Book Review: CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE SHIELD OF SAM WILSON

Avery Kaplan

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Sam Wilson in his Captain America uniform, his mechanical wings unfurled, holding the shield. Redwing is perched on his shoulder and an American flag is in the background.

Thank you to Titan Books for sending a copy of Captain America: The Shield of Sam Wilson in exchange for an honest review.

Captain America: The Shield of Sam Wilson is a gripping and fast-paced collection of 11 short stories starring the titular character at various points during his tenure as the United States’ iconic superhero. Edited by Jesse J. Holland and featuring 10 additional Black American writers, this book provides a variety of perspectives on the Cap of our times. Whether you know Wilson from the Marvel Cinematic Universe or through every Marvel Comics issue he’s ever appeared in, The Shield of Sam Wilson will be a worthy and enjoyable read.

Cover of Captain America: The Shield of Sam Wilson. Sam Wilson in his Captain America uniform, his mechanical wings unfurled, holding the shield. Redwing is perched on his shoulder and an American flag is in the background.

Captain America: The Shield of Sam Wilson 

If you’ve read a lot of superhero comics, you know that no two creators approach a hero in the same way. When a creative team (or part of one) changes, the flavor of the comic changes, even when it’s still about the same hero. The supporting characters may be switched out, the emphasis on certain aspects of the title character may shift, and the thematic and narrative tones will inevitably vary.

What I liked about The Shield of Sam Wilson is that every writer brought their own flavor to their respective short story. Some emphasized Wilson’s role as a S.H.I.E.L.D. asset, while others focused on how he reconciled his history as the Falcon with his new title as Captain America. In some stories, he worked alongside Misty Knight, while in others, he had missions with U.S. Agent. Each story effectively felt like an issue from a different creator’s run on a Wilson Marvel Comic. What else could you ask for from a short story anthology about a superhero?

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Naturally, this variation means that each reader will find that some stories speak to them more clearly than others. Personally, I found those that addressed the idea of intersectionality to be especially stimulating. I also appreciated that several investigated Wilson’s choice to bear the shield and serve as a symbol for an imperfect institution.

Many of the stories also examined the racist pushback Wilson receives as Cap. This is a necessary reflection of the world in which we find ourselves, and to overlook it (for any reason) would be disingenuous. Through all of these complicated themes, Wilson and his responses and emotions are thoughtfully and artfully portrayed.

Across the Marvel Universe

As mentioned above, no matter what your experience with Marvel Comics or the MCU, you will find something to appreciate about this book. For those who have read many of the comics featuring Wilson, there are allusions to his adventures and cameo appearances aplenty. I especially enjoyed seeing a reference to Avengers: Standoff!

Plus, several of my favorite Marvel Comics supporting characters made appearances, as well (although I’ll save these surprises for those who choose to read the book). And while Steve Rogers does have a few minor appearances, he’s largely absent from this book. So much the better: Wilson and his adventures are worth clearing the stage.

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And besides, while I like Rogers as much as the next True Believer, we already have a lot of stories about him. The passage of leadership from one person to the next is an integral part of a functioning society. Rogers has served his time; now, it’s Wilson’s turn. Although I have to confess, I would love to see a future short story collection about the next hero to wield the shield, Captain America 20XX.

Available January 14, 2025

In addition to a story by editor Holland (which is in the running for my favorite of the collection), 10 other writers contributed. They are Kyoko M, Maurice Broaddus, Sheree Renée Thomas, Gar Anthony Haywood, Nicole Givens Kurtz, Gary Phillips, Glenn Parris, Gloria J. Browne-Marshall, Danian Jerry and Alex Simmons. And while a few of the stories stuck out as my personal favorites, there wasn’t a single story that was disappointing. When I finished reading this collection, I found myself wishing there was a second volume to immediately pick up next.

As for the book itself, under the dust jacket is a white hardcover that evokes Wilson’s uniform. And under the cover are arresting endpapers. These depict the shield in motion in red, white and blue. It’s a minimalist design, but that’s fine: the real draw here is the prose contained within the book’s pages.

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Whether you’re excited about the February 2025 theatrical release of Captain America: Brave New World or just want to enjoy more well-written stories about Wilson, The Shield of Sam Wilson won’t let you down.

Captain America: The Shield of Sam Wilson will be available at a bookstore and/or public library near you beginning on January 14, 2025.

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