Captain America gets his own mag at last! Because the ladies love him!

The end of Tales of Suspense (with #99) and the beginning of Captain America (with #100) is jam-packed with delicious Kirby, starting with Cap admitting he’s a butthead.

Nice.

Cap beats up some toughs and then there’s a big villain who returns…

It looks like Baron Zemo.

But it’s not. Franz Gruber puts on the garb of his deceased mentor, Baron Zemo. But he has a purple gang.

The issue is Vibranium, and Cap meets Black Panther for the first time.

Captain America travels to Wakanda in a space ship.

Where he then fights Black Panther.

 I’m not sure why, when they meet and fight for the first time, Cap is so surprised that he “fights like a man.” 

And then, of course, they team up. Panther would rather die as a man than live as a slave.  Because he’s black, see?  That’s why they have to reference slavery.

They also have to reference “we shall overcome…”

The duo end up being besties.

The gal with the gun is Sharon Carter–under mind control.

Before the Wakanda adventure ends, Cap gives up being Captain America (again)…Only to reaffirm his position in Captain America #100, which picks up Tales of Suspense’s numbering. 

First of all, look at that great Kirby cover.  Granted, Subby and the Avengers aren’t in this issue—there’s just a flashback to Captain America’s first Silver Age appearance back in 1966 in Avengers #4, but it’s worth it to get the cover.

Zemo has a big robot.

Agent 13 takes a leading role, killing the fake Zemo.

And then, in the end, we get a closing panel that’s a perfect launching place (see above).

Best of all: The official Cap letters page: Let’s Yap with Cap. One of my favorites.

And this great bit at the end:

I’m lovin’ it.  A great start to a solo book for one of my all-time favorite heroes.