Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #1
Jackson Lanzing & Collin Kelly, writers
Carmen Carnero, artist
VS’s Joe Caramagna, letters
Nolan Woodard, color artist
Recap
The issue begins with a recap of the values that make Captain America unique in word bubbles over images of 1941 America. The story transitions to the present, with Sam Wilson, identified as the main Captain America, which provides Rogers with some privacy. However, his secluded enclave doesn’t last long. An enemy named the Destroyer appears. The villain was formerly Brian Falsworth and was transformed into a super-soldier by scientist Eric Schmidt during WWII in Germany. The Destroyer executes a plan to interrupt a July 4th celebration in NYC. However, Rogers dons the suit again and with the help of the Winter Soldier confronts Destroyer. They discover that Destroyer is a pawn in a larger game which Rogers must unpack to stop the real threat.
The story is set in Manhattan and sets up the context of the story and grounds it in Steve Roger’s place of origin. Going back to NYC and revisiting old memories draws the reader into what makes Captain America a beloved character, his relatability, and his courage. More importantly, the beginning of the story shows how his mantra of “standing with those who can’t” intertwines with his experiences with war, crime, and hate. This is depicted visually and is a reminder that Captain America is not just a symbol of the U.S. military with a shiny vibranium shield - he fights for the basic human rights of those who have undergone exploitation and abuse.
There was no one panel that stood out to me artistically; however, there are plenty of panels that show Captain America in his classic pose with his shield leading the way. In the middle of the story, I got lost in the story. The panels depicting 1940s NYC are granular and with a lived-in feel, which is always enjoyable for me as a comic book fan. I especially enjoyed the panels showing the neighborhood people and children interacting with Rogers and the shield. It was a reminder of the connectedness Captain America shares with the community as a character. (Good) However, the transition from the nostalgic pictures of NYC, Rogers connecting with his childhood neighborhood, and then facing a threat against the city was hard to follow.
This issue provides a nice bookend to the beginning of this arc by providing the context for the larger story and introducing the villain and the mystery Captain America must solve. While the story development was cryptic in places most readers will appreciate this story as a return to form from a storytelling perspective. Overall 7.5/10