With the exception, obviously, of the Luke Ross art, this issue of Captain America is the best in story arc. I’m not sure if it’s the best part of the backup story, because–again–I couldn’t stomach it. Shockingly, Ross is a better artist than whoever does the backup.

See, out of nowhere, Brubaker decides this storyline should be about Bucky and the crazy evil fifties Cap. Sure, there’s the silly moment at the end when Sam tells him not to worry about being like the crazy Cap, but the comic is once again about Bucky being unsure of himself.

Brubaker’s whole thing with Bucky–initially–was that unsureness. Then he dropped it. And I guess I forgot about it (until it came back) because I was still reeling from Reborn and because Ross’s art was making my eyes bleed.

While Brubaker’s losing his touch, he hasn’t lost it yet.

CREDITS

Two Americas, Conclusion; writer, Ed Brubaker; penciller, Luke Ross; inker, Butch Guice; colorist, Dean White; letterer, Joe Caramagna. Conjunction, Part Four; writer, Sean McKeever; penciller, David Baldeón; inker, N. Bowling; colorist, Chris Sotomayor; letterer, Joe Sabino. Editors, Lauren Sankovitch and Tom Brevoort; publisher, Marvel Comics.

Another three minute read.

It’s better this time, as Brubaker follows the Falcon for a lot of the story and he’s writing the Falcon a lot better than Bucky here. This story, Bucky’s coming off like a moron.

There’s some awful artwork again–it kind of reminds me of the really bad Don Perlin Werewolf by Night stuff–but those comics took like fifteen minutes to read. Not three.

And they had interesting stories.

Brubaker’s crazy evil Captain America? Most boring villain ever. Though I do like the inference anyone who thinks like he does must be insane. It’s like if Glenn Beck became Captain America.

I’m trying to think of something else positive to say….

A Brubaker Falcon series might be good reading–far better than this Captain America.

I’m not sure if it’s intentional, but Brubaker’s making the case Steve Rogers really needs to take his shield back.

CREDITS

Two Americas, Part Three of Four; writer, Ed Brubaker; penciller, Luke Ross; inker, Butch Guice; colorist, Dean White; letterer, Joe Caramagna. Conjunction, Part Three; writer, Sean McKeever; penciller, David Baldeón; inker, N. Bowling; colorist, Chris Sotomayor; letterer, Joe Sabino. Editors, Lauren Sankovitch and Tom Brevoort; publisher, Marvel Comics.

Wow. Four bucks for a comic I read in three minutes. I guess one of those bucks is for the Nomad backup, but I skimmed it then gave up on it. It’s not just poorly written, it’s incompetently illustrated.

Now, calling the backup story incompetently illustrated seems unfair given the Luke Ross pencils on the main story. Even with Butch Guice inking, it’s just hideous artwork.

I remember when Brubaker joined Marvel, it was so exciting. Now it’s just depressing. As far as I remember, he never phoned it in at DC. At Marvel, it seems like he does nothing but write mediocre, disinterested stories.

Strangely, he could have earned back some respect here, if he’d had the racist call Sam (the Falcon) a racial slur. As it reads, the scene in question is laughably off.

I remember when I looked forward to this comic. Now I want a refund.

CREDITS

Two Americas, Part Two of Four; writer, Ed Brubaker; penciller, Luke Ross; inker, Butch Guice; colorist, Dean White; letterer, Joe Caramagna. Conjunction, Part Two; writer, Sean McKeever; penciller, David Baldeón; inker, N. Bowling; colorist, Chris Sotomayor; letterer, Joe Sabino. Editors, Lauren Sankovitch and Tom Brevoort; publisher, Marvel Comics.

So this is the issue with the “tea baggers,” the issue Brubaker apologized for.

Did he apologize for the rest–how he portrays people in Idaho as psychotic anti-government racists, just waiting for a Hitler to lead them? Because I don’t think he did.

It’s a lead-in story, a ramp-up. I’m pretty jaded on Brubaker’s Marvel plotting style for ongoing series, since they’re usually fake arcs to trade easily but the story just goes on and on.

I guess it’s fine. It’s not particularly interesting though, especially not after the lackluster Reborn.

Bucky doesn’t even get any good moments and he usually gets at least one an issue.

Luke Ross’s art is lame, which is no surprise.

And the less said about the backup story the better, it seems to be for an all ages audience.

Brubaker kept Bucky as Cap. This issue says it’s a mistake.

CREDITS

Two Americas, Part One of Four; writer, Ed Brubaker; penciller, Luke Ross; inkers, Butch Guice and Ross; colorist, Dean White; letterer, Joe Caramagna. Conjunction, Part One; writer, Sean McKeever; penciller, David Baldeón; inker, N. Bowling; colorist, Chris Sotomayor; letterer, Joe Sabino. Editors, Lauren Sankovitch and Tom Brevoort; publisher, Marvel Comics.