Captain America Epic Collection: The Bloodstone Hunt, Part One

The Epic reprints of the Mark Gruenwald era of CAP continue. This is the run that transitions from Kieron Dwyer to Ron Lim, meaning two of my favorite CAP artists are represented.

Bloodstone Hunt was deemed a significant enough arc to be reprinted back in the days of Marvel only releasing a few trades a year. Even the trades once had gimmick covers.

Micro-Reviews: CAPTAIN AMERICA EPIC COLLECTION - “Justice is Served” (Part Three)

CAPTAIN AMERICA #324 - December 1986. Stunning Zeck cover! Mediocre Colletta finishes inside!

Colletta also appeared to be finishing half of the previous issue, but uncredited. Actually, this looks less rushed than last issue.

Now, half of the public is eager for Cap to kill again, and the other half has grown AFRAID of him. Gru really is taking this past the point of ridiculousness. Cap’s internal guilt is one thing, but the public caring this much is faintly absurd. Cap decides he needs the help of a PR firm to rebuild his public image, but somehow a fight with Trapster and Whirlwind convinces him otherwise.

The buzzsaw incarnation of Whirlwind I always thought was pretty cool. Trapster, however, is already defined by the perception he’s a loser. This will be the basis of EVERY TRAPSTER STORY for all eternity.

Meanwhile, Nomad has grown a Tom Selleck mustache and is determined to kill crimelord The Slug. Subplots!

CAPTAIN AMERICA #325 - January 1987.  Zeck crazy faces really are the best.

No double-sized anniversary issue here.  CAP wasn’t selling well enough to justify such a thing.

In the early ‘90s, one of Gru’s columns covered various narrative tricks, and the trendy first person caption style. I remember Gru as dismissive of the tactic, claiming thought balloons do that job just as well. I didn’t realize he’d already experimented with the style during this run. Both Cap and Nomad have alternating first person captions, and unfortunately, they slow the story down and only indulge Gru’s tendency to over-explain what’s obvious in the art.

The reinvention of Nomad begins here; unwilling to go along with Cap’s more “liberal” views on crime, believing that some criminals deserve to die. Clearly a response to the Punisher’s success, Cap’s put in position of having to rescue the crook that Nomad’s left to die in a fire. It’s actually a great use of a villain - the Slug isn’t only comically fat for the shock value, but his size is a plot point, as he’s so big it’s impossible to get him off the boat.

There’s a ton of plot in only 21 pages here. An opening fight scene to reestablish Cap’s killing dilemma, an origin for Nomad’s new attitude, and a lengthy account of how he ended up on this boat. This would easily be a five-parter today.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #326 - February 1987. Have you gathered that Cap feels real bad about killing someone yet?

This issue, the Red Skull’s ghost appears to tell Cap that his soul is now no better than his, having taken a life. Clearly, Gru’s going overboard with this, but I view it as preferable to modern Cap not caring at all about his body count.

Gru tries again with first person captions, and the results are still wooden and overwritten. Gru’s great at plotting, at understanding stories that suit the character; his dialogue is usually okay, when he isn’t doing exposition; but his prose…  Everyone wanted to be Miller/Claremont in these days, didn’t they?

Continuity corner - with the exception of Cap’s parents, every “ghost” he encounters this issue was later revived. Even Red Skull, who’s treated as an actual ghost, not a hallucination, is revived by Gruenwald himself.

Since the final page weirdly featured half-page content, half-page letter column, the Epic Collection leaves half the page blank.  You can see the original pages at the SuperMegaMonkey site.

MARVEL FANFARE #31 - March 1987. Is this another Hulk solo story?

So, is the goal of the Epic collections to reprint EVERY story starring the hero during a certain time period? Because that’s the only way to justify including this MARVEL FANFARE arc. And considering the content, it wouldn’t be a shock if Marvel wanted to forget this ever existed.

Since DeMatteis is the writer, it’s possible this arc was originally slated for his run as CAP writer. Kerry Gammill joins him as artist, and it’s a shame he never took over the regular book. Gammill has always been underrated; word came out that he’d fill in on X-MEN FOREVER, which would’ve been great, but nothing came of it.

DeMatteis again works in eastern philosophy, when a famous guru arrives in New York. Cap’s never heard of him, and after fighting some white guilt, decides to follow his suspicions and see if this guru is on the level.

As much as DeMatteis values this culture, it’s interesting that he’s willing to allow characters from it become villains, as seen in his Haven arc in X-FACTOR. The subject matter is still treated respectfully, but DeMatteis writes the characters as individuals, which means that some will be villains.

And this deceiving guru turns out to be…wow, he was still around in 1987? It’s the Yellow Claw. Funny that there’s been a conscious effort since the 1980s to treat Mandarin as less of a stereotype, yet Yellow Claw was still showing up.

MARVEL FANFARE #32 - May 1987. When Cap time-traveled for his guest spot in DETECTIVE COMICS #1.

Cap’s unwanted sidekick exposes Yellow Claw, various heroes show up for the final battle, and Cap finds inner strength from the spirit of the guru whose identity the Claw usurped. Fine Shooter-era superheroics.

Had it already been established by the '80s that some force transformed Yellow Claw into a monster? I believe Jeff Parker resurrected him 10 years ago as more realistic villain; clearly, this version isn't appearing anymore.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #327 - March 1987. Probably should’ve been the cover of this collection, but…

The SuperPatriot plot returns, and he’s brought a gaggle of 1980s music stars with him. Life in the ‘80s - charity concerts, anti-Libya sentiment, and a cartoon caricature of Reagan youth.

Funny to see the future US Agent as a slick conman. Charisma? The crowd eating out of his hands? That guy?

By the way, Cap reminds us he spent a literal million dollars to set up his hotline of tipsters. And a nosy IRS agent’s investigating how Steve Rogers earned a million last year discovers his secret ID. Was Gru throwing a bone to the other side, after heavily implying Cap’s an FDR Democrat earlier this issue?

CAPTAIN AMERICA #328 - April 1987. Pro wrestling! Steroids! More life in the 1980s!

D-Man debuts here, as an enhanced wrestler sporting a mohawk. He shaves it off to join Cap in his quest for the Power Broker. Gru wants us to like him immediately, although it’s hard to guess why Cap needs a new sidekick. If there’s any hook to D-Man, it’s that he’s an excessively nice guy, already a contrast to the new breed of hero emerging in comics.

A running theme in the story is Cap debating the Power Broker treatment, as he feels he’s the only adventurer left without superpowers. Interesting to contrast this with the LotDK “Venom” arc, only a few years away. Cap is only tempted for a few pages to enhance himself, but realizes it’s wrong. Batman, however, is placed in a situation where he “has” to do it, and becomes a drug addict for a few issues. Both stories represent the respective companies and eras rather well. Under Shooter, Marvel heroes were behaving more traditionally “DC” than DC at the time.

And, as a continuity hound, Gru has to remind us that Cap DID have super-strength briefly in the 1970s. He never explains what happened to it, though.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #329 - May 1987. This scene only occurs on the final page, for what it’s worth.

Paul Neary’s doing breakdowns for Colletta this issue. Funny that Neary’s known now for such slick inking, and here we see him finished by the most notorious inker in history. It’s not a pretty book; some of the pages look like Larsen when he tried those Kirby pastiches in SAVAGE DRAGON.

The story finds Cap & D-Man treading water until the Power Broker story wraps up. The sewer monsters are another diversion thrown in. Better art could’ve sold this, but the whole thing feels rushed.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #330 - June 1987. Was D-Man intentionally designed to trick gullible kids into thinking Wolverine was stopping by?

Making a surprise appearance this issue is the Night Shift, one of my favorite concepts from 1980s Marvel -- various horror characters duped into acting as a superhero team by the Shroud. Visually, they’re all interesting, and the concept is certainly unique.

And after what feels like 50 issues, Cap finally confronts the Power Broker, who turns out to be an obscure villain from a 100 issues ago (seriously.) Very Gruenwald, really.

Power Broker escapes, and Cap’s left performing CPR on D-Man, who he thinks he killed in battle. Cap feeling perpetually guilty, or placed in ethically thorny situations, is another recurring theme of Gru’s run. And, through it all, Gru doesn’t go the cheap route and “darken” the hero.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #331 - July 1987. Some of these Zeck covers look like hypothetical CAP/G. I. JOE crossovers.

This Power Broker arc finally reaches some sort of end. One problem with the story is Broker’s visual - he’s just an average looking guy with nice hair. Visually, Power Broker should have some angle. Since he’s the guy who gives people powers, maybe play up the irony by making him physically weak? Frail frame, hair falling out, leans on a cane; that’s be a better visual than ‘80s GQ model.

Another lame visual is G. I. Max, a goofy seven-foot-tall soldier Cap fights for a few pages. Interesting that Gru was creating this super-soldier gone wrong right after Miller introduced Nuke. One is a striking visual you’ll never forget; the other is utterly stupid.

And, making all of this worse, the action mostly occurs on the front lawn of the Broker’s house. It’s all pretty dull, visually, but Gru tries to sell an internal conflict for Cap. He thinks the US government might be in cahoots with Power Broker, and doesn’t know how to respond. And while the Night Shift are his allies, some are likely wanted criminals, so he isn’t sure if he should turn them in.

Shooter loved internal conflicts like this; per Byrne, he literally demanded one in each story.

The Epic volume concludes with CAPTAIN AMERICA #332 (and a few extras.) I’ve covered #332 in the past, so no recap required there. This means our journey through “Justice is Served” has ended. Overall, I’d rank it as midlevel Gruenwald. His devotion to keeping Cap firmly CAP is admirable, and the guest stars are usually fun. The villains tend to be weak, however, and this Power Broker arc feels endless. Also -- yeesh, did we need that many Colletta fill-ins?

But, even the weaker stories are setting up the next arc, Gru’s magnum opus on this book, so they’re more forgivable in retrospect. As a testament to this era of Marvel, the book is a fantastic artifact.

Captain America Micro-Reviews - Streets of Poison (Part Two)

CAPTAIN AMERICA #375 - No double-sized anniversary here.

Witness the scourge of drug trade menaces Jerkweed and Ground Chuck.

Also witness Captain America steal a plate of spaghetti from the Kingpin while resisting Typhoid’s subtle advances.

Gru is writing Cap as an utterly delusional zealot who’s going to violently take down the drug trade singlehandedly.

The story’s explanation is that Cap was unwittingly exposed to Ice, so now he’s hopped up on the junk he’s trying to stop.

I assume Gru was going for something deeper; Cap reads as a parody of every anti-drug action hero of the era.

When someone mentions societal issues that might lead someone to turn to drugs, Cap shuts down that hippie talk.

So Gru’s writing an action-packed anti-drug story…as a response to action-packed anti-drug stories?

Finally, in the back-up, a captive Battlestar is advised not to strain too hard and “bust a nut.”

Is there a variation of this expression that I’m not aware of?

CAPTAIN AMERICA #376 - The Red Skull returns for his 495th shadowy scheme.

The Spirit’s “I’m not on drugs!” catchphrase from his movie never caught on. Can Cap sell it this issue?

Apparently, it’s Daredevil’s fight with Crossbones that leads to him developing amnesia in his own book. Never made that connection before.

Funny to think that Nocenti had Daredevil brainwashed into becoming a Marxist by a young bohemian -- while Gruenwald was doing this rather odd take on the War on Drugs with Cap.

Marvel was very mainstream, but also quite strange during this era.

The back-up has Battlestar facing a villain who’s grown so muscular, he needs a “hover-harness” to move.

He could’ve made a killing selling these things a mere two years later…

CAPTAIN AMERICA #377 - Bullseye vs. Crossbones is pretty great.

Loved this fight as a kid. Hero guest spots are nice, but it’s also fun to see villains pop up in unexpected places.

This is the issue that has Cap officially losing his Super Soldier Serum through a blood transfusion.

During the operation, he hallucinates his origin story and remarks that the Dr. Erskine’s needle resembles a junkie’s.

As ridiculous as this is, Gru does introduce an intriguing question -- what is Cap without the Super Soldier Serum?

CAPTAIN AMERICA #378 - Yeah, Cap vs. Crossbones is cool…

…but the real highlight is Kingpin and Red Skull wrestling in their underwear to determine who runs New York’s drug trade.

Gru is working under the assumption that Cap will maintain his muscle tone after losing the Serum -- which enables him to battle Crossbones successfully and declare that he doesn’t need the Serum again.

Gru thought it was important that Cap of all people “Just Say No” and not use the Serum as a crutch, but this doesn’t work.

The muscle tone that Cap enjoys today exists because of the Serum. Even if he never takes it again… …and works to maintain his physique, Cap still has the physique BECAUSE of the Serum.

So regardless of everything Gru’s tried to do, Cap still has abilities thanks to “drugs.”

The back-up story, meanwhile, has Battlestar happily accept “augmentation” to revive his super-strength.

Clearly, Gru ran these stories simultaneously for a reason, but it also works to undermine his point.

Are we to believe that Battlestar is “less” of a hero for accepting pseudoscience as the means of his strength?

Or is the Powerbroker’s strength augmentation process somehow morally superior to Dr. Erskine’s treatment?

If so, since Cap has suddenly developed a moral issue with the Serum, why wouldn’t he just go to the Powerbroker?

Meanwhile, in the backup, we learn that USAgent has changed his identity from Johnny Walker to…Jack Daniels.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #379 - The rare issue that required a fill-in for Ron Lim.

Introducing Nefarious, the blond version of Count Nefaria.

Nefarious gained his powers through an experiment much like the one that granted Cap his powers …Gru is exploring the consequences of people so easily gaining powers through these experiments, presumably to emphasize just how heroic Cap is for rejecting the Serum today. I don’t personally buy it.

I can see where Gru’s coming from, but dwelling on the moral implications on a fictional serum that has no side effects, and connecting it to steroids is just reaching for a moral quandary.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #380 - More fun with the Serpent Society.

The Society refuses to believe that A) he’d ever touch supervillain trash like her, and B) that she hasn’t sold out their secrets.Diamondback is on trial, due to her relationship with Cap. 

I always loved the Serpent Society as a kid; just villainous snakes constantly turning on each other and endless in-fighting.

Meanwhile, Cap’s reunited with his old girlfriend Bernie Rosenthal, written out by Gru years earlier.

Bernie’s graduated law school since her last appearance, indicating old Marvel’s resistance to a stuck timeline.

This means that students can graduate from school, couples become parents, and even (gasp!) Spider-Man grows up.

The USAgent back-up stories are by Mark Bagley. He captures Agent’s barely restrained fury quite well.

Gru was probably thinking about steroids even before Streets of Poison.

USAgent always seemed like a roided-out version of Steve Rogers to me.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #381 - Paladin appears to creep things up.

I’m going to assume that Paladin’s gimmick of constantly hitting on female heroes has been dropped by now -- lest Marvel tempt the wraith of The Dreaded Social Justice ThinkPiece That Might Eventually Lead to a Hashtag.

Diamondback turns to Cap for help, but he can’t promise that he won’t arrest her two remaining friends in the Society.

So, she hires Paladin instead, who keeps reminding her that he wants more than cash as his payment.

The way Gru writes the Society continues to impress me. Most of its members are conflicted about turning on Diamondback -- but they’re also loyal to their leader, King Cobra, and believe that the Society is their only real shot in life.

There’s real drama during the fight; it’s character vs. character instead of sadist vs. sadist.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #382 - As much as I liked Lim’s CAP, that shield was occasionally off-model.

The Cap/Diamondback/Serpent Society arc ends, and I have to gripe about one dropped plot.

Last issue, Diamondback was terrified that she’d killed Bushmaster by accidentally tossing the wrong diamond down his throat. This issue, Bushmaster is fine and the acid-bomb he ingested last issue is never mentioned. Disappointing.

Even though Gru introduced the Society fifty issues prior, this is the first conclusive victory Cap’s had over them.

It’s a shame the Serpent Society never caught on. They would’ve suited most of Marvel’s “street level” heroes.

Remember when the Circus of Crime kept popping up in the late 90s? Just imagine the Society getting some of those roles.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #383 - Cap officially enters the ‘90s.

Although Gru is back to channeling Silver Age DC -- using Cap’s anniversary as an excuse for him to meet figures like Paul Bunyan and Johnny Appleseed.

I’ll be honest; I’ve never liked this logo change. I realize it’s the classic logo to many people -- but I prefer the more solemn logo that doesn’t scream “comic book.” Think it fits the tone of Gru’s earlier issues well.

Maybe the logo change is signaling an intentional change of direction? Less political intrigue and more high-adventure?

CAPTAIN AMERICA #384 - Deceptive cover alert.

Iceman is certainly not in this issue, although Jack Frost is rendered as his twin, right down to the briefs.

Gru reveals this issue that Jack Frost was also frozen in the arctic at the end of WWII and is only now being revived.

Jack’s frozen *again* during the climax, but Gru does throw some theories out regarding his origin -- and reveals that D-Man is *also* frozen up there in the cold.

But the real significance of the issue is Gru simply giving up on the “Super Soldier Serum is a drug” plotline.

Cap learns that there’s no way the Serum can truly leave his blood, so he’s stuck with it, regardless of his feelings.

Cap shrugs his shoulders and declares that comparing the Serum to recreational drug use was kind of silly. The End.

I wonder if Gru would’ve backtracked if he received as many letters criticizing his stance against Cap working as a commercial artist.

The idea that Cap would have a deep moral conviction against drawing toothpaste ads always seemed ridiculous to me.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #385 - The Watchdogs fight against that raunchy rap music of 1991.

While one of Cap’s old neighbors joins the Watchdogs, Cap tries to reconcile his feelings for Bernie and Diamondback.

I remember one of the letter pages from the Waid era questioning if CAP lends itself to these romantic subplots.

Waid’s Cap was very much an icon, the character everyone in the book stands in awe of. Gru tends to avoid this.  Cap’s legendary status is occasionally given a nod, but Gru is more interested in writing Cap as a man.

Diamondback stars in the back-up, creating Bad Girls, Inc. with two other Society members.

It’s actually kind of amazing that Marvel didn’t publish a Bad Girls, Inc. comic circa 1995.

Can’t you just see it, with a Mike Deodato, Jr. cover? Broken back poses everywhere…

CAPTAIN AMERICA #386 - Party on, USAgent.

For the first Cap/USAgent team-up, there’s not a lot of USAgent here. I would’ve expected more of an “event.”

Given the grim tone of the original Watchdogs arc, I’m surprised that Gru’s writing this as a more traditional action arc.

The early Watchdogs story seemed incredibly edgy to me as a kid; this one is much safer.

The Watchdogs have gone from firebombing adult book stores to kidnapping artists and brainwashing them into loving mom, baseball, and the American flag.

The Diamondback story has Dan Panosian penciling and inking, now in the style of regular back-up artist Mark Bagley.

Unfortunately, it ends in a cliffhanger -- and it’s the last regular issue reprinted in the book. Next story is an unrelated annual story.

I think these Epic collections are great, but I wonder who’s served by only printing single chapters of annual crossovers.

I’d much rather have four additional monthly CAPTAIN AMERICA issues in place of the two annuals.

Captain America: Epic Collection - Streets of Poison (Part One)

Don’t know if I’ll make it to Capwolf, but I am glad these trades exist.

Leaving Gruenwald’s Captain America run out of print for so long was always a glaring oversight on Marvel’s part.

I realize his run ended during an era Marvel would rather erase entirely, but that doesn’t mean you throw the whole thing out.

Gru’s Cap is just so MARVEL to me, at least Marvel of this era. It sums up the late ‘80s/very-early ‘90s so well.

Streets of Poison is, famously, Gru’s attempt to address the drug problem, which was essentially THE issue of the day.

Not sure if things ever really changed, but the media’s attitude towards drugs has certainly lightened up.

Drugs are either a casual joke, a source of phony “edginess,” or usually just ignored in the press today.

Can’t imagine a comic devoting a multi-part story today to the issue. Gru’s writing from the POV that Cap just HAS to address the topic.

So, the first chapter opens with Cap discovering that Avengers lackey Fabian is using the new street drug Ice.

He forces Fabian into treatment, but is floored when Fabian suggests that Super-Soldier Serum is just another drug.

“Floored” not because it’s such an inane comparison, but because Gru just decided one day that the Serum was essentially steroids.

Cap decides to wage a war on drugs.  Meanwhile, Bullseye escapes from prison in a fantastic scene.

Ron Lim doesn’t emphasize the grit, but it’s easily something you could see Miller doing. Teeth work just as well as paperclips, apparently…

The backup story stars two of my favorites from this era -- USAgent and Battlestar.

Battlestar wants to know why Agent didn’t tell him that he faked his death earlier. Agent has no idea what he’s talking about.

And when ‘Star mentions Agent’s dead parents, he breaks into a psychotic rage and tries to kill his friend.

I’ve always been intrigued by Gru’s take on USAgent…on paper, it sounds like every cliché that I normally hate.

But I seem to recall Gru pulling it off. The friendship between USAgent and Battlestar was the center of the book for a few months -- and I’m glad he hasn’t kicked the guys out of the series, even if the “replace a hero” arc is long over.

The backups were often the highlight of this book. Love the way Gru turned the book over to villains, bit players, & washed-up replacement heroes…

CAPTAIN AMERICA #373 - Hey, Diamondback had her own logo.

Last issue, Cap narrowly escaped an explosion triggered by Napalm, he of the wifebeater & shoulder-length mullet.

Cap’s invasion of the drug trade has somehow convinced Napalm’s men that the Kingpin is moving in on their turf.

Leading us to Kingpin’s introduction into the arc. He hires Bullseye to find who’s running this rival drug trade.

As Bullseye points out, he’s not a detective. He just wants to kill people. He needs a job, though.

Meanwhile, Cap’s acting oddly after escaping death, and Diamondback & Black Widow have a misunderstanding fight.

60-ish Peggy Carter is in the background, watching Cap cavort with his new girlfriend, who’s around her granddaughter’s age.

Diamondback’s sporting that half-shaved look that came back into style 4-5 years ago. Peggy must’ve been thrilled.

Not only is Cap dating someone 1/3 his age, but she’s a hipster cat burglar with an obnoxious hairstyle.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #374 - continuing the unofficial crossover from DAREDEVIL #283.

Not sure if the details match; DD didn’t return to his old identity after only one day in his book.

Even Cap isn’t sure how he ended up in upstate NY in that story, either. If only both books shared the same editor.

Oh, wait. They did.

It’s nice to know why Cap was out of character in that DD issue, though. He absorbed Ice during the warehouse explosion.

That means…Cap’s on drugs!

Now, his friends are secretly keeping an eye on him, when they’re not busy dodging drive-by fire.

Diamondback goes undercover by wearing a different diamond-themed outfit. (Okay, and a wig.)

Micro-Reviews: CAPTAIN AMERICA

More for the archive...my brief thoughts on the Society of Serpents trade, which reprints the brief Mike Carlin run and the earliest issues by Mark Gruenwald.

Has anyone ever given any real consideration of Mike Carlin, the writer, before?

Everyone knows where Denny O’Neil stands as a writer, but as the other guy who helped shape DC in the ‘90s, Carlin is largely a mystery.

Actually, Carlin only wrote CAP for a few issues when Marvel had no idea what to do w/the book. THING is his only real run as a writer, I think.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #303 - I like the way Machete uses the UPC box as a prop.

Carlin, CAP’s asst. editor, stepped in to replace DeMatteis, following his disagreement with Shooter re: Cap retiring.  

Carlin has Cap give lip service to the idea that he fights for the American Dream, even though he can never have it, yet…

…Cap has a pretty normal life at this point.  A fiancée, a job, an apartment -- he’s not doing so bad.

Gruenwald’s the one who takes the idea of Cap sacrificing his own happiness for the sake of The Dream and runs with it.

“Well, that Alan Moore fellow has had some luck with Captain Britain overseas. Maybe we should do a team-up?”

The Epic trade reprints Gruenwald’s editorial from Carlin’s last issue. Carlin’s moving to THING while editor Gru will become CAP’s writer.

While Carlin’s run is pretty generic superhero material, Gru lays out his take from the beginning: Cap’s devotion to freedom forces him to live a specific lifestyle--

--one that isn’t going to allow him the standard civilian life of a Marvel hero.  That’s tricky to pull off & it might be one reason why fans turns against Gru’s run towards the end.

I’m a few issues into the early days of Gruenwald’s CAPTAIN AMERICA. 3 issues in & Cap’s already ditched his job & his sidekick.

Honestly, does Cap really think drawing a toothpaste ad is contributing to a “consumer-oriented” society that “places more value on possessions than people”?

Gru had a tendency to take sudden and somewhat arbitrary moral stands in the book.  Cap feeling uncomfortable with drawing advertising work--

--reminds me of Gru’s later stance that the Super-Soldier Serum was just like a steroid & that Cap should abandon it.

Gru, to his credit, recanted that one after fans basically told him he was being ridiculous.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #311. So this is where “Steve Rogers draws Cap’s comic” comes from. Assumed it was from Silver Age.

Gru has the MU version of Mike Carlin acknowledge that CAP’s sales are slumping and it’s close to cancellation. He wasn’t joking!

CAP’s impending cancellation was the inspiration for Gru’s upcoming “Captain America No More!” arc, which blew up the book’s status quo.