Captain America #750 Review

Written by: Assorted
Art by: Assorted
Colors by: Assorted
Letters by: Assorted
Cover art by: Gary Frank
Cover price: $7.99
Release date: July 5th, 2023

Captain America #750 brings the disparate Captains America together to conclude their respective adventures and celebrate the milestone issue number with a collection of short stories by assorted creators.

Is It Good?

Captain America #750 marks the milestone numbering with the conclusion (sorta) to Tochi Onyebuchi’s run, and the penultimate issue (sorta) to Lanzing and Kelly’s run, with a few shorts by assorted creators to spare. Given the sheer volume of stories, you’re going to get your money’s worth. That said, the collective average of storytelling is a mixed bag, with some stories that work and some that truly don’t.

A Cup of Tea

Sam Wilson accepts an invitation to Misty Knight’s safehouse where he’s urged to take up the shield and mantle of Captain America. Ultimately, Sam accepts the offer because he must.

True to form, Tochi Onyebuchis’s flashback story only works as long as you don’t peel back the layers. Why is everyone (including Steve) pushing Sam to become the second Captain America? Why can’t that push be articulated in anything but vague terms such as “you’re meant for this?” Why isn’t Falcon good enough? Where did an armed attack conveniently come from to push Sam to accept the offer (yeah, that happened)? How does Sam survive gunfire and grenade explosions without a scratch when he’s still a regular human? So many questions, none addressed adequately, and the net result is another failed attempt to make Falcon into “the other Captain America.”

Nothing But A Fight

Steve Rogers and his latest allies meet for the funeral of Roger Aubrey aka the Destroyer. As the mourners gain a new perspective on life, Steve secretly meets an old friend and a new acquaintance with the key to defeating the Outer Circle.

This penultimate issue in Lanzing and Kelly’s run turns out to be a nice sendoff for Roger Aubrey with a few cameos to spare, but the big selling point is Steve’s opportunity to make some peace with Bucky. This entry marks the beginning of the end of Steve’s fight against the Outer Circle, which may or may not be satisfying for a generally lackluster story arc. The art’s fine, and we get a new Nomad as a bonus, but the Outer Circle turned out to be too big for Lanzing and Kelly to get their arms around, so we’ll see how well they can wrap it up.

Reflections

Sam Wilson gives a speech to graduating students in Harlem wherein he briefly recounts his first time on the Avengers and the challenges that come with being a “diversity hire.” Ultimately, Sam imparts the greatest lesson he can from his experience – be who you want to be, not what others tell you to be.

Stephanie Williams delivers a well-structured recap of Sam’s early history with the Avengers and beyond while overstating the racial struggles and self-doubt Sam experienced. Yes, there is definitely a racial aspect to Sam’s history, but to distill that aspect as the driving force behind his entire time on the Avengers seems more like propaganda than a revelation.

The Hero

Steve Rogers takes a moment to reflect on the nature of being a hero and how he learned that nature from one of his oldest friends – Arnie Roth.

J.M. De Matteis delivers a bittersweet memorial of one of his own creations in the form of Arnie Roth. The short has more to do with Arnie serving as a point of inspiration for Steve rather than about Steve, but it’s a powerful point all the same.

Then And Now

Jarvis narrates his admiration and respect for a hero who sometimes struggles with being a man out of time. As Steve fails to grasp the necessity for selfies and marvels at the heights of social progress compared to his time, Jarvis gives the “old man” a break by providing the comforts of home.

We don’t often get a Jarvis-narrated story, but Dan Jurgens pulls it off with classic Bronze Age-styled charm and finesse. Rather than focus on all that’s wrong with the world (the default mode of most Marvel writers today), Jurgens helps Steve reflect on everything that’s gone right.

The Mantle

Steve and Sam get in some shield-throwing practice as they edify each other on their worthiness to be Captain America.

I feel like this point is stuck on repeat. How many times and how many writers are trying to push the idea that Sam is worthy enough to carry the shield? He is worthy. Everyone knows he’s worthy. But the two questions everyone at Marvel keeps avoiding are the most important of all. Why are there two Captains America, and why wasn’t being Falcon good enough? Unless and until those questions are answered, Sam will always be looked at as “the other Captain America.”

One Lucky Shot

Captain America is shot in the back by a Hydra agent, and his shield falls into the river. When a young boy, a Captain America fan, finds the shield, he meets with his friends to discuss options, have a little fun, and show Avengers-levels of courage when the Hydra agent comes calling.

This is a cute, wholesome story about the power of inspiration from Cap to the kids in the neighborhood. If not for one sticking point (how did Cap survive getting shot in the back?), this would be one of the best shorts in this book.

About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

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Bits and Pieces

Captain America #750 is an odd mix of stories to end one run, set up the penultimate issue in another, and add a few shorts for good measure. Ultimately, you get a mixed bag of quality in storytelling themes, several aggressive pushes to qualify Sam as a worthy Captain (without addressing the Falcon problem), and generally good art.