Captain America #15: The Price of Freedom

There is something truly hopeful about Captain America leading an army of souls against the forces of the devil in one big, albeit questionable prison break.

Well over half the issue is this action-packed slugfest mixed with a few narratively heavy interludes that expand the characters Chip Zdarsky has introduced in this story arc. A sense of uncertainty pervades these shorter scenes, with characters questioning themselves and each other. The dialogue is handled particularly well in these scenes. A brief one-page exchange between Doctor Doom and Red Skull reaffirms the doubt readers are supposed to have in Doom’s newfound altruism.

That doubt is later rewarded, in a sense, during the issue’s later confrontation with Mephisto, which the entire story arc has been building up to. A permanent victory over Mephisto is simply not plausible in Marvel’s shared universe, so inevitably even after a few flashy action sequences, a deal has to be struck.

Mephisto’s offers are straightforward. For Doom, he offers a kind of freedom. He will return Doom to life in return for his soul the next time Doom finds himself in Mephisto’s realm. Of course, he also throws in the torture of Doom’s former love, Valeria Von Frazen whom Cap and Doom recruited in Captain America #14.

For the self-sacrificing Steve Rogers, his offer is more external. Freedom for everyone else. “No more dictatorships, no more iron-fisted rulers,” and “democracies blooming everywhere,” are his promises in return for Rogers’ soul. Knowing they cannot defeat Mephisto, even with their gathered army, both reluctantly accept.

Needless to say, this is a questionable ending to this storyline but one that tracks well with Mephisto’s history. It also fits Cap to an extent. Steve Rogers is defined by how he puts himself on the line for others, and this arc’s conclusion is the epitome of that. It is the kind of issue that promises to have impactful consequences on future story arcs both within Captain America and without. How far Chip Zdarsky takes those consequences, and where they show up, are yet to be seen.

Valerio Schiti’s line art is impeccable in this issue. There is a nearly three-dimensional quality to the way characters occupy the page and move from panel to panel as they clash in one big battle that began at the end of Captain America #14. Romulo Fajardo Jr.’s colors, on the other hand, bring a shiny texture to the characters and ambient, off-panel lightning to Valerio Schiti’s artwork. A variety in panel types and layouts helps the issue’s flow without hindering readability.