The Nerdy Dozen: Best of Captain America

I originally wanted to do one of these lists in honor of the return of Steve Rogers to the present day Marvel Universe. Obviously I did not get it posted to meet that sort of deadline, so instead we’ll honor the premiere weekend of his new movie. For me this list is a “best of” Cap’s greatest comic book moments or maybe better put, the moments that made a guy named Steve Rogers worthy of being called Captain America.

12) Ultimates #10 – This A don’t stand for France

“Surrender? SURRENDER? You think this letter on my head stands for France?!” I know this is a line meant to be an edgy joke for the supposedly edgier and hipper Ultimate line at Marvel. But even still is symbolizes that every version of Cap is a fighter to the end with no intention of ever quitting.

11) Captain America #445 – Cap escapes the Cosmic Cube

The Red Skull is quite the schemer. In the storyline this moment takes place in he is trying to gain full control over the Cosmic Cube and has both Captain America and Hitler (yes really) trapped inside it. His hope is that Cap will kill Hitler and then stay trapped inside the cube. But Cap eventually figures out what is going on, escapes the Cube and proceeds to lay the smackdown on the Skull (again).

10) Captain America #453 – Cap saves the day and Bill Clinton

So after all of that Red Skull/Cosmic Cub mess, Cap was in a lot of trouble with the US Government for things he’d done while caught up in that scheme. Never one to take that sort of thing lying down, Steve sets out to not only save the day but also clear his good name. For my money the big moment in this story isn’t Cap taking down Machinesmith, foiling his plan or saving the president in the process. The moment is actually the president acting like a fanboy towards Cap while returning his shield at the end of the story and how Cap takes everything that has happened in stride.

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Interview With June Brigman

In a male-dominated industry that sees talented artists burn bright and flame out fast comic artist June Brigman has been the go-to talent for both Marvel and DC for almost 20 years.  Not only has she filled in on almost every major title for both companies she was the co-creator of the first direct market comic title and has taught at the prestigous Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art for the last five years.  She was kind enough to spend a few minutes talking with The Dollar Bin about her career and where it’s headed next.

DB:  Where did you get your art training?

Brigman:  I studied art at the University of GA and GA State, but dropped out when I decided to pursue a career in comics. I felt I wasn’t learning anything useful. There weren’t any Sequential Art programs way back then, so I taught myself how to draw comics.

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Quick 10 Interview with Reginald Hudlin

Reginald Hudlin is a man who has almost done it all.  He has written and directed his own movies, run a major media outlet with BET, and written such characters as the Black Panther for Marvel Comics.  The Dollar Bin was given the chance to submit a few questions to the man himself so Joel, Terence, and the rest of the Dollar Bin crew put our heads together and came up with the 10 best and toughest questions we could.

DB: What was your first exposure to comics?
 
Hudlin: My oldest brother was a very serious collector.  He put together a very broad Silver Age collection Marvel, DC, Gold Key and other publishers.  I got the bug from him. 

DB: BET has gotten criticism over the years for promoting certain possibly negative stereotypes.  In your opinion where is the line between an accurate representation of certain segments of African-American culture and helping to perpetuate negative stereotypes and how can that line be defined?
 
Hudlin: It’s not my job to defend BET anymore, but to answer your question broadly, at this point there is too much disagreement within our community by gender, class and education to come to any kind of consensus as to what is “appropriate” or even “real” in black representation.  

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