Mark Gruenwald

The second volume of Mark Gruenwald's defining Captain America run — featuring the legendary storyline in which Steve Rogers abandons the Captain America identity. When the US government demands Cap operate under their direct authority, Rogers refuses and becomes simply 'The Captain', while John Walker takes on the Cap mantle. This arc — one of the most politically resonant in Cap's history — directly inspired the Disney+ series The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. Essential Gruenwald, essential Captain America.

Mark Gruenwald's monumental Captain America run begins here — over a decade of stories that defined the character through the 1980s and early 1990s. Gruenwald was a Marvel lifer who understood Cap at a molecular level, and this first omnibus showcases his extraordinary commitment to building a coherent mythology around Steve Rogers. The Flag-Smasher, the Serpent Society, and the early ULTIMATUM storylines are among the highlights of a run that remains essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how Cap was written before Brubaker changed everything.