Captain America - The Classic Years 2

In the second volume of Captain America The Classic Years the reader gets the last five tremendous issues of the Simon and Kirby run on the character they created and launched as World War II got underway. The stories here are weird with many having a macabre character.

In the sixth issue of Captain America Comics our hero and his sidekick battle a weirdo dubbed the Camera Fiend, a baddie who uses a trick camera to kill folks.

Then they go up against another example of the classic Yellow Peril, this time a bizarre warlord named Fang. Finally the issue closes with a enemy and classic villain called The Hangman, who has a gimmick you can probably divine from his name.

The next issue brought back the Red Skull for the final time in the Simon and Kirby run and he is at his most deadly with deadly music presaging his murders committed in support of the fascist cause.

On the baseball diamond Cap and Bucky suit up to battle the Black Toad who is trying to undermine the "National Pastime". More deadly music is on hand when Cap and Bucky confront a deadly Fiddler who uses music to trigger massive explosions in the homeland.

The eighth issue brings the duo in conflict with the ancient world as weird Egyptian menaces rise up out of the tomb.

It is Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes on display a bit more when army maneuvers become the target of spies. Finally Cap and Bucky battle the Black Witch in a haunted house.

The White Death rears up in the ninth issue and Cap and Bucky defeat the weird menace. They confront another weirdo baddie when they battle a gangster who seemingly has survived his own execution.

The action turns to the art world as the enemy called The Black Talon takes on the patriotic duo.

The final issue of the Simon and Kirby Cap run begins with a bang as Cap and Bucky battle spies led by the deadly Countess. They then find themselves in a murderous hotel and have to battle to survive. The last story is a shout out to the classic Sherlock Holmes as Cap and Bucky head to the moors to confront the Phantom Hound of Cardiff Manor.

Cap and Bucky are offset by the more humorous antics of Steve Rogers (with pipe often clenched in his teeth) and Bucky Barnes the camp mascot who have misadventures of sorts in the mythical Camp Leheigh. I have no real idea where this camp is since it seems at times to be in the United States and at other times to be in England.

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