Captain America: The Shield of Sam Wilson

Graphic Novels have an advantage over prose in terms of kinetic visuals. You can show in a panel the action taking place and all the colours, in a book you need to describe this. This advantage can be too tempting for some and the book becomes all action and not enough depth. The best comics are always those that have more than just fights and superpowers, they have character and some type of deeper meaning. Sam Wilson as Captain America brings this depth by being who he is; a black man who has become Captain America. The Shield of Sam Wilson, edited by Jesse J. Holland, is a series of short stories that explores many aspects of the character and highlights what a deep history can bring to a story. 

Who is Captain America? They are someone different to different people. Indeed, there has been more than one Cap; from the traditional Steve Rogers to the modern Sam Wilson, The Falcon turned American Captain. What differences are there between the two? Many, not only in terms of race, but how they grew up and even in what time in history. What makes Sam Wilson a good Captain America and more importantly a good man? History, a sense of place, of family and of honour. There are many aspects that link the two.   

This collection contains 11 new stories by black authors each given the opportunity to tell their own Cap story. They each have a different feel, but a few themes do shine through, mostly because Sam is such a strong character. Sam is not just a military man, but a counsellor who helps in Social Services, especially in Harlem with many of the people he knew whilst growing up. More than one story has Sam returning to help someone in his past, not because he is an American Hero, but because he is a good man. By Any Means Unnecessary, The Way Home, Chaos Rules, and Plug in, Plug Out all touch on similar themes of Sam returning to help those from the past, good people who need the man and not just the hero. 

The comic book action is also catered for in stories that lean more into the action; Lost Cause and Surreptitious provide some Rockem Sockem moments, even with robots on occasion. These stories highlight that this new Captain is also an elite fighter. Exclusive Content is something a little different but has a very comic book feel to it. 

All the above stories cannot just be classified as action or as character stories because Sam Wilson is a character who brings both elements to everything he does. This is inherent in his character and in his origins. As the first black Captain America, he must prove himself. Most of the stories touch upon this, while other lean into it; Everyone’s Hero, and especially Uniform explores these deeper aspects of the character. They explore what it is to be black and a superhero. And not just any superhero, but Captain America, the superhero that represents so many values of the country. 

I enjoyed the individual stories within Shield of Sam Wilson, but it is as a whole that it works best. Holland has pulled together a talented group of writers who explore the character from different angles. This 360 approach to the character highlights that Sam Wilson is not just one thing, but a complex and interesting character, one of the most interesting in current Marvel writing. There is so much potential in the character already being mined and more in the future. This book will appeal to fans who enjoy expanding their reading in the Marvel Universe. There is a little less action on these pages, but far more history, heart, and character.