Review of Captain America 33 (4 stars)

Overall rating: 4 out of 5 stars

And the new Captain America is …… Bucky Barnes! (Who didn’t see that coming? 😛 )

Despite being predictable, it was quite a good issue though. First off, Epting’s art continues to rock (no news there). Also, Brubaker continues to both frustrate and excite me by being extremely vague as to what Red Skull’s “master plan” is. It sounds like we might actually find out in the next few issues. (I’m thinking maybe time travel is involved, given that they were trying to reverse engineer something of Doom’s a few issues back). Lukin/Skull faking his death was obviously the first move in this master plan, so I suppose all we can do now as wait as it is carried out (and stopped of course, by Captain America).

I really enjoyed the arm scene, who knew even his arm could kick butt? (Twas new to me too that he had mental control over the arm, even when it was disconnected, but I’ve only been reading since Cap 25, so this may be common knowledge to long time readers). Of course, I’m going to have to say the much anticipated Iron Man/Winter Soldier fight was probably the best part, I’m mean we all knew it was going to happen, it was cool to see that Winter Soldier armed with only his bionic arm (no pun intended 😛 ) and war smarts could beat Iron Man to a standstill. (I’m not sure if that is a huge compliment for Winter Soldier, or a huge diss for Iron Man, either way, I’m happy. 😉 )

Of course, the scene when Bucky realized what was being asked of him was great, I mean, the honor yet sorrow he must have felt, knowing that he would get to wear the boots (quite litterally) of his hero, I don’t care who you are, that has to be one of the best moments of your life. And despite being predictable, the fact that Bucky is the new Cap is very fitting, seeing as how he and Steve have essentially the same history during WW2. Now we get to keep saying that Cap was a WW2 hero, even if he wasn’t the same one. 😉

Anyway, can’t wait for next issue with his official “premier.” (Just hope his suit, which is metally looking and obviously Stark’s design, doesn’t turn into another “Iron Spider” situation).

-LOTRKing