Secret Avengers #15: Review

Jul 2011

Nick Spencer, Scot Eaton

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Story Name:

Captain America Isn’t Dead!

Review & Comments

Rating:

Secret Avengers #15 Review by Peter Silvestro (April 8, 2020)

Review: An all-talk issue takes a deep look into one of the abiding questions of superhero comics: what does death mean to someone the writer and the readers (and often the characters themselves) know will eventually be back? Hey, even though the slang term for permanent death was “Uncle-Ben-and-Bucky-dead,” Bucky still came back and here he’s dead again and will return soon. The complains of the normal people are valid: their dead don’t return. Nat insists that even for heroes, death is traumatic and rebuilding a life after one’s return—an effort that the normal dead don’t get to make. Interesting tale dealing with a totally fictitious problem is quite enjoyable especially if one is used to frequenting the fictitious realm of comic books for one’s entertainment.

Comments: FEAR ITSELF tie-in, officially falls between issues #4 and 5 of the main series, though it can take place anytime after the death of Bucky Cap in issue #3. Jaime Mendoza and Rick Ketcham share inking duties.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Secret Avengers #15 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

In the wake of the murder of Captain America (Bucky Barnes), Black Widow crashes into the office of a tabloid just as they are preparing a cover proclaiming, “Captain America Death a Hoax!” At gunpoint, Natasha demands they turn over what evidence they have on Bucky’s death; editor Lori calls Nat’s bluff, knowing one of the Avengers wouldn’t shoot anyone. Lori also knows that no one sent Nat, she’s on her own—and that they have no such evidence. Staff writer Josh explains that there is no such evidence: the story of Bucky’s death was made up because stories about the deaths of heroes are big sellers. Nat is offended at how they are exploiting a dead man, especially one who died to protect them—but a staffer named Dana has no sympathy. Death means something different for superheroes when it’s frequently only temporary. Nat argues that temporary or not, death is still traumatic for the heroes and coming back after however long a time and trying to resume their lives is also an ordeal. In such a situation there is frequently no healing. Lori talks to Nat in private, telling her she lost her husband in a plane crash, and that their readers need these stories, and that superheroes like the Black Widow lose their humanity as they suffer to inspire the ordinary people. Nat leaves and Lori deletes the Captain America story….

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