Flashback - Captain America Reborn

With the Captian America movie out (YAY!) I have decided to take a look at an older story ark featuring the guest of honor Captain America. For this Flashback I have decided that nothing would be better than the Reborn story ark, A story that brings the supposed "dead" Steve Rodgers back to life.

*spoiler alert*










The story starts off with Bucky, who has taken over the duties of Captain america, and black Widow raiding a H.A.M.M.E.R flight carrier. The plan of this attack was planned by Bucky to obtain assessts from Red Skull's base, and Nick Fury is helping by gaining the lead as well as finding him away into the H.A.M.M.E.R base.

Meanwhile at Pym's private lab Sharon explains to the group that she was controlled by the Red Skull, which then led her to shoot and kill Captain America on the steps of the court house. The good news is Captain America is still alive, while not being fully controlled by the Red Skull Sharon was concious during the attack. Giving her the knowledge that a special gun was used to shoot Captain America, a gun that will trap Steve Rodgers in his past.

Back at national HQ for H.A.M.M.E.R, that is currently being ran by Osborne, Zola informs Osborne
that Steve Rodgers is still alive due to Doom's special gun. Captain America is hoping through his life timeline, and right now he is storming the beach of Normandy on D-Day. A Bright light flashes and now he's next to his mother who has just died.

Captain America has found himself repeating his battle with Master Man, and then another bright flash sends him to the oval office right in front of president Franklin D Roosevelt. Steve trying to figure out a way to stop this, and coming to a conclusion that he needs to contact his friends some how.

Back on the H.A.M.M.E.R flight carrier Bucky and Black Widow have gotten themselves in some trouble with some Dark Avengers known as Ares and Venom. Meanwhile in the Baxter building Reed Richards has found an issue with her bloodstream, and it has something similar to the data they found in Steve Rodgers body.

Then we see Osborne in a prison striking a deal with Crossbones and Sin to join him in helping him create his own Avengers team with Captain America as the leader, but the catch is Captain America will be controlled by the Red Skull. Captain America is now reliving the moment that changed his life, the day when he became what he is today, reliving the day he became a super soldier.

Bucky and Black Widow get caught, and Osborne gives a little show and tell of what he has being working on. He has reported to the authorities that Sharon was the second shooter, and sends Black Widow off to tell her if she doesn't turn herself in within 24 hours he will kill Bucky Barnes.

Steve Rodgers is now stuck in Ice, and he knows how everything is going to play out and he continues to try and change history, but you just can't do it. Reed Richards heads to the resting place of Captain America and has Namor raise his coffin from the deep depths of the Arctic Ocean, and to his suprise Steve Rodgers body has dissapeared.

Back at Pym's Lab The group see's the news on T.V. and Black Widow has informed Sharon about the deal with Osborne. No matter how much Black Widow tries to swade her not to do it she refuses to listen, because she doesn't want anyone else to die because of her. Meanwhile Bucky is being transported by the Thunderbolts, and Ant Man is not happy about this mission.

We flash to Captain America flashback where Him and the other Avengers are facing the invasion of the Super Skrull's back when Clint Barton was Goliath. Rodgers has a brilliant plan and asks Vision to record the message he's about to give him a store it in a memory bank. Back at the plane where the Thunderbolts have Bucky captive Falcon is on a rescue mission. Ant Man leaves to go secure Bucky, but he really plans to free him because he knows being on the Avengers bad side is a bad thing.

The news reports that Sharon has turned herself in, and none other than the Red Skull (or whats left of him) is watching the news. sin and crossbones gives him a present, a face to add to his mechanical body.

The Red Skull and his goons land in latveria where Victor Von Doom has requested his presence. Doom informs the Red Skull that they are currently looking for the body of Captain America. We are then brought back to the past... i know again :( it's getting old but we'll get through this Steve has quite a past. In this flash back Captain loses his partner Ricky by mistaking him for Bucky.

At Hank Pym's lab Reed Richards has discovered what is up with Sharon's test results, and it has to do with bringing Steve Rodgers back. Mr. Fantastic is interrupted by Vision informing the group that Captain America has left a message (yes! his plan worked!).

Bucky and Natalie have teamed up with Hawkeye are trying to gain intel on the whereabouts of Sharon Carter. Meanwhile back at Pym's lab Vision is playing Steves recorded message giving Richards enough knowledge on what has happened. Apparently when Sharon destroyed Skull's machine it let Steve loose into in time, and the only way to stop it is to have Sharon close to Steve to attract them to one another.

Sharon is brought to Latveria were she finds out that Red Skull is still alive! Sharon gets strapped into Dooms machine. We flash back to when Steve Rodgers and Bucky blow up, but before that happens steve is warped to something different... instead of living through a past event he is being fast forwarded. His body is then taken over (present day) by the Red Skull, and Captain America is trapped in Red Skulls mind. Sharon is screaming at Red Skull (in Steves body) trying to get Steve to hear her, but with no luck.

Thanks to Bucky, Natalie, and Clint they have found Sharon's where abouts, and are in route to take over and get her back. After a firefight in the air and both planes crash land right in front of the monument in D.C. Where a huge ground battle with the Avengers take place. Meanwhile Captain is still roaming Red Skulls mind, and he finds a weak spot to break through. Red Skull is now mentally struggling in a battle against Steve Rodgers. Red Skull walks out onto the capitols steps where he is spotted and persude by Bucky.

Bucky and Red Skull (in Captain Americas body) start duking it out on the steps, but Red Skull is having a difficult time fighting Bucky physically and Steve mentally. Although he finds a way to help his mental battle by saying Bucky wont win because he can't fully attack Steves body. There was even an opportunity for Bucky to shoot and kill Red Skull but couldn't find himself to do it because it was Steves body.

After the ships crash Hank Pym does what he does and shrinks down in size, and heads into the Red Skull's ship to break out Sharon. Meanwhile back to the capitol steps Red Skull is about to kill Bucky, but not if Steve has something to say about it! Steve continues to battle in Red Skull's mind, and Steve is threatening to kill himself just to kill Red Skull in the process. Steve eventually gains control of his body.

Steve and Bucky head out to help the Avengers with the battle between the Red Skulls army. Sharon and Han are continuing their fight through the ship to save Vision, and run into Red Skulls alternate body (machine form). He tries to escape, but Sharon zaps him with a device that makes him grow in size. Hank is skeptical about the idea/plan, but Sharon says not to worry. The Avengers on the outside of the ship see the giant Red Skull and start their attack on him while Sharon Hank and Vision head to the cockpit to fire the ships missile onto the Red Skull. The celebration begins and sharon gives Steve the long awaited hug.

After the incident Osborne finds out Steve got his body back, Red Skull is dead, and severe damage has been done to Sin's face. Back at Steves place a celebration for his return is going on, but he's upstairs thinking about the past and what he believes to be the future. We are left with his vision of what looks to be battered and bruised Avengers team during an apocalypse setting and a dark figure standing with electricity going off around his hands.

The story I found to be very interesting, but I think Brubaker could have gone a different route with such a story. Being shot by a magic gun to send him in a time freeze is kind of lame and doesn't quite do it for me, but at the same time for someone new to comics like me it allowed a little back story about Captain America. You also got a tease with the certain Avengers that kept me interested. I'm always a sucker when I get to see Hawkeye in action. All around I'm glad they brought Steve Rodgers back, and my only problem with this series was how they brought him back. Other than that great story, decent dialogue, and a lot of neat cameos.

The art was Good well detailed in the action scenes and in scenes that all around needed it. It didn't blow me away but it didn't disgust me to the point of not wanting to contiue looking at it. Unfortunatly there wasn't any 2 page spreads worth remembering, but I believe issue 6 had a decent pull out cover that was neatly done. All around the art was decent nothing jaw dropping but enough to get the point acrossed. details were given, and facial expressions were spot on for the most part.

Thanks for reading my review, and I hope to see you guys at the "I Like Comics" movie premiere fo Captain America: The First Avenger. Please I would love it if you would say hi, and talk comics with me. I would love it and it is very welcome, and I'm excited to meet Karl Kesel and get a few things signed by him. I just started reading his short run Captain America *Patriot* the first issue was interesting and not what I expected some I'm looking to be suprised in the last 3 issues. Thanks again all for reading my post and hope to see some of my readers at the movie on Friday!