What a great splash page. Everything from the little box explaining the Latin for Marvel’s younger or less-educated readers to the little box on the left urging readers to vote. Just terrific. Also, I’m thrilled to see two of my favorite writers of the 1970s working together on a story.
Captain America is waylaid on his way to the police station at the request of the Commissioner by two street hoods who claim to work for “The Cowled Commander.” He makes short work of them, meets with the commish, and then a bomb explodes in the police station. Falcon goes to see what happened, and meets a new villain…
He’s a guy who marketed children’s toys. That’s not critical to the story at all, but it’s the kind of weird little detail that writers like Englehart and Gerber love to throw in.
After Cap and Falc defeat Viper, the rest of the Cowled Commander’s soldiers show up…
We haven’t seen these guys since X-Men #22, over five years ago.
During these battles, Captain America is hit with Viper’s poison!
But instead of killing him, it interacts with the Super Soldier Serum in his blood and gives him super strength.
I kind of always assumed he had super strength, but I guess this is a change to his power set.
There’s a pretty complex mystery about the identity of The Cowled Commander. In the end, it’s Sargent Muldoon-the guy who asked Cap to go undercover as a cop and investigate corruption on the force. Nicely done.
Falcon’s street-level adventures are told in parallel but are mostly separate from Cap’s tale.
Also: A letter from future Marvel letterer Tom Orzechowski.
Cap is being MORE than just a tad disingenuous with the remarks about the Avengers needing to qualify for a “hospital group-rate plan.” You can bet the rent that the Avengers all receive the finest medical coverage that ( Tony Stark’s ) money can buy, as well as full dental, vision, 401k, and every other corporate perk ever heard of by mortal man. That’s in addition to your $1,000 per week walking-around money. So, give us a superheroic bennies-laden break, Winghead!