This is issue 14 (Volume 27) in Marvel’s “Ultimate Graphic Novels Collection” and collects issues one to six of Captain America, volume four, which were originally published between June and December 2002. This is a powerful, thoughtful, political novel that captures the response to the 9/11 terrorist atrocities in New York and Washington. Written by John Ney Rieber, “The New Deal” was an attempt by Rieber to encourage readers to think about America’s place in the world and also to articulate his thoughts about America’s response to the attack. The story begins with Captain America at Ground Zero helping the rescue and recovery effort. Nick Fury turns up and “invites” Captain America to undertake a mission to enter a town called Centreville, where all the inhabitants have been taken hostage by terrorists. He arrives in the deserted town and begins to take-out the terrorists one-by-one. The overall surface story is therefore a relatively simple adventure yarn, but within that there are discussions and symbols that make this a highly thoughtful and poignant read. The town for example has been taken over by the terrorists because it houses a munitions factory. In an exchange of dialogue between a hostage husband and wife, the wife asks her husband who works in the factory: “This is how you feed our baby? With bombs? You make bombs?” The husband avoids her eyes and says “No! Components. We make components”. The implication around involvement and complicity is clear. In similar vein, Captain America meets a young Muslim boy and warns him that he should get off the street. The boy says he’s not afraid but is soon afterwards attacked. Captain America intervenes and berates those attacking the Muslim – the implications again are fairly clear. There were many who felt that Rieber’s approach was too political or not black-and-white enough or that Captain America should be clear and resolute in his purpose, but it is in the shades of gray and in the ambiguities that the power of the story lies. Rieber’s story is brilliantly accentuated by the excellent artwork of the great John Cassaday, who provides a superbly clean line and a slick, precise approach to the storytelling. The precision of the artwork does much to reveal the nuances of the Rieber’s story. As ever in the “Ultimate Graphic Novels” series the packaging is excellent – hardcover; glossy, colourful pages and a range of “extras” including John Ney Rieber discussing 9/11 and “The New Deal”, a cover gallery and an overview of the origins of Captain America. An excellent story in an excellent package. ( )

While it makes some valid points about America's hand in terrorism, the decompressed script and overly-cinematic artwork make reading the book kind of a drag. A six-issue story that could have been told in two. ( )