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The Fighting Avenger #1

David O'Leary on the issue!

Hot Shot Of The Week- Released April 13th 2011

Captain America The Fighting Avenger One Shot (Marvel Comics)

You may remember some talk last year about this title being an ongoing title by writer Brian Clevinger that was downgraded to a four issue mini series then a two issue mini series and eventually to this double sized one shot. The reason behind such indecision was Marvel's explanation that there is no money in all ages books at the moment and as such, this one shot represents Marvel's hurrah, however temporary or permanent, at an all ages line of titles.

With a history like that, you might be asking why this book makes it this weeks Hot Shot. Well, I made an awful mistake when I opened this book, I judged the book by its cover, or at least the first page. I am not a huge Manga fan and the art is most definitely Manga influenced. But within about eight pages, I was laughing my behind off at what turned out to be the best book on the shelves this week.

What made me laugh so hard and so often was the GI babysitters going through the various code names for Rogers that were being bandied about like the great scene of confusion that surrounded the name Son of Sam as in Uncle Sam. It was great. The main story tells of Steve Rogers first mission after the Super Soldier experiment came to a devastating halt and before the Powers That Be decided on the name Captain America. Rogers goes under the babysitting auspices of a unit of American GI's and goes after a bunch of Nazi's, falling into a trap that sets up the origin of the Red Skull. The story reminded me of Thor: The Mighty Avenger in that it was a hell of a ride and a huge pity that it ended early.

From seeing a young Cap trying to find his way in a new world like deciding why he should be throwing his shield when it is meant to be a target for shooters to aim at him and take attention away from the unit he is with to newbie indecisions at some tasks that in later years we would see him do in muscle memory made for a great read.

Even the art from Gurihiru grew on me over the course of the book and by the time you were finished you really found an appreciation for what might have been had this very promising initial chapter be allowed to continue.

As a one shot that is doubled sized at $4.99, it is worth getting if for no other reason than to witness first hand Marvel's apparent willingness to slaughter a great story in the name of the dollar.

On Sale since April 13th 2011 $4.99

From the Publisher: Captain America's Day One! He's got the strength. He's got the training. But has he got what it takes? A ragtag Special Forces unit takes Captain America on his first mission of World War II. Their orders? Don't get him killed! But when the low-profile assignment draws the attention of Baron Strucker, the future Red Skull and half the Nazi army, it'll be a crash course in super heroics for Marvel's first Avenger!

David has been with CR since June 2008 and started out as a reviewer and has expanded to do a couple of columns for the site also; starting with 28 Words Later with artist Declan Shalvey and later 5 Minutes With... where he talks with the industries best and brightest from Kubert to Moore.

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