Stillanerd Reviews Generations: The Americas (Sam Wilson Captain America and Steve Rogers Captain America) #1 review

A flawed, but inspirational, look at Captain America, and the true meaning of friendship and heroism, closes out the Marvel Generations anthology.

Generations: The Americas #1

Writer: Nick Spencer

More from Comics

• X-Men: 6 reasons why Marvel’s mutants are the best superhero team
• Harley Quinn renewed for a fifth season on Max (and it’s well-deserved)
• Marvel Comics announces seven important X-Men comic books
• The X-Men were betrayed by Captain America in Uncanny Avengers
• Spider-Man: Miles and Peter team-up for their first ongoing series

Artist: Paul Renaud

Color Artist: Laura Martin

Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna

Covers: Paul Renaud; John Cassaday and Laura Martin; and Paolo Rivera

Recap Page Artists: Olivier Coipel and Laura Martin

Nick Spencer has burned a lot of bridges with fans this past year-and-a-half. To put it mildly, his turning Steve Rogers into a Nazi sleeper agent (sorry Marvel, Hydra is synonymous with Nazism) during a highly contentious Presidential Election year was a total creative misfire. I also maintain Secret Empire, despite Spencer’s noblest intentions, damaged Marvel’s brand more than anything else in the last two decades. Captain America isn’t the only one seeking redemption now–it’s Spencer and Marvel themselves.

Thus, Secret Empire #10 reveals how Hydra Cap wasn’t the real Steve Rogers after all. Secret Empire: Omega then establishes how the real Steve will carry the burdens of his doppelganger’s sins. Then there’s this latest comic, Generations: The Americas (Sam Wilson Captain America and Steve Rogers Captain America) #1, seeks to remind readers what’s great about the character, and how he inspires others.

Credit: Paul Renaud and Laura Martin (Marvel Comics); from Generations: The Americas (Sam Wilson Captain America and Steve Rogers Captain America) #1

[Nick] Spencer’s message [in Generations: The Americas #1], while obvious, is both compelling and poignant…The real heroes are those who never see themselves as heroes.

To accomplish this, Spencer tells his story through the eyes of the current Cap, who is also the once-and-future Falcon, Sam Wilson. This being a Captain America comic with a time travel plot, Sam winds up in World War II, of course, fighting with Steve against Nazi Germany and the Axis powers. Since Steve Rogers during this time is also a new recruit with little combat experience, Sam is also the one who motivates him, just as Steve did for him. It’s pretty much the formula these Generations books have established.

Except there’s a twist. After the war, Sam continues staying in past, and like Jean Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation‘s “The Inner Light” leads a whole other life. He adopts a new name, becomes a minister, marries, has children and grandchildren, and takes part in the Civil Rights Movement–all while watching the Marvel Universe as we know it unfolds from the sidelines. When he and Steve reunite after seventy years, he becomes his spiritual adviser.

Spencer’s message here, while obvious, is both compelling and poignant. Not all heroes have enhanced abilities or wear colorful costumes. Not all heroes wear uniforms or carry a gun. A hero can also be a leader of the community…a priest, a teacher, a doctor, a parent, or a friend. They inspire greatness, while never seeing themselves as great. Often they are those who go about leading otherwise ordinary lives, doing good every day without expecting anything in return. The real heroes are those who never see themselves as heroes.

Credit: Paul Renaud and Laura Martin (Marvel Comics); from Generations: The Americas (Sam Wilson Captain America and Steve Rogers Captain America) #1

I wish I could give Generations: The Americas #1 a higher score, because [Nick] Spencer’s story deserves one.

I’m sure there are those who believe having Sam motivate, inspire, and counsel Steve in this story may think this somehow diminishes Steve as a heroic figure. Yet are not our heroes inspired by us? Do they not have heroes of their own? Besides, in the context of Spencer’s story, this is a classic time loop. Just as Steve befriended and helped transform Sam into the hero is today, Sam, by being the past, returns the gift his friend and mentor gave to him.

Unfortunately, despite Spencer’s otherwise thoughtful narrative, three things severely undermine it. Early on, Sam acknowledges that the “rules of time travel” dictate he shouldn’t interfere with history. Except, just the mere fact he becomes a 1940’s version of the Falcon, takes part in two major moments in American history, and raises a family does precisely that. While it does speak to strength of Sam’s convictions, it also reads like Spencer trying to have it both ways.

Not that this really matters because this comic reveals the true nature of the Legacy heroes’ journey through time. Let’s just say what’s really going on is not only illogical within the context of Generations, it turns every single issue from this anthology into an utter waste of time. It also makes it clear none of the writers on Generations talked with one another. If they had, I doubt they’d write their respective issues they way they did if they knew Spencer’s ending.

And this leads to Sam returning Captain America’s shield back to Steve. Spencer presents this as Sam deciding to walk his own path while also having faith that his friend will redeem the mantle of Captain America again. This clearly wasn’t Spencer’s intention when writing Secret Empire #10. That comic made it clear Sam would continue as the new Captain America, that he had the real Steve Rogers’ blessing, and that the world also accepted him as Cap. In light of this, Sam’s decision in this comic is inauthentic, based entirely on a desperate editorial mandate.

Credit: Paul Renaud and Laura Martin (Marvel Comics); from Generations: The Americas (Sam Wilson Captain America and Steve Rogers Captain America) #1

Also, while Paul Renaud art is decent, it’s also unexceptional. By no means are his illustrations bad. His figures are anatomically correct, drawn in the dynamic, graceful, full-bodied poses that’s so essential for the superhero genre. His lighting and shading techniques are also on point, and Laura Martin colors really make his work come alive.

At the same time, nothing really sticks out about his work, either. It lacks a certain uniqueness, something which makes you go, “Oh, I know exactly who did the art on this book.” His is a style which could easily pass for any number of adequate, workmanlike comic book artists. It’s the kind of comic which has no memorable images. The only ones which stand out are Sam leading a squadron of Tuskegee Airmen, and Steve throwing up after his first experience in combat. Otherwise, it feels as if Renaud is content to play it safe.

I wish I could give Generations: The Americas #1 a higher score, because Spencer’s story deserves one. At its heart beats an intelligent, moving discourse on the nature of heroism, on how we pass on ideals about truth, justice, freedom, equality, and hope to others. It’s about how true friendship motivates us to become better versions of ourselves and do so in return. If only it didn’t have so much baggage from Secret Empire and Spencer’s other Captain America work handcuffed to it.

Stillanerd’s Score: 3 out of 5

Stillanerd’s Nerdy Nitpicks (possible spoilers)

Credit: Paul Renaud and Laura Martin (Marvel Comics); from Generations: The Americas (Sam Wilson Captain America and Steve Rogers Captain America) #1

• Once again, we have another Generations comic which makes it sound as though Kobik sent the legacy heroes through the Vanishing Point in the midst of fighting Hydra Cap during Secret Empire #10. Difference here, the writer of this Generations comic is the same one who wrote Secret Empire #10.
• “We’re all the same rank here.” Well, if you’re flying with the Tuskegee Airmen, Sam, I do believe there were some ranking officers as pilots in that squadron.
• “Just a kid from New York.” You mean Steve’s “just a kid from Brooklyn,” right Sam? It would’ve been more impressive if you said that.
• “You should ask them for a round [shield].” Funny enough, the first appearance of Captain America’s signature round shield first appeared in Captain America Comics #2 of April 1941. Though since the U.S. wasn’t a war with Germany yet when that issue came out, shouldn’t Cap have his round shield already?
• Of course, if you’ve read up on Sam Wilson’s backstory, you’d know just how ironic it is he became a minister like his dad and brother.
• In case you’re not up on your biblical literacy, Matthew 5 contains Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, the same sermon which, among others, includes the Beatitudes and the teaching on “loving your enemies.”
• Did you know the black and white preview pages for this issue had an appearance by Jack Kirby, Cap’s co-creator? Well, he’s not in this comic anymore.
• This definitely is a different timeline. Because Sam teamed-up with Cap as the Falcon before Steve Englehart’s “Secret Empire” storyline.
• Also, I guess we’re skipping those times where Cap wore a black version of his costume before passing it on to U.S. Agent, and the time he became a werewolf.
• So S.H.I.E.L.D. gets disbanded in favor of an “independent commission operating under the jurisdiction of the United Nations security council.” Have to make it more like the movies, I guess.

Next: Stillanerd Reviews: Generations: The Spiders (Miles Morales Spider-Man and Peter Parker Spider-Man) #1 review

What are some of your thoughts about Generations: The Americas #1? Moreover, for those who were able to check out all the Generations issues, how would you rank them from least favorite to favorite? Or do you think the anthology could have been better, and if so, how? And do you agree or disagree with my reviews of those comics?