What I Bought 6/29/2013 - Part 3

I ate far too much spaghetti last night. I didn't think so at the time, but then I kept feeling like I might hurl when I woke up during the night. I didn't feel sick, just overly stuffed. And this is why I don't like eating dinner late at night, but it's hard to get my dad on the ball sometimes.

Captain America #7 & 8, by Rick Remender (writer), John Romita Jr. (penciler), Scott Hanna & Klaus Janson (inkers), Dean White (colorist) - I really don't think Dimension Z is the right place to wear an all-white spandex jumpsuit.

Steve continues his search for Ian, but Zola's forces are on to him now, thanks to Jet, who Steve did not kill. And he doesn't kill her the next time they meet, either. Third time's the charm, because Jet actually helps Steve and tells him where to find Ian. She even helps the Phrox who haven't been broken down into constituent bio-matter for Zola's creations escape. Until Zola cuts them off. Not that he needs them for his invasion, but it's the principle of it. Waste not, want not, strength is all that matters, the weak are food for the strong, one of those. Steve finds Ian, but it's not much of a success because Ian's been successfully reprogrammed by Zola. Which means he's trying to kill Steve while prattling on about how Cap represents all the worst things about America. He's doing a pretty good job on the "kill Steve" plan, then Cap uses the power of fatherhood to reach him and everything looks like it's going to be happy. Then Sharon Carter shoots the kid in the neck.

I hope Steve doesn't yell at Sharon about that. She was only trying to help, and the kid had just stabbed him in the kidneys with a jagged shield. She can certainly be forgiven for thinking the kid was pausing to gloat before killing Cap.

I'm not at all clear on how Steve is able to grapple successfully with Jet at all, considering how completely she annihilated him the first time they fought. If anything, it ought to be easier for her, because he's weaker now than before. I'm sure Steve made some adjustments, but the gap between them was pretty large. All I can figure is Jet held back so she could talk to him, assess how genuine his concern for her brother was, how real his mercy is. Did he spare her to gain something, as Zola would undoubtedly suggest, or is he what he claims to be?

I hope this isn't a complete face turn for her, where she just becomes a good guy. I think it would make more sense if she isn't completely devoted to her father's causes, enough that she'll go against him when she feels like it, but she still believes a lot of what he taught her. She's strong, and she believes that means something, that it's the most important thing, that it makes her naturally better. That doesn't mean she couldn't use that strength to help others, if it was in her interest in some way. In this case, maybe she wants to test Zola. Are his beliefs as firm as Rogers'? He claims to be proud of his daughter, to love her, so let's see how he responds to her defiance.  Or maybe it's just belated teenage rebellion.

I lie the opening sequence in issue 7, the quiet talk between Steve and Ian. White's colors and I'm guessing Hanna's inks really soften everything. It gives a sense of peace and tranquility, which contrasts with the rest of the two issues. The colors in Zola's fortress are mostly sickly browns and greens, which were present in the first sequence, but here they're sharper, more abrupt. It makes for a starker difference, probably emphasizes the harshness of Zola's will. Also let's Steve's uniform stand out, since there isn't a lot of blue or red around. Marks him as a man out of place.