Marvel's STANDOFF event is finally really starting to come together, and what a way to wrap-up the character-centric issues in Captain America: Sam Wilson #8. 

Issue No. 7 was a must-own Captain America issue, and I'm being real when I say the same about No. 8. While it's not on the same level -- that'd be pretty hard to do -- this book picks up the pieces and moves them forward in impressive fashion. 

From start to finish, I wanted more and I wanted the payoff on Pleasant Hill now, and not later this month. That's the feeling a tie-in is supposed to give you. So, excuse me while I lift my hands from the keyboard to give Nick Spencer and Paul Renaud the golf clap they deserve. 

Maybe I'm biased because not only did Steve Rogers get his youthful powers back, but freaking Kraven the Hunter made an appearance in this issue to show Zemo how to track his prey. 

It's good intense stuff that leads into an oddly hilarious Kraven moment; His grand plan to trap the heroes is to set up a children's birthday party, tea party in all:

I love the idea of Pleasant Hill and the all-powerful Kobik, where she has made the bad guys good and sent them to a small town to lead normal lives. Of course, it didn't stick and here we are getting ready for a STANDOFF. (I feel like I should write inserts)

So, the tension between Sam Wilson, Steve Rogers and Bucky is cut and discarded pretty quickly. Steve tells Sam that he didn't loan him that shield or the identity of Captain America, he gave it to him. 

Right after everyone has hugged and kissed and made up, the bad dudes show up. We then get a final panel of the All New All Different Avengers (HOW IS THAT A NAME STILL) ready to slappa da bass. 

It's a very solid issue and I'm so high on it because this is a blueprint of how to follow up a widely acclaimed issue with a tie-in. It's an unenviable task, but Spencer wrote the shit out of this book. 

We're left wondering what's going to happen between Steve and Sam, Sam and Bucky and, of course, Bucky and Steve. They are all saying the right things, but the smart fan knows this tie-in event comes right before Civil War II drops this summer. 

Pretty fields and good-smelling flowers aren't going to get us there. 

Rating: 8/10 It's a very solid issue and I'm so high on it because this is a blueprint of how to follow up a widely acclaimed issue with a tie-in. It's an unenviable task, but Spencer wrote the heck out of this book.