Appearing in "America First!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Natasha Romanova
- Segei
- Oleg
- Dieter Prochnow
- Ed Murtaugh
- Ray Kahn
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "America First!"
- Synopsis not yet written
Appearing in "Back From the Dead"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- NYPD
- Mary Wilson (First appearance)
Antagonists:
- Crime Boss
- Butcher (Only appearance; dies)[1]
Other Characters:
- Phineas Horton (Only in flashback)
- U.S. Army
- Nazis
- Adolf Hitler (Only in flashback) (Death) (Cameo)
- Murder Inc gang (Only in flashback) (Cameo)
Locations:
- Earth
- United States of America
- New York
- Nevada
- Yucca Flat (First appearance)
- Germany
- Pacific Ocean
- Korea
- Atlantic Ocean
- United States of America
Synopsis for "Back From the Dead"
The headquarters of the Crime Boss are infiltrated by the Human Torch, whom the criminals thought they got rid of in 1949. The Crime Boss tries to employ the same weapon he used to stop the Torch before: Solution X-R. Spraying the Torch with the chemical snuffs out the hero's flame and immobilizes him, however the Torch's flame is now stronger than before and he uses it to melt through the chemical spray and quickly subdues the Crime Boss and his minions.
With the battle over, Chief Wilson and a police officer arrive on the scene and are surprised to see the Human Torch after being missing for years. The Torch explains to the Chief his origins[2] and how he fought in World War II, eventually killing Adolf Hitler himself. After the war he met his partner Toro and the pair began fighting crime until they went up against the Crime Boss who used Solution X-R to immobilize the two heroes. The Torch was taken out to Yucca Flat, Nevada where he was buried in the desert where he remained inert for years. However, a nuclear bomb test bombarded him with radiation that increased the power of his flame, making him stronger than ever before and allowing him to break free of his prison to get revenge.
Not knowing what happened to Toro over the years, the Torch threatens to burn the Crime Boss if he does not tell him what happened to boy. The criminal relents and informs the hero that Solution X-R was given to him by communist agents and that after they "eliminated" the Torch they handed Toro over to commies. With recent reports of a strange fire-ball seen flying over Korea, the Human Torch flies there and confronts it, realizing that it is his pal Toro. As it turns out Toro had been brainwashed by communist agents into fighting for their side. With his enhanced powers the Torch easily defeats his partner and rushes him back to the United States to get medical treatment to reverse the brainwashing.
As he is turning Toro over to hospital, Chief Wilson arrives and informs the Torch that his daughter Mary has been captured by a new leader of Crime Syndicate known as the Butcher who demands the Torch's surrender. The Torch agrees to turn himself over and to go to the arranged meeting spot in Knob Hill and allow himself to be sealed in a steel casket. With the Torch trapped inside, the Butcher has the casket lifted with a helicopter and dumped into the ocean. Toro, having been cured of the communist brainwashing arrives at the scene and flies down into the water and uses his flame powers to free the Torch. The pair then track down the Butcher to his hideout where he is keeping Mary Wilson. When the Butcher attempts to escape in his helicopter, the Torch and Toro blow it up with fire balls.
They then take Mary back to her father where the two partners announce that they are going to resume their crusade against crime.
Appearing in "The Man With No Face"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Communists (Only appearance)[1]
Locations:
Races and Species:
Items:
Synopsis for "The Man With No Face"
Communist spies attempt to extort a man who works at the shipyard into turning over the plans for atomic powered vessels or else they will kill his blind son. Cap takes his place with an overcoat on to meet with the spies and they proclaim that now that they have the plans, they are going to kill him and his son both. They drive back to the man's apartment and go upstairs to bring down the boy who turns out to be Bucky in disguise. Cap and Bucky reveal themselves and are mopping up the spies when the blind boy comes out of the apartment attempting to help. Bucky tells him to get back, but one of the spies grabs him and threatens to shoot him. Cap deflects his aim, but the gun discharges near his head, restoring the boy's sight. Cap and Bucky hand over the spies to the police.
Solicit Synopsis
In this second installment of a series exploring the storied history of America's greatest champion, Howard Chaykin pulls back the Iron Curtain on one of Captain America's wiliest nemeses -- Soviet Russia and her never-ending parade of spies, saboteurs, fifth columnists…so many we had to make this story double-sized! Before his role in “The Death of Captain America,” no one was more patriotic than the Cap of the Fifties, even if he does have Steve Rogers’ shoes to fill. Unfortunately, Nick Fury, a newly minted operative of the CIA, isn't about to let him off the hook that easily. But Cap and Fury better start working together, or they'll find themselves buried in Reds! PLUS: a bonus reprinting of a classic Cap tale from the fabulous fifties!
Trivia
- Joseph R. McMurphy is based on Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy, who was known for fueling fears of widespread Communist subversion in the United States. McMurphy's hearing on Nick Fury is based on the Army–McCarthy hearings.
- Ed Murtaugh is based on journalist Edward R. Murrow, who contributed to the censure of Joseph McCarthy.
