Book Review: Marvel's Captain America: Sub Rosa

Book: Marvel's Captain America: Sub Rosa by David McDonald

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

Frozen in a state of suspended animation since the end of the Second World War, Captain America is a man out of time. But now freed from his frozen slumber, he’s back in the nick of time―and ready to face threats that couldn’t even have been imagined when the world had last seen him. Joe Books brings Marvel fans an all-new adventure featuring a classic superhero.



Rating: 1 star

Review:

I can't stand when this happens, the story started out so good then quickly faltered. This really should have been a Did Not Finish but I kept reading hoping it would get better but it didn't. It was both poorly written and poorly plotted.

This opens with Captain America stopping a drug operation in Columbia, he then returns home to find Maria Hill in need of his help. You would think a soldier of Captain America's caliber would be needed for something warranted of his skills and abilities. But no she needed him to protect her niece Katherine. The young woman works for S.H.I.E.L.D. and created a computer program that had the ability to put hidden information out on the internet. Things started to become dangerous for Katherine with different groups and organizations wanting to get the program.

I was disappointed with this story because although there were a few action scenes it doesn't help a poorly plotted story. And most of the time there was not a lot happening in this story and when it was, it was unbelievably boring. It really seemed like such a waste to make Captain America nothing more than a bodyguard/babysitter in this story. I found Katherine to be very annoying, she's ill-tempered but that doesn't stop her from being written as darn near perfect. Not only is she super smart (she's a computer genius) but she's also an amazing fighter.

I didn't like how Steve Rogers and Maria Hill were written in this. Yes, Steve is still trying to catch up with how the world works in modern times but that doesn't make him an idiot. Steve is a simple man but he's not simple minded, he doesn't just go along with anything without giving it some thought. Unlike in this story, the way he's written in this, most of the time he's nothing more than a big dumb soldier who follows orders. The Maria Hill in this story doesn't have any qualms what so ever about how she goes about doing things. Her job is the only thing that she really cares about and a majority of her actions justify that.

Captain America: Sub Rosa felt like it was written by someone who was unfamiliar with Captain America. Steve was very weakened in this and he was not really able to hold his own in various fights. I also wonder why none of his supporting characters were used. Although it's probably a good thing because I hate to see how they would have been written. I really don't think it would have made any difference adding those characters in because nothing short of rewriting the story could have improved this.

In the end this was a poorly written generic action story masquerading as a Captain America story. And I'm awarding it the Beast Boy Boredom Award. This is such a slow moving boring book and it truly deserved this award. This is the second book to receive this honor, the first went to Codename Baboushka vol #1.

Out of the three Marvel comic novels I've read so far: Marvel's Thor: Dueling with Giants (Tales of Asgard Trilogy book #1) by Keith R.A. DeCandido and Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: Castaways by David McDonald, this Captain America book which is also written by McDonald is by far the worst.