Ta-Nehisi Coates WRITER

Leonard Kirk ARTIST

Matt Milla color artist

VC’s Joe Caramagna lettering

Carlos Lao Graphic Design

Alex Ross Cover art

Blue Fox: Reviewer

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THE PREMISE

Time to face the Red Skull and the Power Elite head-on. Why? Well, Steve Rogers has been framed, pained, and even hounded. Now, it’s time to even the score. Moreover, Sharon Carter provided information to Kingpin in secret on Alexa’s whereabouts while the Winter Soldier, White Tiger, and Dryad also trailed after Alexa. However, before they could apprehend Alexa, she was slain by an unseen sniper before being teleported away by Sin – the daughter of Red Skull.

THE STORY

In Captain America #30, we get to see the good Captain being at his most cunning. Plus, he’s fair and square clever (for Steve) as to how he foils Red Skull’s plans. Furthermore, Ta-Nehisi Coates ties up the story in this final issue neatly and efficiently.

SPOILERS

Captain America has a job to do and scum like Crossbones are nothing but speedbumps when Steve goes to town. As noted, it’s clever for Steve to ‘interview’ Red Skull and broadcast it all Live. Ta-Nehisi Coates packs a lot of emotion into this last issue and most of the plot threads get resolved. Coates also paves way for Sinthea Schmid’s ‘revival’ by using the death of Alexa Lukin as the catalyst for her new more femme fatale and less like her old “bikini barbarian” persona as she takes a new name ‘Superior’.

ART

Leonard Kirk has been one of the top comic artists for a long time and this issue is no different. The panel layout is simple but evocative, carrying the story in two levels without being confounding or gimmicky. Matt Milla’s colors work well to compliment Kirk’s style.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Captain America #30 is a good bookend for Coates-run and leaves things open enough for the next creator duo; Writer Christopher Cantwell and Artist Dale Eaglesham, in the United States of Captain America, to do their own thing. I know some people have criticized Coates’ work in Black Panther and Captain America as ‘slow’ and ‘retracted’ but I personally don’t see it that way. In my opinion, Ta-Nehisi Coates’ background as a novelist has served him well to give us stories that are thought-provoking, layered, and clever with attention to the ‘souls’ of T’Challa and Steve Rogers.

8.5/10