r/marvelcomics • u/Fun_Example8284 • 4d ago

Looking for the best Captain America run for someone who wants to start reading (best run for beginners)

6 Upvotes

80% Upvoted

31 comments sorted by

15

u/spaceninj 4d ago

Brubaker's run.

This is the beginning. I don't want to tell you what the rest of the run is called because it spoils stuff you might not know.

  • Captain America Vol. 1: Winter Soldier (Ultimate Collection / Issues #1–9) –
  • Captain America Vol. 2: Red Menace (Issues #10–14 & #Ani 1)
  • Civil War (Event) – Essential crossover occurring right before Cap's death.
  • Captain America Vol. 3: The Death of Captain America (Issues #25–42) – Follows the immediate fallout of the Civil War ending.

6

u/RaymundStark 4d ago

This is the right answer

1

u/Fun_Example8284 4d ago

What about 15-24?

2

u/spaceninj 4d ago

You should read it all. Basically it's 1-50.

0

u/Reddevil8884 4d ago

The volumes are all wrong and confusing. Brubaker's whole run is actually Vol. 5

4

u/New-Junket5892 4d ago

247-255. The John Byrne run.

3

u/goldenshouldersband 4d ago

For actual beginners, yes, this is the right answer. Stern/Byrne. Then, if you're interested in what you've read and you want to dig into a longer run, there's Mark Gruenwald and Ed Brubaker.

2

u/New-Junket5892 4d ago

As an older reader/collector, I sometimes miss the days where stories were single, double or triple issue stories opposed to stories today that are modeled for trade paperbacks.

1

u/Fun_Example8284 4d ago

Thank you

2

u/New-Junket5892 4d ago

The Captain America issues are collected in a trade paperback called “War & Remembrance” if you can find it.

3

u/Trivell50 4d ago

Englehart, Stern, and Gruenwald are the best in my view. Lots of readers like Brubaker but I dislike the more militaristic take on Cap that Brubaker has.

2

u/Fun_Example8284 4d ago

Thank you, what are the legacy issue numbers

2

u/Thom_Kalor 4d ago

I am going to recommend Waid’s run in the late 90’s. My favorite Cap run. It starts at issue 444 and gets renumbered to issue 1.

2

u/MadisonWisc 3d ago

The best option for hooking new readers is All-New Captain America: Hydra Ascendant (All-New Captain America #1-6). It’s the first story after Sam Wilson becomes Captain America. It’s a modern comic with a largely self-contained story and amazing art.
With the exception of Brubaker, most of the other suggestions here are older comics that are done in a style that may turn off brand new comic book readers. I think it’s helpful for new readers to see what (most) modern superhero comic books are like before diving into past styles.

1

u/ankokudaishogun 3d ago

OP did ask for Captain America, not for Falcon.

1

u/Fun_Example8284 3d ago

But it's funny because the titles called Captain America so I don't see a problem

1

u/MadisonWisc 3d ago

Interesting that this person makes no similar comments on recommendations of Brubaker’s run, a large portion of which did not feature Steve Rogers as Cap. 🤔

1

u/RaymundStark 4d ago

The first thing I like to ask is how will you be consuming the comics?

The second is how much of a completionist are you? Do you just want a fast track into Cap's best stories, or do you want full reading lists?

I built a free app (Windows and Android for now) that helps with all of that, just let me know if this is something you'd be interested in trying out. Otherwise, I really love the work done by Dave at comicbookherald.com (from whom I got permission to take his reading lists and make them interactive within the app).

2

u/Fun_Example8284 4d ago

I'm fine with either one but I'd wanna start with just his best then go into the full guides!

1

u/thenewNFC 4d ago

Secret Empire!!!

I'm kidding. I'm kidding.

1

u/Fun_Example8284 4d ago

Isn't that when he works for hydra

2

u/thenewNFC 4d ago

Without spoiling anything, yes.

But it's a lot. Not a starting point at all.

Great story, no matter what anyone says, but not a jump in point.

1

u/ReturnGreen3262 4d ago

Start a avengers volume 3 and go from there - it’ll really help you see and love cap. He runs the team

1

u/Fun_Example8284 4d ago

Who was the writer and what year?

2

u/ReturnGreen3262 4d ago

Busiek 97. It will lead into disassembled and the whole bendis and Hickman timelines

It’s an amazing volume that will have you and every hero guard around him loving him

So many amazing arcs there

1

u/Uncanny_Doom 4d ago

Ed Brubaker's run is the gold standard and also just generally one of the best comic runs of the 2000s or general modern era.

1

u/theotigger007 3d ago

Castaway in Dimension Z by Rick Remender is one of my favorites

0

u/Reddevil8884 4d ago

Look, most people will only recommend "modern" runs and they are not bad, actually they are pretty good. It just doesn't seem right to overlook GREAT runs like Kirby's second run, DeMatteis, Byrne, Gruenwald and Waid. My favorites from that bunch are Gruenwald (especially his early to mid issues) and Waid. Please, check them out.