Reading Coates' article in the Atlantic about the Trump Administration and the white supremacy reminds me how much I like the concept of someone like Coates writing for Captain America, and the ideas he could potentially put forth. I don't always love the execution of his comic story, but some of the earlier issues were fascinating.
Generally agreed, as all good-to-great Captain America writers since Cap's reemergence in Avengers #4 have interrogated through his character the idea or ideal of what America should be or stand for against the harsh reality of what America all too often has been and done and represented in the world and to its own people.
The spider is always on the hunt.
At this point, it seems to be a bit of Coates' writing style to emphasize the supporting cast as opposed the title character. On one hand, as a female reader, I really am enjoying reading some well-written female characters. On the other hand, the DOL should be their own book and there should be more delving into Steve's plot. Or rather, find a better way to entwine the two.
That's a totally fair criticism. I've still fallen on the side that Peggy Carter's inclusion was more editorial mandate than a necessity of the story, but your point still holds true. I was glad to get Steve's perspective last issue and hope it lasts for awhile. I think one thing that Coates excels at, when he's writing Steve, is making him feel human.
It's a really interesting dichotomy, because Peggy obviously got the big push in the MCU, but since she's more or less of a non-entity in the 616, the 'excitement' doesn't translate as much for comic fans, especially Cap fans who are much more accustomed to Sharon Carter. That being said, Coates has more or less gone out of his way to highlight the difference in dynamics between Peggy/Steve and Sharon/Steve (and how it's not like the MCU), so there's that.
It does seem like the Power Elite storyline will be coming to an end next issue. Or it's implied by the April solicitation. I'm curious to see if this will wrap Coates' run, or if it will continue. It seemingly coincides with the Heroes Reborn thing, so a relaunch wouldn't be unexpected.
Fantastic Four is getting their own Life Story limited series as going through the decades like Spider-man Life Story did. I think a series for Steve would be longer with more decades as Steve ages in real time from the 40s athough I'm curious what Marvel would do with the 50s issue(maybe skip it) since he's gonna be on ice and wont get out til the 60s.
The 50s issue could be about William Burnside and more fully depict his rise and fall as "Commie Smasher" Cap. Then the 60s/70s issues could tackle Vietnam and bring in Nuke, exploring how Frank Simpson became what he became and what he went through to end up as twisted as he was. I'd also love to see Steve's relationship with Sam Wilson over the decades, and the 80s issue could bring in John Walker as "a younger, stronger, tougher" Captain America. Hmm, I'm wondering when the Tuskegee experiments became public knowledge, because depending on when that happened, the experiments that turned Isaiah Bradley into "the black Captain America" could well be revealed and addressed by Steve closer to the modern day.
The spider is always on the hunt.