Appearing in "Soldier -- What Did You See?"
Featured Characters:
- Crazy S.U.E.S. (Only in flashback)
- Sergeant Byrd (Only in flashback) (First appearance)
- Captain America (Steve Rogers) (Only in flashback)
- Bucky (James Barnes) (Only in flashback)
- Young Avenger (Bill Bryon) (Main story and flashback)
- Invisible Man (Harry Gade) (Only in flashback)
- Slo-Mo Jones (Only in flashback)
- Captain Strong (Only in flashback)
- Flash Foster (Only in flashback)
- Doug "Jap-Buster" Johnson (Only in flashback)
- ⏴ Merzah the Mystic ⏵ (Only in flashback)
- Captain Flame (Frank Cortez) (Only in flashback)
- Fighting Yank (William Prince) (Only in flashback)
- Moon Man (Only in flashback)
- Father Time (Larry Scott) (Only in flashback)
- Secret Stamp (Roddy Colt) (Only in flashback)
- American Ace (Mentioned)
Supporting Characters:
- Alyssa Bryon
- T-Mech (Only in flashback)
Antagonists:
- Loki
- Japanese troops (Only in flashback)
Other Characters:
- Martin Goodman (Only in flashback)
- Angie (Only in flashback)
- unnamed Timely artists (Only in flashback)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earth (Main story and flashback)
- Solomon Islands (Only in flashback)
- Guadalcanal (Only in flashback)
- United States of America (Only in flashback)
- New York (Only in flashback)
- New York City (Only in flashback)
- Timely Offices (Only in flashback)
- New York City (Only in flashback)
- New York (Only in flashback)
- Solomon Islands (Only in flashback)
Items:
- Captain America's Shield (Only in flashback)
- Captain America's Uniform (Only in flashback)
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "Soldier -- What Did You See?"
Alyssa Bryon videotapes her grandfather, William Bryon, as he begins to tell her for the first time about his experiences in World War II as the Young Avenger. When the United States officially entered the war, many of that era's superheroes and crimefighters were either drafted or enlisted into the military. By special order of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, these heroes were grouped together into a specialized ranger unit for the purpose of combat operations deep behind enemy lines. This unit would be called Specialized Unit, Enhanced Soldiers, or the Crazy S.U.E.S. and would be led by Captain America (Steven Rogers).
Shortly after arriving in their bunks, a fight broke out between Captain Strong and Slo-Mo Jones, highlighting the racial tensions of the day. Slo-Mo merely picked up a ball dropped by Strong and attempted to give it back to him, the racist Strong, however, took offense to this and started a fistfight with him before it was broken up by Captain America and Sergeant Byrd. Strong played it off as the two men goofing off and, not wanting to draw any more attention to himself, Slo-Mo agreed that this was the case.
Alyssa tried researching the Captain Flame comic that her grandfather had shown her, but couldn't find any mention of it anywhere on the internet. It's as if the book simply never existed. Adding to the mystery, while taking a break from chronicling her grandfather's wartime years, Alyssa's computer is hacked by someone referring to himself simply as "a friend" who mentions an Operation: Firefly, saying that it is important.
Perhaps for reasons tied to Operation: Firefly, in May of 1942, Martin Goodman, publisher of Timely Comics, was asked by a Colonel Nevin to postpone giving Captain Flame a comic, despite the success of so many other superhero comic books based on Crazy S.U.E. soldiers, citing reasons of national security,
When Bryon continues relating his story to Alyssa, he tells her of the Crazy S.U.E.'s first combat experience in Guadalcanal in August of 1942. While flying above the Pacific Ocean, Merzah the Mystic confides to Captain Flame that he is a psychic and that he knows Frank's secret, but vows to keep it to himself. The S.U.E.'s were then airdropped over the island. The unit quickly found themselves to be poorly positioned against the Japanese who held the ridge above them. Sergeant Byrd ordered Slo-Mo to climb the hill and eliminate the machine gun nest at the top, which he promptly does. Before the others can join him on the ridge, however, they are attacked by Japanese Zero fighters. The unit is again pinned down and Sergeant Byrd sees that Cortez has frozen up. Despite the sergeant's orders, he doesn't move. Byrd is aware of what Cortez's superhuman powers are and decides to throw a live grenade at him to make him move. The grenade explodes and Cortez absorbs its charge and redirects it at the incoming Japanese force, annihilating them. Besides Secret Stamp suffering a broken leg, the unit comes away from the battle physically unscathed, but Cortez is suffering from the mental scars of having killed other human beings for the first time.
Alyssa can't believe that there is no mention in any field report from World War II of a man with Cortez's abilities and her grandfather was about to reveal the secret as to why, claiming that it may be one of the most significant events in America's history, when he collapses from a heart attack. As Alyssa tries to call for help, Loki, the Norse god of mischief, appears before her, telling her that her grandfather is going to die.
Continued Next Issue...