The Super Powered Fancast

Captain America #704

Marvel Comics

Written by Mark Waid

Art by Leonardo Romero

Colors by Jordie Bellaire

Letters by Joe Caramagna

Red Skull continues his assault on the invading Kree army as Jack Rogers captures the general and decides to get some answers.

Rogers decides to use some pretty brutal means of getting information from the general. Methods that reveal the locations of the super soldier serum processing facilities and the military uses bullets and gas made from the serum to attack the Kree on the planet. It’s another brutal tactic that is effective in stopping the invasion and it leaves Jack in the position of doing the one thing that he wants to do, save his son.

Unfortunately, when you make a deal with the Devil, it comes due. As Jack continues to work on a cure for his son, he is interrupted by the Red Skull who cannot be reasoned with and cannot be bargained with. He’s decided that he finally has the opportunity to take his revenge on Steve Rogers through his descendants and Jack makes a decision that could have dire consequences for both of them and the legacy of Captain America for all time.

I’ve been hit or miss with this series and storyline. There have been some interesting moments in the narrative, but the premise has always bothered me in how it was presented and executed. I found myself not particularly caring enough about Jack Rogers as a character to make his struggle compelling. He always seemed to be reacting to events in a way that made me wonder why he would ever be the focus of the story. This issue doesn’t redeem all of those doubts, but it does end on a satisfactory note with Jack making probably the only smart decision he’s made in the entire arc. What doesn’t work is that there seems to be no process of getting to that point presented in this story. It’s a matter of fact moment that seems to come from nowhere.

In all honestly, I’m glad this arc is over so that something more interesting can happen next.