroes, whose imaginative scope and sense of legacy would later inform his own writing. He first entered the comics industry during the mid 1980s as an editor and writer for the fan magazine Amazing Heroes, before publishing his first professional comic story in Action Comics. Soon afterward he joined DC Comics as an editor, contributing to numerous titles and helping shape projects across the company. After leaving editorial work to focus on writing, Waid gained widespread recognition with his long run on The Flash, where he expanded the mythology of the character and co-created the youthful speedster Impulse. His reputation grew further with the celebrated graphic novel Kingdom Come, created with artist Alex Ross, which imagined a future DC Universe shaped by generational conflict among superheroes. Over the years he has written many prominent series, including Captain America, Fantastic Four, Daredevil, and Superman: Birthright, bringing a balance of optimism, character depth, and respect for comic book history to each project. Waid has also collaborated with notable artists and writers on major ensemble titles such as Justice League and Avengers, while contributing ideas that helped clarify complex continuity within shared superhero universes. Beyond mainstream superhero work, he has supported creator owned projects and experimental publishing models, including the acclaimed series Irredeemable and Incorruptible, which explored moral ambiguity within the superhero genre. He later took on editorial leadership roles at Boom Studios, guiding creative direction while continuing to write extensively. In subsequent years he expanded his involvement in publishing and digital storytelling, helping launch online comics initiatives and advocating for new distribution methods for creators. His work has earned numerous industry awards, including Eisner and Harvey honors, reflecting both critical acclaim and enduring popularity among readers. Throughout his career Waid has remained a passionate student of comic book history, drawing on decades of storytelling tradition while continually encouraging innovation within the medium. His influence extends across generations of readers and creators, and his stories continue to shape the evolving language of superhero comics around the world today through enduring characters imaginative narratives and thoughtful reinventions of familiar myths within popular culture and modern graphic storytelling traditions.

Reviews

[Tom Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a different take on Captain America. I think this somewhat innovative take on the Captain America story-line is a little forced and hard to follow. Overall, I liked it.

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

When secrets known only to Captain America fall into enemy hands, combined with his recent alliance with the Red Skull, the President of the United States strips Steve Rogers of his title and of his American citizenship. Allying himself with the equally disavowed former SHIELD agent Sharon Carter, Steve sets off across Europe to foil the Machinesmith and clear his name.

This is a perfectly adequate 'protagonist has to clear his name after being framed' story, no more nor less than that. We all know that Captain America isn't a traitor, so there's little for the reader to do except wait until he's eventually proven innocent.

There are two slightly more interesting elements to this book, thankfully.
The first is Sharon Carter who is still romantically drawn to Steve but ultimately discovers that she's indulging a fantasy rather than acting on any real chemistry. The second is simply that, to save the POTUS, Steve has to seek help from a very unlikely source; Doctor Doom.
However, these elements don't do enough to raise the story above the aforementioned level of 'perfectly adequate'.

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[Josh Cleverplacehölder · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unremarkable story, boring villain, bland art. Disappointing being a story from Mark Waid. I will say that I appreciate the president being modeled on Bill Clinton, which is just sort of funny to see in 2024.l, especially when he exiles Cap to the UK.

[Ondra Král · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fajn námět, ale zoufale nevyužitej.

[Doyle · Rating 1 out of 5]

The begining of Waid and Garnet's "legendary run on Cap" is pretty meh. Maybe the latter half is better.

[Alex Sarll]

Not seen the new film yet (this evening, all being well), so by way of tiding me over I thought I'd try some of the Mark Waid run, because if nothing else he's generally a safe pair of hands. Alas, there are limits. The very nineties Garney art doesn't help (though he manages a few nicely kinetic action sequences), but even aside from that this reads like Waid was trying to fit in with an era and style antithetical to his strengths. The plot, such as it is, follows Cap in the aftermath of one of the previous times he was sucked dry of the super-soldier serum, with a chain of consequences obliging one of his regular abandonments of the Captain America name and costume (though this time out the poor sod doesn't even get a new alias to list alongside Nomad, the Captain, Steve Rogers: Super-Soldier et al). Noteworthy in the use of a real European country (Moldavia) as an antagonist rather than the usual Marvel options of Symkaria, Latveria &c, plus clearly showing the US President, something I thought they'd only done since Marvel fan Obama got in. Is it deliberate that William Jefferson Clinton never gets to share a panel with the sole female character?

[Brian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good gracious, so many words! Such a '90s book.