Captain America, Vol. 3: Ice

Captain America: Marvel Knights

by John Ney Rieber (Writer), Chuck Austen, Jae Lee

For decades World War 2 super-soldier Captain America lay in frozen suspended-animation, encased in ice, until he was revived in the modern world to again take his post of protector of the Red, White and Blue. But when a mysterious package arrives at his door and he crosses paths with a shadowy new villain named The Interrogator, Captain America learns that everything about this past, his memories, and himself, may not be what it seems!

Collecting: Captain America 12-15

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics

128 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2003

About the author

John Ney Rieber is an American comic book writer. He has written for the comics The Books of Magic, Captain America, G.I. Joe and Tomb Raider.

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Why is nothing clear or simple anymore? Good guys. Bad guys. Right and wrong. Why can't problems be solved with fists and gritted teeth like they used to be? Why can't I punch someone and just be right?" -- Steve Rogers, a.k.a. Captain America, clearly echoing my thoughts on this volume

Although the subtitle may suggest otherwise, that's a big 'hell, no' - it has nothing to do with Cap taking on a certain government agency that is routinely getting attention in the media these days. No, instead this is a dreary and cheerless graphic novel - which destroys any remaining interest that I had in the series - with our title character performing an excessive amount of navel-gazing amidst his pangs of existential dread. (He almost seems to by vying to be Marvel's version of DC's Batman in terms of tortured psychological thoughts.) Would it be too much to ask that Cap simply take on Nazis, domestic terrorists, and/or those crazy dudes who just want to rule the world? Golly, even two brief lovemaking scenes - absolute rarities in depictions of this valiant protagonist - are so oddly joyless and don't do anything to improve his mood. While he is certainly entitled to having a bad day or three, I much prefer the customary interpretation that he represents the durable best of America.

[James DeSantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Least interesting of the John Ney Rieber stories read about captain america.

This is kind of a mish mash of going into someones mind to find the truths, cap dealing with the lies and secrets kept from him, and...some Atlantis fights! It starts with a package Steve receives and of course it changes everything. What is real? What is fake? Who are his friends? Who has been using him as a weapon? It all comes to head here.

Jae Lee's art helps this book a lot. While the story is messy and unsatisfying ending, the art is great throughout. The moody atmosphere, wonderful fight scenes, and great emotional moments shown really well done with Lee's art. I just wish the story remained solid instead of jumping around, confusing, and giving a bleh ending. A 2.5 out of 5, but I'll bump it to a 3.

[Chelsea 🏳️‍🌈 · Rating 1 out of 5]

The only thing I enjoyed about this was the art of Steve Rogers curled up with an American flag because he'd been disappointed by his country, yet again. That's it. It's such a strange thing to posit that the army intentionally put him on ice because they thought he would have disagreed with the atomic bomb. I don't take issue with Steve being against that - I take issue with why they made that change to his story at all? In a way, it really cheapens his sacrifice. But, I'm sure the writers thought it'd be an edgier, darker story if Steve Rogers didn't die for America; instead, he died because of it.

Anyway, don't read this. Seriously, don't.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent retcon that runs parallel with Truth. The notion that Captain America was allowed to be frozen and left because he was too idealistic and would speak out against the atomic bombs.

I love the image of Captain American curled up in the flag, as he's betrayed.

This is some stellar art by Jae Lee, too. When John Ney Riber leaves for Austen, the writing is quite jarring (Chuck Austen has Mark Millar rings) but the story is still in place.

[Krzysztof Grabowski · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gdybym był lekarzem, tak w przypadku bezsenności przepisał bym wam lekturę tego zbiorku. Tak nudnej, powtarzalnej i przetworzonej historii nie czytałem już od jakiegoś czasu. Nawet jeżeli jest tu niezły Namor.

Nie, po prostu nie. Naprawdę trzeba mieć to coś, abym podpiął książkę pod tag: not recommended. Bo za każdym razem staram się znaleźć jakąś zaletę, która wbijała by się jak diament z kupy guana. Nie tym razem. Szczęśliwie kolejny tom jest już znacznie przystępniejszy.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny that they build a story on Cap's moral standard of not killing when it will be ditched in about a year by Brubaker.

Hey, but Jae Lee is on art.

[Jude Morse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kinda boring would of hoped for something new on cap but felt like the same story we’ve always heard

[Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pretty good, but it was over very quickly; I read it over my lunch break at work. The basic plot is that Captain America receives a mysterious package with some old films and documents. The materials make him question his old memories as well as his own sense of duty and morals. Are his memories true, or are they illusions? This is what he needs to find out. Once the story gets going, it does so at a pretty quick pace. The art is dark, which matches the mood of the story. It does feel a bit short, so it felt like it was over just as it was getting started (thus my rating of only three stars. I wanted more).

I have always liked Captain America precisely for his sense of striving for what is right. He is an idealist trapped in an era of cynics and deceivers. This volume is part of the Marvel Knights series. I have a read a couple other Captain America volumes in this series, and I have liked them so far. I will definitely continue reading the others. If you like Captain America, you will like this series.

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

MY first foray into comics. As such, I really have nothing to compare it to, so I'll just go on what I thought of it. Knowing the basic story of the character and having picked this series at random, I was surprised but also intrigued to find out it is a retcon of his disappearance and re-emergence. Like others, I found it very short and somewhat unsatisfying leaving so many questions unanswered. However, the artwork was great and fit the dark overcast mood of the story. The story was quick to get moving and delivered on both action and drama, the only disappointment is that it ends rather abruptly with very little resolved (though you can say that is a good indication as it left the audience wanting more). At any rate it was enough to get me to jump into the following series "Cap Lives" so overall a success. Though again this is the first comics I've ever read.

[Sonic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jae Lee's art can earn anything at least 4 stars in my opinion. But this book had the benefit of some surprisingly good writing.

Cap America's Black and White righteous morality gets old quick, and this book, (though full of the same) questions it.

I found that satisfying.

I also found the honest look at the American governments' hypocritical and diabolical the-ends-justify-the-means attitude, accurately portrayed.
Cap represents IDEALS, that he stands up for and fights for that are above and beyond (and sometimes contradictory to) the orders of the U.S. military.
I appreciate that distinction being made.

Fight On, Captain!

[Erik · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although the narrative is not as tightly or smoothly written as Morrison’s writing on Fantastic Four 1234, this hallucinatory tale is, as usual, beautifully rendered by the inimitable Lee. It also immediately precedes Ed Brubaker and Steve Eptings awarding-winning current run on the title. So although it falls short in the narrative department compared to those two, it’s still work a quick afternoon read, as you soak up Lee’s beautiful pen-and-inks. (And let’s not forget those stunning John Cassaday covers reprinted in the back pages.)

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Cap and his stories and this one was fine. Any time there is a Namor appearance I'm on board. The only real lame part was the end. Sorry, Cap is still not a killer. Cap didn't know about severing the hand so he didn't intentionally kill the man, therefore he is not a killer. That would be like if I punched you and then you stumbled away and fell off a bridge. Sure I may have had a hand in your fall, but I didn't throw your off nor intentionally knock you out. So, lame ending. Nice try though writers. The artwork was solid.

[Bryan Pope · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a lot going on in this story that I felt was off kilter. I felt that the writing was either lazy, bad or complicated and whatever it was threw me out of the story through each issue. The inclining in the back of my head was right and it all came together in the end but the problem was that I was moving through the story to confirm what I thought was going on. If anything, the art (which I felt was too dark/awkward for Captain America) is a good indicator for what this story is trying to do. There was no strength in me to give this more than 3 stars.

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not being a Captain America fan, I figured it would take a lot for me to appreciate it. Though really it just takes an okay concept written well with good enough art. And this one definitely has all that. Steve Rogers is a pretty straight-laced super honest moral dude - this story is all about challenging that - trying to figure out if there is a way to get him to cross the line and kill someone, anyone. It is a part of Marvel Knights, which is hypothetically a name of quality - sort of the way I think of Marvel Fanfare. And this was worth reading.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Individual issues on comixology

[Jessi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is interesting. Kinda outside the realm of canon Captain America

[Kristen Zamora · Rating 3 out of 5]

dark

[twinkle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5