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Captain America #13

Sep 2024
J. Michael Straczynski, Carlos Magno

Story Name:

The Last Stand of the Front Door Part 2


Synopsis

Captain America #13 synopsis by Peter Silvestro
Rating: 4 stars

Reaching New York City, Captain America and the three change agents, Skinz, Becca, and Malik, with the latter’s protectors, Guardian and Julie, are on their way to the Front Door Cabaret but have hit a snag. An enormous mob of citizens, mind-controlled and empowered by Death, have filled the streets to stop the heroes from reaching their destination; Death himself confirms this over a radio broadcast. Seeing this, Becca suggests they retreat and try again another time; Cap informs the group that they cannot turn back as Lyra has promised that whatever is going to happen will happen today. Cap and Skinz try to break through the mob on motorbikes only to be pelted with Molotov Cocktails; Skinz comes through the fire with his skin burned but he is okay. The mob charges the team so Guardian emits a blinding flash of light, forcing a retreat. Cap asks Becca to survey the cameras in surrounding streets to see if there is an open way; Becca, secretly working for the enemy, spots an empty street but tells Cap there is nothing they can use. Malik addresses Becca, telling her that she always has the power to change her decisions. Becca sees a handgun sitting on a pile of rubble, as if it were a gift, so she takes it. They continue down the street and Death himself appears, hovering in the air. Becca takes out the gun and Malik again reminds her to do as she wishes not as she believes she must….

Cap realizes the power of the rings Lyra gave them but they are not as they assumed for each group member to have one as a form of protection but for one person to wield them all. Cap collects the six rings and puts them on his right hand (two on his middle finger), and, advising the group to seize the opportunity to go, takes on Death in a fistfight. Counting on Death to be clumsy as he is not used to having a human body, Cap presses the attack, sustaining a great deal of damage from his bigger opponent. Cap then realizes that to get Death to remove his power from the captive humans he must convince Death that he (Cap) will not give up until he does. So Cap redoubles his attacks until Death does relent a take back his power. Death transforms into his larger and scarier appearance so Cap thinks this is the end…but Death sees that Lyra has won so he tells Cap that they have merely prolonged the suffering of the human race. He adds that Cap is now guaranteed to face the death that Lyra would not tell him about, should she win the battle. Promising to see Cap again that day, he vanishes in a flash of light. Cap heads to the Front Door Casino, only to find it gone, an empty space in its place….

Over the next week, Steve searches the Internet for any trace of the Cabaret but finds nothing. He wonders if he will ever see any of them again, unaware that the dead flowers in his window box have just bloomed…


 

Review / Commentaries


Captain America #13 Review by (September 11, 2024)

Review: Well, that’s a relief. I had been worrying that this elaborate fantasy backdrop for the latest story arc in the book was about to vanish as a new unconnected arc is promised for the next issue. JMS put a lot of work into it so it should be taken advantage of, despite it failing to cohere with multiple other cosmologies in the Marvel Universe. And that explains why this issue is almost entirely Cap having a fistfight with Death while nothing else promised occurred. Well, perhaps someday it will, if JMS stays with the title. This leave s the issue a bit dramatically anemic but as an action sequence, it’s pretty good despite Death being a somewhat reluctant villain. Stay tuned.

Comments: Issue includes a parody advertisement for basketball (the game), featuring Wolverine and Deadpool, mocking a genuine comic book ad from the 1970s, selling Spalding basketballs (and drawn by the great Jack Davis).  



> Captain America comic book info and issue index

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Preview Pages




Carlos Magno
Carlos Magno
Espen Grundetjern
Taurin Clarke (Cover Penciler)
Taurin Clarke (Cover Inker)
Taurin Clarke (Cover Colorist)
Additional Credits
Letterer: Joe Caramagna.

Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Captain America
Captain America

(Steven Rogers)