What do you think?
Rate this book
Essential Captain America
Essential Captain America, Vol. 6
Captain America and the Falcon continue their partnership against some of their greatest foes and some of their most bizarre! Featuring guest appearances by the Hulk, Nick Fury and Sharon Carter! Plus: the debuts of the Constrictor and the Super-Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.! Collecting: Captain America #206-230, Annual #4; Incredible Hulk #232
512 pages, Paperback
First published February 10, 1979
2 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
About the author
Roy Thomas
4,480 books273 followersRoy Thomas was the FIRST Editor-in-Chief at Marvel--After Stan Lee stepped down from the position. Roy is a longtime comic book writer and editor. Thomas has written comics for Archie, Charlton, DC, Heroic Publishing, Marvel, and Topps over the years. Thomas currently edits the fanzine Alter Ego for Twomorrow's Publishing. He was Editor for Marvel comics from 1972-1974. He wrote for several titles at Marvel, such as Avengers, Thor, Invaders, Fantastic Four, X-Men, and notably Conan the Barbarian. Thomas is also known for his championing of Golden Age comic-book heroes — particularly the 1940s superhero team the Justice Society of America — and for lengthy writing stints on Marvel's X-Men and Avengers, and DC Comics' All-Star Squadron, among other titles.
Also a legendary creator. Creations include Wolverine, Carol Danvers, Ghost Rider, Vision, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Valkyrie, Morbius, Doc Samson, and Ultron. Roy has also worked for Archie, Charlton, and DC among others over the years.
Also a legendary creator. Creations include Wolverine, Carol Danvers, Ghost Rider, Vision, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Valkyrie, Morbius, Doc Samson, and Ultron. Roy has also worked for Archie, Charlton, and DC among others over the years.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 14, 2020
There's no Marvel Masterworks collection for issues #215-230 and I'm convinced it's because it sucked.
I mean, there's no other way around that. The only enjoyment I got out of reading those issues was the letters on Marvel Unlimited from readers of the time complaining about how much it sucked.
There's no Falcon, despite the title still being called "Captain America & Falcon". There's a lot of bullshit orchestrated to keep Sharon and Cap apart. The storylines weren't interesting. Then they thrust in this weird arc where Steve couldn't remember his life before the serum, which is interesting considering every writer 2000 on has made a point of starting there and having Steve talk in detail about his life back then. It's not an interesting arc in this collection - especially when they changed a ton of the details.
This is not a recommend. The quality takes a big nosedive around 216.
I mean, there's no other way around that. The only enjoyment I got out of reading those issues was the letters on Marvel Unlimited from readers of the time complaining about how much it sucked.
There's no Falcon, despite the title still being called "Captain America & Falcon". There's a lot of bullshit orchestrated to keep Sharon and Cap apart. The storylines weren't interesting. Then they thrust in this weird arc where Steve couldn't remember his life before the serum, which is interesting considering every writer 2000 on has made a point of starting there and having Steve talk in detail about his life back then. It's not an interesting arc in this collection - especially when they changed a ton of the details.
This is not a recommend. The quality takes a big nosedive around 216.
August 24, 2015
I got this volume for the Kirby stuff and it is the best part of the book.
His stuff is larger than life, big adventure stuff, full of big Kirby ideas. Great stuff.
Unfortunately, it really stumbles as soon as Kirby leaves. Roy Thomas seems to have a big plan, but he only sticks around for a couple issues and then three different writers come along, trying to wrap stuff up and the whole thing feels really clunky.
The Steve Gerber issues were kind of fun, because he always filters stuff through his weird mind.
Did love Thomas' story about the secret plot behind the Captain America serial from the 40's.
The end of the volume picks up, as we lose the 'Who is Steve Rogers' stuff and focuses on the evil corporation, the SHIELD Super Agents and then wraps up with the Hulk team -up.
His stuff is larger than life, big adventure stuff, full of big Kirby ideas. Great stuff.
Unfortunately, it really stumbles as soon as Kirby leaves. Roy Thomas seems to have a big plan, but he only sticks around for a couple issues and then three different writers come along, trying to wrap stuff up and the whole thing feels really clunky.
The Steve Gerber issues were kind of fun, because he always filters stuff through his weird mind.
Did love Thomas' story about the secret plot behind the Captain America serial from the 40's.
The end of the volume picks up, as we lose the 'Who is Steve Rogers' stuff and focuses on the evil corporation, the SHIELD Super Agents and then wraps up with the Hulk team -up.
January 15, 2018
What an odd collection of comics. It starts with the Kirby issues, just as surreal as in the volume before this one. But once Kirby leaves, the book flounders for months, with rotating creators and an aborted plot about Cap's history. It starts to come together by the end of the collection, but there are no really good comics in this bunch.
April 13, 2021
After getting through another 10 issues by Kirby, the artwork takes a turn to how I always saw Cap in the 70’s.
July 1, 2015
Volume 6 is pretty clearly pretty far down the chain of Captain America's career. And this is more of the same. Well drawn, solid action that really tries to be adventurous in terms of experimenting with the kind of emotional issues our protagonist can have to deal with.
In "Captain America #206", a Jack Kirby joint, we meet "the Swine", a not so subtle judgment on the character of a South American dictator who also dresses like a Nazi and kidnaps Cap and the Falcon. A compelling story with clear political subtext.
In "Captain America Annual #4", also jointed by Jack Kirby, Captain America ends up battling against Magneto on behalf of some misunderstood mutants. Not just a sympathetic story, but also piggybacking on the appeal of X-Men comics!
Almost all of these stories are great...
The last story in the book "Incredible Hulk #232", basically resolving a storyline in Cap's own book, the writing by Roger Stern/David Micheline gets a little long winded and complicated (I like the 3 good guys, buy 4 random bad guys who are kind of meh?), but the art by Sal Buscema is tops, a lot of good action shots. A little more aimless than Captain America's writing team (Steve Gerber, Roger McKenzie, and others), but a solid action story.
There are some mild weak spots. Mild gender inequity (but to point this out here is patently unfair, i.e. every other mainstream comic book) like female villains with lamer weaknesses and he general avoidance of female protagonists.
Also, the Falcon is a weak character, talking in one noted cliches about class and race. Notably, the "Captain America" comic had him "disappear" for a while near the end of the book, and the stories were clearly much better and more streamlined.
A solid Captain America book. Close to the best since it started, although I've always liked it.
In "Captain America #206", a Jack Kirby joint, we meet "the Swine", a not so subtle judgment on the character of a South American dictator who also dresses like a Nazi and kidnaps Cap and the Falcon. A compelling story with clear political subtext.
In "Captain America Annual #4", also jointed by Jack Kirby, Captain America ends up battling against Magneto on behalf of some misunderstood mutants. Not just a sympathetic story, but also piggybacking on the appeal of X-Men comics!
Almost all of these stories are great...
The last story in the book "Incredible Hulk #232", basically resolving a storyline in Cap's own book, the writing by Roger Stern/David Micheline gets a little long winded and complicated (I like the 3 good guys, buy 4 random bad guys who are kind of meh?), but the art by Sal Buscema is tops, a lot of good action shots. A little more aimless than Captain America's writing team (Steve Gerber, Roger McKenzie, and others), but a solid action story.
There are some mild weak spots. Mild gender inequity (but to point this out here is patently unfair, i.e. every other mainstream comic book) like female villains with lamer weaknesses and he general avoidance of female protagonists.
Also, the Falcon is a weak character, talking in one noted cliches about class and race. Notably, the "Captain America" comic had him "disappear" for a while near the end of the book, and the stories were clearly much better and more streamlined.
A solid Captain America book. Close to the best since it started, although I've always liked it.
Currently reading
May 6, 2011A cheap reproduction including half of jack Kirby's 1970's era run on Captain America, including the storyline where he is blinded by the Red Skull. The rest of the book is pretty shoddy. The Kirby work is amazing, my favorite part is a dream sequence at the end of is run that is so beautifully written and filled with energy, despite Kirby's reputation as an incoherent writer.As Captain America ,in his dream ,fights his way across a battlefield he vows" The dead cry out for VENGENCE! The living Cry out For JUSTICE! Propaganda wont stop me when flame and Steel have failed! I've come for you RED SKULL!" as he clobbers the army of nazis in his way once of them shouts " The years won't stop this madman! He returns Again and AGAIN!"
I'd like to think that this acknowledgement of the cyclical nature of these stories is intentional. what better place than in a dream for Kirby to meditate on the role of the reccurrance of myth? Kirby was nearing retirement at this point and after working on Captain America off and on through 4 decades, there's something very bitter sweet that runs through these stories. I think its the best work of his career.
I'd like to think that this acknowledgement of the cyclical nature of these stories is intentional. what better place than in a dream for Kirby to meditate on the role of the reccurrance of myth? Kirby was nearing retirement at this point and after working on Captain America off and on through 4 decades, there's something very bitter sweet that runs through these stories. I think its the best work of his career.
April 17, 2016
The sixth volume in “Essential Captain America” contains one of the biggest shifts in tone in the history of the series, as Jack Kirby’s breakneck, action-packed, often off-kilter adventures, co-featuring the Falcon, give way to an introspective series where Cap ponders his origins, mostly without the help of his longtime partner.
When the Kirby run comes to an end, perhaps feeling no one could top the madness of the run, the tone shifts abruptly.
Even though these issues jump around stylistically – and some of them are probably better forgotten – I really enjoyed reading the Cap comics from this era of my childhood. The Kirby ones, especially, crackle with energy, and while Cap gets a bit mopey later on, and characters drop in and out of the storyline as writers come and go, I still had fun reading them. Sal Buscema’s art is possibly at its peak in the issues included here. Writers included Steve Gerber, Peter Gillis, Roger McKenzie and Roger Stern.
The book collects Captain America 206-230, as well as Annual #4 and Incredible Hulk #232.
More at NewsOK: http://newsok.com/article/3789790
When the Kirby run comes to an end, perhaps feeling no one could top the madness of the run, the tone shifts abruptly.
Even though these issues jump around stylistically – and some of them are probably better forgotten – I really enjoyed reading the Cap comics from this era of my childhood. The Kirby ones, especially, crackle with energy, and while Cap gets a bit mopey later on, and characters drop in and out of the storyline as writers come and go, I still had fun reading them. Sal Buscema’s art is possibly at its peak in the issues included here. Writers included Steve Gerber, Peter Gillis, Roger McKenzie and Roger Stern.
The book collects Captain America 206-230, as well as Annual #4 and Incredible Hulk #232.
More at NewsOK: http://newsok.com/article/3789790
April 2, 2014
This is a rather odd volume of Captain America back issues, containing one of my favorite periods in the feature's history, and one of the worst periods.
It starts out with a story by Jack Kirby, featuring a villain named The Swine. Captain America is abducted to a small country south of the border, and escapes, meeting a little known love interest, Donna. The pair escape the country, and run into Arnim Zola, making his debut, along with his weird organic experiments. Just as things are really starting to take off...A different team takes the title and gives us a nonsensical story-line about recovered memories from Cap's past. It's very jarring to read in this format.
These are followed by some rather mediocre tales. Jack Kirby is what makes this volume worth getting.
It starts out with a story by Jack Kirby, featuring a villain named The Swine. Captain America is abducted to a small country south of the border, and escapes, meeting a little known love interest, Donna. The pair escape the country, and run into Arnim Zola, making his debut, along with his weird organic experiments. Just as things are really starting to take off...A different team takes the title and gives us a nonsensical story-line about recovered memories from Cap's past. It's very jarring to read in this format.
These are followed by some rather mediocre tales. Jack Kirby is what makes this volume worth getting.
December 16, 2013
I know I skipped a few books, but I really don't care. This reprints #206-230 & features the first appearance of the Constrictor & Arnim Zola. This even includes (If I remember correctly) the story where Red Skull blinds him. Cap's fighting his usual foes & encounters some new ones...And in particular that changes Cap forever: the nefarious Bio-Fanatic, Arnim Zola. This robotic weirdo debuts in issue #208 & is expanded upon in #209. He attacks the Star-Spangled Avenger with mutated creatures & genetic monstrosities. On the cover of #209, it even shows a speech bubble: "Attack, Primus, Attack!!". Overall, this volume is a landmark in the Cap series.
Want to read
May 1, 2013Bought: May 1, 2013
Location: Booksale (Robinson's Bacolod)
Price: P340
Location: Booksale (Robinson's Bacolod)
Price: P340
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews