Despite having retired in his old age, Captain America has just returned for one last battle, showcasing a new costume alongside his classic shield.
Warning: contains spoilers for Fantastic Four: Life Story #6!
One more time, Captain America came out of retirement with a new suit to prove it. His latest, which debuted in Fantastic Four: Life Story #6, nods to his original iconic costume, but he has a few changes. Nonetheless, he’s just as awesome as the hero himself, regardless of age.
Throughout his comic history, Captain America has had many costumes. Most of them go back to her first look with various tweaks going on. Some combinations are single-use, while others (often hypothetical What if…? stories) reflect decades of America’s past. Others mark new eras in his own heroic life. After losing, regaining, and losing his powers, Captain America has had a few looks after his retirement, but his most recent might just be the best.
Fantastic Four: Life Story #6 has the creative team of Mark Russell, Sean Izaakse, Zé Carlos, Angel Unzueta, Nolan Woodard and Joe Caramagna. As part of the issue, Sue Storm goes to see Steve Rogers at the Stark Retirement Haven for Heroes, asking for help against Doctor Doom. While Steve is reluctant, his shield still hangs on his wall, and he steps in to save the day in spectacular fashion – donning an awesome new suit to take on the dictator alongside his former Avengers allies.
Compared to his other retirement looks, this is definitely one of the best Captain America has had. avengers (2012) #44 placed the hero in an armored suit designed by Tony Stark, which he wore to take down his old friend. The mechanized suit is bulky, but it provides him with the extra strength he needs to fight Tony. Steve Rogers is also known for wearing civilian clothes during his retirement years, as in House of M (2005), which echoes the colors of his costume. Steve also wore his Secret Avengers costume during his retirement, a look he used to reinvent himself as an American hero outside of the public eye.
Steve’s new post-retirement costume mirrors his original costume in many ways. He still has the star and stripes on his chest, as well as the “A” on his helmet. He also wears his signature shield, red gloves, and red boots. However, there are also some great new elements incorporated into it. He adds a small cutout to his collar with a pop of red, while adding red straps down his left leg and extra padding on his shoulders and knees. Her helmet keeps most of her lower face open this time, while adjusting her side wings. They are printed on the side of Captain America’s helmet, instead of sticking out. This element could reflect his aging and the transition he’s undergone from a fully-fledged, enthusiastic young hero to an older hero who steps in when he needs it most.
This combination doesn’t provide any additional bonuses, showing that Cap doesn’t need extra help to look his best, despite his age. He is and always will be Captain America, which makes him perfect for bringing back the main aspects of his classic costume instead of going for a completely different look.
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