Captain America: Sam Wilson vols. 4 & 5

Even as Nick Spencer gleefully trolls fans over in “Steve Rogers” he manages to tap into the current social zeitgeist in “Sam Wilson” to both entertaining and depressing effect.  Vol. 4 is where most of the fun stuff happens as Sam and Steve team up to take on U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M., Sam and Joaquim go to see D-Man wrestle Battlestar, Misty Knight gets a winning solo adventure, and Joaquim and Rage safeguard a conservative pundit from liberal terrorists at a campus rally.  No, really, that last one is more interesting than it sounds and does a good job of recontextualizing familiar arguments about free speech in this day and age.  Overall, this volume was a good example of showing how politics and superhero action can mix to entertaining effect.

Vol. 3 also ends on a major downer as Rage is arrested for a crime he didn’t commit by the Americops.  The media and social firestorm that follows this drives much of vol. 4 as Sam tries his damndest to prove that the system works by working within it to free his friend.  That he ultimately fails, and seeing how things get worse from there, unfortunately feels true to the spirit of the times as well.  Sam faces a lot of hard lessons over the course of the issues collected here leading to a powerful final image that feels earned and would also work as a series finale as well.

Except the story doesn’t end here.  For the real conclusion you’ll have to go read “Secret Empire” and the tie-in issues for this series and “Steve Rogers.”  As depressing as it was to read vol. 5, I still think it manages to provide a solid lead in for the big event.  Because things are going to get better after it’s all over, right?  Or, can we at least get a more consistent art team on this title?  I like all of the artists who contribute to it — especially purported regular artist Daniel Acuna — but they’re not really all that good on stylistic consistency.  Something to hope for in the future, along with actual hope for Sam and his struggle.