Captain America #26: Patriots

The solicit for this issue simply read “Red Hulk!”. It’s entirely possible there has never been a more accurate solicit because that’s essentially the only detail worth noting here. By the end of the issue, which is a beautifully written stroll through Patriotism vs. Makeshift Patriotism and blind faith, you have Red Hulk. Like the issue before it, there seems to be a lot of craftwork put into the writing but less so the story and the lack of narrative structure here is becoming concerning. It isn’t a bad book but it just feels like somewhere, it has lost its way and not for the first time in the run. I will maintain my patience, though, because the run as a whole has been far stronger than the sum of its parts but eventually, Coates and company will have to go somewhere or have some real stakes involved if this run is going to land on the future Must Read lists.

Leonard Kirk’s art in this issue is solid, with above-average figure work and good play with lights and darks (with the obvious assist from Milla in that department). There is a bit more variance in the face work and some of the panels feel a bit crowded at times, particularly with the sparseness of the textual elements, but it is overall pleasing to the eye. My issue, and this holds true across several books I’m reading right now, is why can’t we have one artist just stick with a book for a while? There has been a parade of artists working on these 26 issues and since Adam Kubert, I wouldn’t be surprised if nobody did more than 3 issues in a row. There’s no continuity there. It’s wonderful that so many people are getting a chance to draw such an iconic figure and get paid for doing it but the lack of consistency from month to month is starting to wear on me.