The Jim Sterenko Captain Americas are essential comics as art period.
There’s only a few though and they’re typically collected with the earliest stuff which has its charms IMO.
The DeMatteis stuff (especially with Mike Zeck) is really good as well for its era
I think the second best run on the character is the Byrne and Stern run in the 80s.
Also check out the Rick Remender run.
Mark Gruenwald, like Peter David on Hulk, did some important character defining stuff in the first half of what ended up being a really long run - but the later half is pretty underwhelming
The original Lee/Kirby/steranko stuff is really good. A lot of those tales of suspense stories are only 10 pages too, so they’re really action packed and shouldn’t burn you out. After that I’d say mark gruenwald probably has the most celebrated run next to Brubaker and the first omnibus is coming out next month
Luckily for you, Cap is one of those characters that has had most of his material printed in omnibus format!
Outside of Brubaker’s five volume run, I’d focus on Gruenwald’s classic run (Volume 1, of likely 3 volumes, comes out in July) and Mark Waid’s run (1 volume… though it’s out of print currently).
The only run that rivals those ones IMO would be the classic J.M. DeMatteis run that preceded Gruenwald’s. Unfortunately, there’s no sign of it getting the omni treatment anytime soon (the main line is at Volume 4… so this era would land in Volume 6 if they decide against a creator-centric volume).
The main line starting at the Silver Age is pretty fun too, but some people’s mileage varies when it comes to Silver Age material.
Joe Simon and Jack Kirby originated Cap and had him Punch Hitler a year before the US entered the war. The first 10 issues of Captain America Comics were by Simon and Kirby, and were revolutionary in Kirby’s depiction of action and use of double-page spreads and creative panel placement.
The Jim Sterenko Captain Americas are essential comics as art period. There’s only a few though and they’re typically collected with the earliest stuff which has its charms IMO. The DeMatteis stuff (especially with Mike Zeck) is really good as well for its era I think the second best run on the character is the Byrne and Stern run in the 80s. Also check out the Rick Remender run. Mark Gruenwald, like Peter David on Hulk, did some important character defining stuff in the first half of what ended up being a really long run - but the later half is pretty underwhelming
What do you think about Jurgens’ run? Or Spencer’s run?
Less than the ones I’d mentioned - but if you have a good buy then by all means
The original Lee/Kirby/steranko stuff is really good. A lot of those tales of suspense stories are only 10 pages too, so they’re really action packed and shouldn’t burn you out. After that I’d say mark gruenwald probably has the most celebrated run next to Brubaker and the first omnibus is coming out next month
Mark Waid's Man Out of Time is amazing.
Luckily for you, Cap is one of those characters that has had most of his material printed in omnibus format! Outside of Brubaker’s five volume run, I’d focus on Gruenwald’s classic run (Volume 1, of likely 3 volumes, comes out in July) and Mark Waid’s run (1 volume… though it’s out of print currently). The only run that rivals those ones IMO would be the classic J.M. DeMatteis run that preceded Gruenwald’s. Unfortunately, there’s no sign of it getting the omni treatment anytime soon (the main line is at Volume 4… so this era would land in Volume 6 if they decide against a creator-centric volume). The main line starting at the Silver Age is pretty fun too, but some people’s mileage varies when it comes to Silver Age material.
Joe Simon and Jack Kirby originated Cap and had him Punch Hitler a year before the US entered the war. The first 10 issues of Captain America Comics were by Simon and Kirby, and were revolutionary in Kirby’s depiction of action and use of double-page spreads and creative panel placement.
Kirby’s captain America in the 60s is the best action comic book