If you were wondering about the circumstances that led to Captain America's war with Iron Man, read Civil War: Avengers by Brian Michael Bendis, et al.! This is a nicely-bound hardcover book; it's not one of those paperback newsprint books that fall apart after one reading!

I never followed Captain America's adventures all that much.  I prefer the X-Men, to be totally honest. However, I also enjoy reading DC (scandalous, I know, for those who love Marvel!) When DC ran the story about Doomsday versus Superman, I was truly moved by the art and storyline. Of course, the impact of the Doomsday story was reduced by latter events.

The epic storyline of the Civil War is a transparent commentary about the long-lasting effects of the Patriot Act in our world. Like the Patriot Act itself, there are proponents and opponents. Some of the proponents, like in our world, are very surprising. In Marvel's Civil War, Iron Man and Captain America lead the two factions. Iron Man is an extremely conflicted character in these issues; he believes in the cause, but gradually becomes doubtful. The one issue I wish this compendium included were the issues involving Spider-Man, a sometime Avenger. What he did had a tremendous impact on Peter Parker's personal life! However, this is a hefty tome, so I can understand why the storyline was left out.

This was a multi-issue storyline, so you can be sure that at least one of your favorite Marvel superheroes makes an appearance. If you are a big Iron Man fan, you will see another side to Tony Stark!