In the context of death issues, Captain America #25 is particularly powerful one. Brubaker plots and paces it masterfully, never lapsing into sentimentality or abandoning the dark and mature feel hes brought to the book since its re-launch. While climbing the steps to the courthouse for the start of his trial for resisting the Superhuman Registration Act, Steve Rogers, AKA Captain America, a Marvel hero since 1941, is shot as part of an elaborate plot by the Red Skull and Dr. Faustus. Brubaker and regular series artist Steve Epting capture the chaos of the shooting and its aftermath perfectly, but despite the flurry of confused panel layouts and head-spinning action, the final few pages, in which the true scope of the conspiracy is revealed and Cap is shown to be dead, are understated, deliberate, and crushing. Brubakers themes and dialogue, Eptings realistic artwork, and Frank DArmatas coloring, with its dark tones and splotchy, splattered blood, have given Cap a harder edge than hes