Patriotic Parallels: A-Next 10 and Captain America Corps 1

Consider today’s post a sequel to a spin-off entry to the Spider-Symmetry series, because I’m looking at the visual parallels between other MC2 comics and their related fellow Marvel titles. I’m calling this particular spin-off Patriotic Parallels because this entry is about both the Captain America Corps and A-Next.

 

The first issue we need to look at today is the MC2’s own A-Next #10 which was first published in May 1999. The new team of Avengers (including Shannon Carter aka American Dream) have journeyed to an alternate universe where the entire world is ruled by Victor Von Doom (designated Earth-9907) and must prevent his use of a Universal Cube to conquer the entire multiverse. Upon arriving, the Avengers find themselves in a very different Times Square, New York.

 

Now, let us look at Captain America Corps #1 which was first published in June 2011. Shannon Carter aka American Dream would later be recruited into the ‘Captain America Corps’ by one of the Elders of the Universe known as That Ki aka The Contemplator. Alongside other time-displaced patriotic heroes including Earth-616’s Captain America aka Steve Rogers from World War II, Earth-616’s James ‘Bucky’ Barnes during his time as Captain America, the 25^th Century’s Kiyoshi Morales aka Commander A, Shannon Carter aka American Dream also works with Earth-616’s John Walker aka U.S. Agent who is taken from a point in time shortly after his brief stint as Captain America.

 

The Corps find themselves on the altered Earth-11418, where the Americommand rule over a dystopian America thanks to the manipulations of the time travelling Deidre Wentworth aka Superia. Where do they first arrive? Why, a dystopian alternative present day Times Square, New York, of course!

 

Have a great day, everyone.

 

Until I find myself suffering déjà vu will journeying across the multiverse, I remain

 

frogoat

 

What to Watch Before Thunderbolts*

 

With Marvel Studios latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thunderbolts* mere days away, I thought it would be fun to take another quick break from my usual content and make a guide for anyone wanting to catch up or refresh before it hits theatres. Here’s What to Watch Before Thunderbolts.

 

First things first, in 2011 Captain America: The First Avenger introduced the world at large to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Captain America, but more relevantly brought us Sebastian Stan in the role of James ‘Bucky’ Barnes. Best friend to Steve Rogers aka Captain America, Bucky would seemingly perish on a mission against Hydra during World War II.

 

Thankfully for the many, many Sebastian Stan fans, three years later in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), in modern times the defrosted Captain America would face off against the eponymous Winter Soldier in his mission to take down the secretly surviving Hydra among S.H.I.E.L.D. Who is the Winter Soldier? None other than a brainwashed and super soldier serum enhanced Bucky.

 

A post-credit scene in the 2015 film Ant-Man would lead directly into events seen in Captain America: Civil War. The third entry in Cap’s solo film series, Captain America: Civil War (2016) featured a full-blown physical fight between the various Avengers, with Iron Man leading a team against Captain America when Bucky is framed for a terror attack by Helmut Zemo. Following the fallout from this film’s finale, the Avengers disbanded, and Bucky would stay in Wakanda to have his brainwashing deprogrammed.  

 

Another post-credits scene, this time in 2018’s Black Panther lets us know Bucky is feeling better and his skills are required for a fast-approaching fight. 2018 properly marked Bucky’s return in Avengers: Infinity War, where Steve’s team of former Avengers come together in Wakanda to hold off the forces of the Mad Titan named Thanos in an effort to prevent the death of the Vision in Thanos’ quest for the Infinity Stones. With the Avengers still disassembled, they would all fail in their efforts, and Bucky was among half the universe’s population to be erased from existence with a snap of Thanos’ Infinity Gauntlet adorned fingers.

 

Pivoting now to a prequel film of sorts, and another 2018 release; Ant-Man and the Wasp debuted Ava Starr as the intangible antagonist Ghost. Set short before the events of Avengers: Infinity War, we learn Ava’s abilities are deteriorating and killing her. Fortunately, she is saved by the intervention of Janet Van Dyne who utilizes energy obtained from her time trapped in the Quantum Realm to stabilize Ghost.

 

Avengers: Endgame in 2019 saw the likes of Bucky returned to life thanks to a united Avengers team succeeding in their ‘Time Heist’ mission. And it was a good thing too, because everyone was needed to fight off the army of a time-travelling Thanos and prevent total annihilation. The victory would come at the cost of three of the Avengers original members: Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow, Tony Stark aka Iron Man and Steve Rogers aka Captain America. A now elderly Steve Rogers would hand off the Captain America Shield to Sam Wilson aka The Falcon.

 

We all skipped a year, then 2021 saw the release of the Disney+ series The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. Catching up with Bucky, we learn he has been cleared of prior charges and is attending court-mandated therapy and attempting to atone for his past actions as The Winter Soldier.  When a terrorist group called the Flag-Smashers emerges, both Bucky and Sam are surprised when the US Government assigns a new Captain America aka John Walker the task of stopping them. While dealing with their own animosity toward one another, Sam and Bucky find themselves on the same trail and are forced to step up to the occasion when a freshly minted super soldier John Walker publicly murders one of the Flag-Smashers in cold-blood with Captain America’s Shield, losing the mantle in the process. At the end of the series, John Walker is dubbed U.S. Agent and recruited by the mysterious Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.

 

Meanwhile on the big screen, 2021 also brought us the much-delayed and long-overdue Black Widow movie, a prequel to Avengers: Infinity War. This film revealed Natasha Romanoff’s origins and introduces her surrogate family of Russian spies including ‘father’ Alexsei Shostakov aka the super soldier Red Guardian, ‘mother’ Melina and younger ‘sister’ Yelena Belova. Natasha brings down the Red Room and in the process frees the various Black Widow agents around the world from the control of the sinister Dreykov. It’s also revealed that Deykov’s daughter, Antonia survived a previous attempt on her father’s life and had been turned into the assassin Taskmaster by him. During a post-credts scene set after Avengers: Endgame, Yelena is recruited by Valentina to take down her sister’s supposed killer, Clint Barton aka Hawkeye.

 

We wouldn’t have to wait long for Yelena to return, showing up in the 2021 Disney+ series Hawkeye for Episode 4, 5 and 6. There she would meet the young archery protégé Kate Bishop and learns from Clint Barton himself the truth of what happened to her sister Natasha. We also see via flashback that Yelena was among those ‘snapped’ out of existence for five years by Thanos.

 

We learn quite a bit about the mysterious Valentina Allegra de Fontaine during 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The film reveals that Val is the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, that she was formerly married to Wakandan ally and fellow CIA Agent Everett Ross and that she has ambitions of obtaining the rare metal Vibranium. Ross loses his job and finds himself arrested for working with the Wakandans, who shortly afterwards break him free. Val, on the other hand, remains as Director of the CIA.

 

Finally, 2025’s first Marvel Cinematic Universe movie, Captain America: Brave New World featured a cameo from James ‘Bucky’ Barnes wherein he comes to show his support to his friend Sam Wilson aka the new Captain America. It’s also established that Bucky is running for Congress which sets him up for his new status quo in the Thunderbolts* movie.

 

As a bonus, Avengers Tower was first established to have been sold during 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, and its evident from the Thunderbolts* trailers we will finally see that little plot thread come to bear.

 

Barring any unforeseen surprise cameos or post-credits reveals, that should be all you need to get a deeper appreciation out of the Thunderbolts* movie.

 

Until I get my face emblazoned on a Wheaties box, I remain

 

frogoat

 

American Dream in Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes?

 

The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes animated series is often regarded by fans as one of if not the best adaption of the Avengers on the small screen. It’s a little-known fact that the MC2 Universe character American Dream showed up in Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes…well, kinda.

 

The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes series led to spin-off media including a tie-in comic which published brand new stories in the continuity of the show. Thus, within the pages of Marvel Universe: Avengers Earth’s Mightiest Heroes #11 in a story aptly titled ‘The Last American Dream,’ a version of the MC2’s own American Dream makes an appearance. While at first it appears to be a tale set in the future following an elderly retired Captain America aka Steve Rogers watching on as a team composed of James Buchanan ‘Bucky’ Barnes aka The Winter Soldier, John Walker aka U.S.Agent and a Werewolf version of Captain America led by Shannon Carter aka American Dream known as the Captain Americorps battles an army of Doombots, it soon becomes clear things are not as they seem.

 

The heroic Sleepwalker reveals to Steve Rogers that he is in fact ensnared within a dream being influenced and manipulated by the villainous Fear Lord entity known as Nightmare. The Sleepwalker succeeds in breaking Steve out of his dream, one in which he wasn’t frozen for decades and instead grew old and raised a family with Peggy Carter. Empowered by the Sleepwalker’s guidance, Rogers manages to fight off Nightmare’s influence and awakens.

 

It's interesting that the fictional Captain Americorps shares some members with the Captain America Corps seen in the mini-series of the same name: U.S.Agent, Bucky (formerly The Winter Soldier) and American Dream. Considering Steve would have no knowledge of Shannon’s superhero identity it’s would seem Nightmare was responsible for inserting a version of American Dream into the dream reality. Maybe he’s a fan? Another small point is Shannon’s costume including the little wings on the side of her head, as they appeared in her own mini-series.

 

Not quite a case of the MC2 in the animated Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes shared universe, but a case of a character crossover that I considered consequential enough to cover! I think it was neat to see American Dream pencilled in the show’s art style even if only for one page. Let me know what you think of these shorter, simpler posts.

 

Until I forget my hypnocil and fall asleep, I remain

 

frogoat

 

 

Where is Bucky in the MC2?

 

I know, I know! I said I was taking a break, but this is a quick one and I won’t find a better time. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is out on Disney + and I know someone out there is just asking: Where is Bucky in the MC2? So, let’s take a little trip down comic history to find out.

 

James Buchanan ‘Bucky’ Barnes first appeared alongside Captain America in Captain America Comics #1 way back in 1941. When Captain America made his big return in the Avengers #4 it was without his loyal sidekick and friend Bucky. We learn in this issue and later issues such as Avengers #6 and #56 that Bucky died in their final battle with Baron Zemo when an experimental drone plane exploded.

 

As I’m sure you know by now, for the most part the MC2 diverges from the Main Marvel Universe around 1998. Which means the death of Bucky depicted in the 60’s remains his canonical fate unless otherwise indicated. So, the events of Ed Brubaker’s Captain America run, which started in 2004 likely did not occur.

 

Here’s the only reference to Bucky in the MC2 I could find, from the pages of Last Hero Standing #1. I think this aligns more closely with the character’s classic demise, but of course, if anyone wanted to revisit the MC2 and utilize the Winter Soldier retcons, the door remains open.

 

Until I find a way to lose a limb and keep going, I remain

 

frogoat