Issue(s): Captain America #444
Cover Date: Oct 95
Title: "Hope and glory"
Credits:
Mark Waid - Writer
Ron Garney - Penciler
Mike Sellers - Inker
Matt Idelson - Assistant Editor
Ralph Macchio - Editor

Review/plot:
This is the start of Mark Waid and Ron Garney's acclaimed Captain America run. Instead of starting completely clean, the run inherits the situation from Mark Gruenwald's run, with Captain America missing and presumed dead thanks to the degradation of the super-soldier serum. Per editorial notes in the lettercols, the handoff included Gruenwald's plans for how to resolve the situation, which i think is pretty cool; usually either a creator "puts their toys away" before wrapping up their run, or the next creators just go their own way. This (even though i don't have the immediately preceding issues) gives more of a true sense of continuity, instead of an artificial resetting of the status quo.

The resolution isn't for this issue, in any event. This story deals, indirectly, with Cap being missing by setting up a scenario where a group of terrorists take over the Jefferson Memorial, holding hostages, and demand that Captain America be turned over to them. In Cap's absence, the Avengers show up. They're not able to attack the terrorists, at least at first, because they have sophisticated armored suits and traps that will kill the hostages. So a good portion of the issue involves the Avengers explaining to the Federal agent in charge, James McElroy, exactly "What's so special about Captain America?".

It's very on the nose and a bit cheesy, in my opinion.

Once we're done with that, the Avengers rescue the hostages and take on the terrorists.

In the end, we find out that a mysterious someone was actually behind the terrorists' attack, as a way of forcing the Avengers to admit that Cap is missing (which is pretty much the only acceptable way that a random group of terrorists should have the kind of advanced armor that they did). We also see that our mysterious someone is holding Cap.

Waid & Garney do a good job with the action sequences, showing the Avengers using their powers in clever ways to deal with the unique hostage situation. And i suppose it is necessary to reinforce the "why Cap is special" message every so often in a universe where his abilities are pretty mundane compared to just about everyone else. I just think this message is better reinforced by showing it rather than via testimonials.

Quality Rating: B-

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: It's been "two weeks" since the Avengers last saw Captain America.

References:

• The Avengers found Captain America in the modern age in Avengers #4.
  
• Cap rebuilt the Avengers from scratch with "three of the most down-and-out-rogues" in Avengers #16.
  
• A scene illustrating Cap's courage shows a scene of Cap fighting the Cosmic Cube-wielding Red Skull from Tales of Suspense #80-81.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A