Comics / Comic Reviews / Marvel Comics

Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America #3

By Hervé St-Louis
September 6, 2007 - 02:01

Fallen Son is a mini-series that looks at the effect the death of Captain America has on other super heroes in the Marvel universe. The formula is easy. Each of the five issues concentrates on one of the feelings that people feel after a severe loss. In this issue, bargaining takes place. Tony Stark, feeling guilty for the death of Captain America, tries to convince Clint Barton, the former Hawkeye to become the new Captain America. Will Barton accept this Faustian deal?

I'm very impressed by Loeb’s story. He really made feel, like Tony Stark, for a moment, that Barton was the best replacement for Captain America. The way Barton showed his skill, handling the shield only reinforced the idea that he was one of the few select men who could stand in the boots of the old Captain. I didn’t care much for the discussion with the Young Avengers about legacies, although some of their messages were valid. It was valid insofar, as like Hawkeye, it convinced me that he was not the best person to become Captain America.

This story did not need to be a part of a mini-series and could stand very well on its own. Loeb understands feelings of inadequacy very well. I particularly enjoy his Tony Stark who looks confident at the beginning of the story but is turned into a mockery by the end of the story, threatening Barton.

I have to say that there is something happening at Marvel Comics this year and it’s making comic books worth reading again. I’ve picked this comic book off the shelf just to see what it was about and was quite pleased. As well as displaying a lot of action, Marvel Comics’ writers seem to have found a balance where they can tell smart stories about their characters that take into account the entire range of emotions that happens to humans in such situations. This is what Marvel Comics, was always about. Showing the inner struggle of characters that defied plausibility. With comic books like Fallen Son, Marvel Comics is modernizing its original raison d’être, without straying too far from the source material.

Romita Jr’s handling of the art shores, is of course excellent as usual, although he has a tendency to make the teenaged character look too old.

Last Updated: November 29, 2025 - 16:51