Comic Browser:

#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
#11
#12
#13
#1999
#2000
#2001
Selector

Captain America Annual #2001: Review

Nov 2001
Dan Jurgens, ?

Story Name:

Denial

Review & Comments

Rating:
2.5 stars

Captain America Annual #2001 Review by (May 29, 2018)

Review: A misfire of a story this time around. The plot largely focuses on Cap's capture by the enemy and his assertion that America does not forget its own to a Russian prisoner, an assertion that is undercut by his present-day discovery that FDR's advisers were ready to sell him out. Ironic because that's just what happened when he vanished for real into the ice block: he was replaced as Cap by William Naslund. There's no indication that Steve Cap was insulted by this move so I'm at a loss to understand why denying his death during the war—when he is a masked agent for the country—was unacceptable. The big problem with the issues is the art. Banks and Florea do pretty well in the Invaders portion but Moder and Wong's art in the present day section look a bit too cartoonish, making President Bush look like a skinny little kid. The scenes with Cap as a prisoner of the Red Skull by Calero (Google him) and the others—the art is indescribable. Gritty and full of thin linework, with a predominantly grayish-brown tint; any colors used are muted severely. And the Red Skull looks like a mutant, his head rarely resembling a human skull. The bulk of the tale is forgettable (even with that neat mention of Bush 41) but that final part is unnaturally grim.

Comments: Story takes place between CAP (v.3) #48 and 49. Most characters appear only in flashback. Pencils shared among Lee Moder, Darryl Banks, Ignacio Calero, and Joe Weems. Inks by Walden Wong, Sandu Florea, Marco Galli, Pierre Andre Dery.






 

Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Captain America Annual #2001 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

Captain America arrives at the White House in answer to an invitation from President George W. Bush. After some small talk, the President hands Cap a recently discovered top secret file “to be opened in the event of Captain America's death.” As he reads, Cap's thoughts go back to...

...the InvadersBucky Barnes, Sub-Mariner, Human Torch, and Toro—were assaulting a Japanese warship, battling the soldiers and disabling the ship with the goal of recovering the enemy's secret invasion plans. They are unaware that in a nearby submarine are the Red Skull and Warrior Woman; their goal is to capture Subby and force him to reveal the location of Atlantis. A cable shoots out, wrapping around Subby and delivering an electrical charge; Cap leaps into action, diving underwater and breaking the cable to free his ally but a second cable snakes out and snares Cap, dragging him aboard the sub. WW is angry but the Skull is happy to see his old foe...

The Red Skull has Cap whipped by Warrior Woman while being filmed to create a propaganda message for the USA, showing Cap begging for his life; Cap passes out before he breaks. He is put in a cell next to a Russian couple arrested as Soviet spies, Sergei and Karinna; Sergei attacks a guard and is gunned down on the spot. Cap and Karinna are wary of one another, each suspecting the other to be a Nazi plant.....

At that time President Franklin D. Roosevelt was informed of Cap's capture and his advisers suggested that should Cap die, the US could deny it, putting forth another man in the costume; FDR balks at the idea. [And Cap reading this so many years later is upset that he would be betrayed in this way.] Karinna tells Cap that her country forgets their apprehended spies; Cap claims that America will never do that and invites her to come to the States with her. They escape from their cells and battle soldiers. Warrior Woman captures Karinna and threatens to kill her unless Cap reveals the location of Atlantis. The other Invaders arrive at this point so Red Skull sets off a blinding flash of light and escapes with WW....

Back in the present, President Bush offers his thanks to Cap; it seems his father (former President George H.W. Bush) was shot down in that battle and rescued, likely because there were more American subs in the area searching for Cap. Cap asks a favor...and soon a letter from the President arrives at the home of Karinna Rose, retired and living in Montana....



?
Chris Sotomayor
Rodolfo Migliari (Cover Penciler)
Rodolfo Migliari (Cover Inker)
Rodolfo Migliari (Cover Colorist)


Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Bucky Barnes
Bucky Barnes

(James Barnes)
Captain America
Captain America

(Steve Rogers)
Human Torch
Human Torch

(Jim Hammond)
Red Skull
Red Skull

(Johann Shmidt)
Toro
Toro

(Thomas Raymond)

Plus: President George W. Bush (George W Bush), Warrior Woman.

> Captain America Annual: Book info and issue index

Share This Page


Elektra