This was hardly an unforseen twist from the day Captain America #26 was released. However, a little over a year ago (well many of us were awaiting Captain America #25 and far more were just not expecting to visit a comic shop that week) no one would've seen it coming. When Steve died the news went wild and I sold litterally hundreds of copies of this issue in my store alone. Hell, when I find them I can still sell Captain America #25 at a pretty penny. Sadly, issue #34 will not likely hold the same value or love. The media coverage was near non-existant as a few places mentioned it, the largest program coverage being displayed below on the Colbert Report. I recieved 40 copies at my store and sold out of all of them by sunday. I feel 40 was an appropriate amount because not once did anyone ask me for the issue, it sold well on its own and mainly to comic fans. This is very unlike Cap #25 where I had many people unfamiliar with comic shops coming into ask if I had the issue and where they could find it in the store. I've come to learn over my years at this shop that when people ask where the comics would be in this comic shop, they're generally not comic fans. Thusly the lack of any questions about the issue and simple yet silent sale of all 40 issues in under 5 days tells me the general audience for this issue. That being said, who knows how many late comers will barge into the store over the next month asking for a copy. I'll definitely be ordering second printings.
As for the issue itself, it was good. Thats all, it was merely good. I enjoyed the issue, it was not in anyway bad, but there was no amazing moment or milestone to it. I didn't feel some special tingle when Bucky put on the costume or ever think to myself that "this is steve's sucessor". I mean, the most meroable and amusing moment in the issue was Bucky in the new Cap outfit, capping three AIM agents in the knees. It was just like every issue since Cap's death though, good, worth reading, but not any spectacular moment that has me saying Steve is finally gone.
When issue #25 originally came on shelves I told almost all my customers that this was in no way the end of Steve Rogers. Of course we all knew Steve would eventually be back, but I expected a little sooner than those that were waiting for the next "wipe the slate clean" Marvel event. I was originally shooting out dates like a year to two years. Now, I can't say my view never faltered, unlike my co-worker who still says 18 months. I fortunately got to talk with Ed Brubaker at the 2007 WWLA convention and he persuaded me that Cap was dead. Thusly, I returned with the "He's Dead, Jim" attitude that he wont come back until said "clean slate" event. Now I'm back where I started, he'll be back and soon. Why do I hold this view? Bucky isn't the new Captain America. If Marvel and Brubaker were serious about this transition we would all see a full page splash, glorious, and patriotic moment where Bucky first throws on that Captain America outfit. I didn't see that or get that feeling. Furthermore, the unmemorable and merely enjoyable issue that #34 was leads me to believe this is all merely a temporary thing and Steve will be back in full force within the year.
Furthermore, as much as I did enjoy Bucky as Captain America, he just wouldn't work out. Look at him, he's carring the gun around and hold his darker, Winter Soldier, attitude still that simply doesn't have that Captain America feeling of hope. Bucky is just not the guy you all look up to and admire as the amazing symbol of Captain America. My final word: Good issue, definitely worth the read, expect Steve back soon.
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