See the cover of Captain America’s Sam Wilson: A Better Angel is everything you need to know why the book was put together. The looming red hulk in the background marks the book as a product of the brand synergy of MCU’s Lame Duck (no pun) Captain America: Brave New World. This is a book that was produced to resemble a film enough to portray crossover fans.
But there’s far more going on with a better angel than synergy. There are semi-effective racial identity threads running throughout the book. One is: Evil businesses target people marginalized by mind control and farming rights.
Amazing
This is like Sam Wilson’s turn, as Captain America is best designed to fight. As Black Captain America, he is a signature hero of a long overlooked and screwed man. The book is packed into the gills alongside other black heroes, including Patriots, Shadow Soldiers, minor appearances from the war machinery and storms. It attempts to go further than the counterpart of the MCU. It wants to celebrate expression and tell important stories.
Trouble with the Better Angel lies to the conflict in the story. Interests are wildly shaking, the impact is unknown, and small hurdles overcome little or no real story friction. The key plot aspects are buried by unnecessary action sequences with minor and questionably produced villains, and the solution offers little emotional movement. The evil companies that created flying farming platforms weaponize them. It is said that the dialogue will not reverse their destructive potential. That destructive possibility is quickly reversed. The problem is resolved between problems. The problem is resolved between problems. It’s when Sam, who was captured, struggled in the battle because his wings and shields were taken from him. He has them by his next appearance. Even this red hulk, implied as a major obstacle, appears once as an obstacle before being recruited with little effort. This is a book designed to make the larger Marvel universe frictionless without leaving much ripples.
When the book tries to make a statement, it does it in a flashback and associates it with a different character, or Skip otherwise provides a meaningful voice to a less quiet hero.
This is a recent frustration with Sam Wilson’s story. Sam Wilson’s story is all-in-the-line to representation, but unable to paste landings or provide brilliant and meaningful actions, but unable to exploit the main political powers that are inherent to the character. Sam Wilson can feel as effective as Captain America or at attracting people of color together, but he is not at all effective at doing both things at the same time.
Amazing
Sam Wilson as Captain America should feel important to Marvel’s universe composition, and at least to his own story. But these stories often feel as if they’re being called, treated sensitively, or produced half-heartedly. Nothing happens with a better angel. And some of its most exciting inclusions – the Patriot, for example – does little to the plot. We need a story of Sam Wilson who makes a statement and takes a decisive stance. We need a Sam Wilson story that shows him as a profound symbol of revolution and social justice.
A better angel never fully defines itself. It certainly does not define its protagonist.
“Sam Wilson, Captain America: Better Angels” develops frictionless, toothless conflicts
Sam Wilson, Captain America: The Better Angels
The better angels come without creating waves without meaningful conflicts or providing a strong spotlight for their characters.
Sometimes great artwork.
Who is the black hero?
They never provide a meaningful moment for the character.
