Editor's Desk 
There’s no sugarcoating it: Captain America #15 is an intense comic. It literally opens with a battle between Steve Rogers and the Red Skull in the middle of Hell, as Steve fights to topple Mephisto’s rule while the Skull wants to slay his hated foe once and for all. Things seem to be in Steve’s favor thanks to the Antidivine, a weapon he’s come into possession of which has the power to slay angels. But will such a wicked weapon eat away at the Sentinel of Liberty’s soul, or can he stay strong enough to pull out another win against the Skull?
What I like about this issue, and this run in particular, is how Chip Zdarsky takes a new approach to elements of Captain America’s world. Fans have probably read a hundred clashes between Steve and the Skull, but not ones that took place in the raging fires of Hell. They’ve also never seen Steve shape a demonic weapon into a shield and hurl it through an army of Nazi demons. Elements like that are why Zdarsky’s such an in-demand writer; he takes something you’ve seen before and makes it feel fresh while staying true to a character’s core.
Captain America #15 also marks the return of Valerio Schiti to interiors, and he comes back with a bang. As I mentioned before, the opening pages are a hell of an opening salvo (pun somewhat intended). The Red Skull wields a massive sword carved from bone, with a hateful grin carved into his crimson visage. His horde of undead Nazis looks absolutely inhuman, sporting decaying flesh and serpentine bodies. Schiti really excels at drawing Steve in action, especially when he wields the Antidivine. Though it looks like a shield, it hits with enough force to make evil literally explode when Steve hurls it, and the color work by Romulo Fajardo Jr. leaves a smoky, shadowy trail in its wake.
Marvel
Fajardo Jr. also keeps Hell feeling truly desolate. The reddish, smoky sky is an omen of things to come, and it’s no surprise that most of the Nazis under Red Skull’s command bear the same crimson color as their leader. Ironically, the only source of light is Steve; his blue-and-red ensemble stands out like a shining beacon in the darkness. So does Joe Caramagna’s lettering, which paints Steve’s inner thoughts as light blue captions. This makes it easier to follow Steve’s train of thought, as readers get a sense of how being trapped in Hell is affecting him.
This leads to the final set of pages, which features a shocking twist I never saw coming. It’s sure to spark discussion, especially given who’s at the center of that twist. However, I don’t think things are as cut and dried as they appear. For starters, it feels like it’s too easy a solution to Steve’s problem. Second, this arc is said to tie into the events of Avengers: Armageddon and the upcoming Avengers title written by Zdarsky, and if this ending is actually happening, that would add a mystical element to what has been a fairly grounded story. Zdarsky isn’t the type of writer to just throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks; he has a plan, and I’m willing to see how it shakes out.
Captain America #15 is a thrill ride from beginning to end, and features a few twists that fans won’t see coming. How it all shakes out remains to be seen, but it’s looking like Chip Zdarsky intends to put Steve Rogers through Hell in more ways than one.
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