This is my favorite Captain America story. And there have been some really good ones over the decades. This four-part Captain America story which ran from issues one hundred and fifty-three to one hundred and fifty-seven has its beginnings a few decades before when Marvel (called Atlas at the time) tried to revive this hero who had been so incredibly successful during the Golden Age.
These Marvel Age stories were written by Steve Englehart and penciled by Sal Buscema with inkers Jim Mooney, John Verpoorten and Judomaster's own Frank McLaughlin on the inks. It's the story of another "Captain America" who lived in a time when paranoia was rampant and dread of the foreign commonplace. This throwback Cap comes back to make this fictional America great again, but hw finds standing in his way the one true Captain America, the hero who fought for freedom and always sought to find a better way to do just that. First those vintage Stan Lee (actual writer is unrecorded but surely Stan had something to do with them) and Johnny Romita stories about that other Captain America and then the real Cap. Alongside his partner the Falcon, Cap fends off this threat from a misbegotten past seeking to find purchase in the now. Here's how it went.
Captain American and the Falcon are recovering from their latest battles and Steve Rogers along with Sharon Carter decide to go on a vacation. The Falcon is covering and gets word that Cap is back. Disbelieving he finds two men who seem to be Captain America and Bucky beating up folks and spewing racist and bigoted remarks while they do it. The Falcon confronts them and finds a super-powered fist for his trouble.
The Falcon is captured by this duo but escapes. A recovering Falcon seeks aid to stop this bogus Cap and Bucky and turns to the Avengers for help. The news about where Cap and Sharon are, is overheard by the Bogus Cap and Bucky and it's a race to save the day.
The bogus Cap and Bucky bushwack the real Captain America and his beloved and take them prisoner. The Falcon shows up to help but he too is captured. Then the story of this demented duo is told at last. These are the two who were the 1950's Atlas era Captain America and Bucky. This Cap is a Captain America fan, who convinced the government to give him the Super-Soldier serum and he later gave it a young man named Bucky who also was a fan of the WWII heroes. (It is to be noted that this story cleverly incorporates a few of Johnny Romita's original pages from Young Men #24.)
After listening to the origin story, the real Steve Rogers, Sharon Carter and the Falcon escape and ultimately there is a show down between the foes which results finally with the bogus Cap and Bucky being defeated. This final confrontation throws the real Cap a bit because he realizes that in many ways, he has battled the worst parts of himself.
This story was Steve Englehart's first on the series and it remains my favorite. He and Sal Buscema had some real magic going at Marvel in this era and as much as I admire the many fine talents who have worked on the character over the decades including the great Jack Kirby, Cap has never been better.
This is a Revised Red, White, and Blue Dojo Classic.
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"Captain America - Commie Smasher" makes me laugh. America was obsessed with communism and terrified by it while we Europeans lived alongside the Soviet Union as close neighbours and we barely thought about it. Even something as innocent as socialised medicine is regarded by most Americans as akin to communism but here in the UK we've had socialised medicine (The NHS, National Health Service) since 1948 and it's very popular .
ReplyDeleteIt's ignorance and cognitive dissonance which rules the day now it seems. We can't have nice things because of the Socialism boogie man. That despite a robust National Parks system, a robust Social Security System, a robust interstate highway system, and a robust Farm Support system. We are full of socialism, but dummies don't know and refuse to be told. A governmental health system was seen as the last great victory, but it was won only very slightly by Obama. If the Republicans get in again, they will strip out much of this and their crowd will cheer, and then look for another bogie man to blame when they realize what they've lost.
DeleteThe U.S. is organized in such a way that it seems we always need an enemy. That enemy be within or without or as was suspected in the Cold War, both. When the Berlin Wall fell, things were chill for a few years then we started a little bogus "War of Drugs". Later we had a little war in Iraq, a war which directly led to 9-11. We've been fighting that one ever since. Since WWII, war has been the organizing principle in the United States. Now we seem determined to start another war with ourselves. Sigh.
This was also my favorite run of the series in that period. I also kinda think (to me) that it was the only good story arc of that period. You know, my only complaint with Buscema's art was always with the faces. There were like only two; smiling and happy, or enraged, with teeth always gritted. I know I'll catch hell for this, lol.
ReplyDeleteDon't fret. I understand the criticism. Sal was lambasted by the folks at The Comics Journal as a "hack" at one point. I by "hack" they meant a guy who always hit his deadlines, told stories with night perfect clarity, and fashioned a dynamic page, I'd have to agree with them. As for the face thing, I'll accept if you agree with me that Steranko does pretty much the same thing -- except his two choices were enraged and bemused.
DeleteOh yeah, Jim was quite similar! I always admired the volume of work Sal (that goes for John also) contributed to the industry.
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