Captain America # 45-48 "America Lost" (July- October 2001)
story/penciler: Dan Jurgens
inker: Bob Layton
letterer: Todd Klein
colorist: Avalon's Bart
 #47 colors: Digitial Chameleon

The hunt for the helicarrier comes to an end as the Red Skull makes his final move; using the carrier's ESPer technology to incite hate riots in the United States. Standing alongside the Skull is a new, energy-based Hate-Monger, who has Nick Fury captured. Captain America, Sharon Carter, and Namor join forces to stop the Skull's nefarious agenda. 

  • Continuity Notes
  • Cover Appearence: #45
  • Appearences by Dum Dum Dugan and Sharon Carter
  • Fury reassumes directorship of S.H.I.E.L.D after nearly two years in Sharon Carter's hands
  • After nearly a year under the Red Skull's command, the helicarrier is regained. In that time, the Skull made improvements to it, allowing it to submerge beneath the ocean.
  • Reprinted in Captain America by Dan Jurgens V.3
  • Presented in Captain America: The Complete Collection DVD

Review 

Seemingly a rush job as Jurgens is slowly booted out to make way for the new Marvel Knights Captain America team, nonetheless many story elements harken back to hints from much earlier in the run. As for Nick Fury himself, although its hardly the best of stories or the finest dialouge, he gets a helluva alot better respect here then in some other concurrent comics (MAX: Fury). The carrier once again proves its the coolest vehicle in the Marvel Universe with an upgrade to submersible. Dum Dum gets in some good lines in the first issue, but pretty much disapears, while Carter proves she's the only other S.H.I.E.L.D. agent of distinction in today's Marvel. Aside from the funeral bookends, Fury and Co are nothing more then action fodder. In a nice bit, Dum Dum gives Bucky Barnes's sister the American flag.

Interestingly enough, this story featuring a team-up of the Skull and the Hate-Monger in a plot w/ the Cosmic Cube, bears resemblance to Super Villian Team-Up #17; that pitted S.H.I.E.L.D, sans Nick Fury, against the same villians and the Cube.

Rating