Review: Captain America: The End #1

Captain America: The End brings a classic Image creator back to the fold in amazing fashion. The story is written and drawn by Erik Larsen who launched his career at Marvel before moving on to Image Comics and his beloved Savage Dragon comic. Here he returns to tell the story of Captain America’s final adventure in the far future. With this issue, Erik Larsen reminds us what a gift he is to the world of comics.

As one would expect, it’s the end of the world so Cap is fighting an army of Red Skulls. He escapes from then only to meet a group of children and an old man named Abe underground. The Red Skulls find them and start converting the children to Red Skull zombies by a simple scratch. One of the kids, Marsha, is injured and Cap offers his own blood to resuscitate her. The last survivors travel with Cap across a Kamandi-like landscape.

The survivors and Cap race into a grounded Helicarrier where they meet a Red Skull M.O.D.O.K. After an epic battle, Cap buries his shield into his face and is blasted back outside. Cap faces off against the swarm of Red Skull Zombies blaming himself for keeping the zombies on the offensive. Cap is ready to give up the fight until a child inspires him to fight on and Abe realizes that Cap’s blood protected Marsha and can cure the zombies. Thus, rather than being the problem, Cap is the ultimate solution. He spends his future as a blood bank to convert the zombies back to humans and inspiring freedom once more.

Erik Larsen is a rare creator who blends classic worlds, battles and a consistent style, but never seems to feel dated or stale. He writes an amazing earnest Cap and the story here is filled with action and epic moments. His art fills every panel with action, motion. His style is occasionally awkward, but the fluidity of his story telling makes that seem like part of the action. Overall this is a beautiful, simple issue that never slows down. The absolute pinnacle of the issue is the Red Skull M.O.D.O.K. and watching Cap bury his shield into his big giant head.

Dono Sanchez-Almara’s colors compliment Larsen’s artwork perfectly. In spite of being an apocalyptic landscape, the art and story-telling never seem dull or tedious. This is a classic comic done in a way which feels fresh and interesting. Its also a prototypical Captain America story, one which readers should enjoy for decades to come.

Writing: 4.5 of 5 stars
Artwork 4.8 of 5 stars
Colors: 4.7 of 5 stars

Overall: 4.7 of 5 stars

Writer: Erik Larsen
Artist Erik Larsen
Colors: Dono Sanchez-Almara
Covers: Rahzzah. Erik Larsen and Edgar Delgado.
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Author Profile

M.R. Jafri

M.R. Jafri was born and raised in Niagara Falls New York and now lives with his family in Detroit Michigan. He's a talkative introvert and argumentative geek. His loves include Star Wars, Star Trek, Superheroes, Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, Transformers, GI Joe, Films, Comics, TV Shows, Action Figures and Twizzlers.