issue- Captain America 18-20 [Vol.4], collected in Captain America Vol. 4: Cap Lives
writer- Dave Gibbons
art- Lee Weeks

Summary:
In a reality where Bucky never died, Captain America awakens from suspended animation in 1964 to a world where the Nazis won the Second World War. Teaming up with his former partner as well as a slew of MARVEL notables such as Nick Fury. Ben Grimm, Reed Richards, Matt Murdock, Stephen Strange, etc., Cap takes on the modern day Reich. Under the employ of the Red skull is a young Victor Von Doom who is using his brilliance to perfect his time platform. After Baron Von Strucker successfully tests the platform, the Skull announces his intention to spread the Reich through all of time. Later Von Doom prepares calculations that will take the Skull back in time so that he can kill Captain America in 1945 as well as the modern resistance leaders. The complex suddenly comes under attack and Cap's resistance force breaks into the chamber. While Cap fights with the Skull on the time platform, Reed tries to find a way to disable it. A enthusiastic Bruce Banner however concludes that the machine must be destroyed, not understood and proceeds to smash it to pieces with the butt of his rifle. Unable to watch his creation torn to pieces, Von Doom attempts to save it. The energy flowing through the machine overloads and it explodes burning Doom's face. Meanwhile, Cap and the Red Skull sink into the time platform. Suddenly we see it is once again 1964, Cap is found by the Avengers, and time has been restored to its proper sequence of events.

Comments:
Stories dealing with the infinite possibilities stemming from Captain America's awakening from his frozen block of ice have been done many times. Such as in What If "the Avengers were formed today?," "Captain America were revived today?," and even in the recent 1602 miniseries. Cap Lives is the same old story, yet it manages to be interesting and different enough to make it entertaining. Some might consider this has been done too many times. I personally don't mind, so long as they can do it in a new and refreshing way.

Doom's involvement is relatively small. His creating a time platform is of course a throwback to his first appearance. His involvement with the Nazis is reminiscent of his appearance in issues 32 and 33 of the Invaders. However in that case it was evident that he was only using the Nazis for his own purposes. Here that is not implied, rather he seems complicit in the Red Skull's actions. Something like this would normally bother me, but since this is an alternate Doom, it really doesn't bug me. The story is well written and drawn and is thoroughly fun. For a good Cap story I highly recommend it, otherwise Doom fans....Bottom Line: Skip It

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