While Avengers Armageddon has been teased in the pages of Wolverine: Weapons of Armageddon and the upcoming Reborn: Ultimate Impact, Captain America is where the first seeds were planted. In Captain America #11, Chip Zdarsky and Valerio Schiti finally bring those seeds into bloom, and the results are truly apocalyptic. Steve Rogers has just discovered that the “secret weapon” that S.H.I.E.L.D.’s been racing to uncover is none other than a teenaged clone of Victor Von Doom. But he has a far more pressing problem to deal with, as the Red Hulk’s entered Latveria…and he’s not alone.
I feel like I need to level with you, dear readers: I have never, ever liked the idea of the Red Hulk. His introductory arc felt like the worst form of self-gratification writing, particularly the “my character is super strong and can beat up all the other super strong characters” that reeks of teenage insecurity. In the same kind of insight that’s made his Cap run worth reading, Zdarsky has managed to turn that swaggering bravado into a literal blazing form of toxic masculinity, mixed with a heavy dose of feverish patriotism. Add in the fact that Red Hulk mainly wants revenge for the indignities he suffered during One World Under Doom, and you have a story that actually makes this character worth reading.
It also gives this issue some very high stakes. Not only does Steve have to chase after the teenaged Doom, but also protect him from the Red Hulk’s wrath. From the very first page, Schiti depicts tense scene after tense scene. Red Hulk’s “Hulk Corps,” genetically mutated abominations, descend from the air with the force of missiles. Steve races through Latveria with all the frenzy of a Bourne movie, hoping to get to the young Doom before anyone else does. The fire and wreckage left in the Hulk Corps’ wake is a sobering reminder of why the Hulk’s power doesn’t belong in certain hands.
Marvel
Schiti also manages to pack plenty of action into Captain America #11, especially when it comes to the fight between Steve and Red Hulk. As skilled and fast as the Sentinel of Liberty is, even he is sent flying by the impact of a Hulk punch. Schiti makes the Red Hulk into a truly terrifying figure, towering over everything in his path and crackling with gamma energy. Combined with Romulo Fajardo Jr.’s ominous crimson hues, it makes for an image that’s equal parts horrific and awe-inspiring.
Captain America #11 doesn’t just stop at the Red Hulk vs. Steve Rogers fight, as it also brings in a surprise guest star and ends on a note nobody was expecting. I think that’s the real gift that Zdarsky brings to this book: every time you think you know how it’s going to end, he throws a curveball that keeps you on your toes and immediately wants to make you read the next issue. It’s a rare gift, but one he uses well.
Captain America #11 is a white-knuckle ride from start to finish, not only setting the stage for Avengers: Armageddon but also ending on the most surprising of notes. If ever there was an issue that could convince you to add this series to your pull list, this is the one.
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