Appearing in "Captain America -- Hero or Hoax?"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Captain America (First full appearance)
- Bucky (First full appearance)
Other Characters:
- Scorpion (MacDonald Gargan) (Referenced)
- Mister Hyde (Referenced)
- Laura Brown (Mentioned)
- Cal Trimble (First appearance; unnamed) (Corinth Hotel Manager)
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
- Louie the Eel (Mentioned in narration)
- Lord (Mentioned in narration)
- Leila Taylor
- Rafe Michel
- NYPD
- Bob Courtney
- Unnamed Sergeant
- Brian Muldoon (Mentioned)
- Daniels
- Unnamed Police Officer
- Fred (Fred's Food) (First appearance)
- Boss Morgan (Morgan) (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earth
- North America
- United States of America
- New York
- New York City
- Manhattan
- Gramercy Park
- Corinth Hotel (First appearance)
- Harlem
- Fred's Food (First appearance)
- Gramercy Park
- Manhattan
- New York City
- New York
- Bahamas (Mentioned)
- United States of America
- North America
Items:
Events:
- World War II (Mentioned)
- Korean War (Mentioned)
- Cold War (Mentioned)
Synopsis for "Captain America -- Hero or Hoax?"
As dawn rises, Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson and Sharon Carter arrive at Rogers' run-down apartment, eager to rest after the past night's battle against the Scorpion and Mr. Hyde, only to find an unexpected visitor waiting for them: Nick Fury. The head of S.H.I.E.L.D orders the Falcon and Agent 13 to leave, asserting he wants to "speak" to Captain America alone. Reluctantly, seeing that Fury won't be swayed, Captain America sends them to wait outside.
Once they're gone, Fury reveals himself to be wearing a S.H.I.E.L.D action suit, giving him the raw strength to match a super soldier like Steve Rogers, and accuses Rogers of flirting with his girlfriend and turning his agents against him. Despite Steve's reluctance, he accepts that Fury won't listen to reason, and a brawl erupts - made harder when Steve, tired from his previous exertions, accidentally throws his shield out of the window.
Outside, Sam and Sharon run for the nearest phone and Sharon places an urgent call to Contessa de Fontaine at S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters.
Inside, Rogers and Fury continue to battle, with Fury inadvertently revealing he's jealous of Captain America's youth and fame. Once Steve beats Fury, he points out that being frozen alive for 20 years wasn't that much of a blessing either.
The Contessa arrives just as the fight finishes, and calls Fury out over doubting her feelings for him. Pausing only to bribe the hotel manager over the damages inflicted during the fight, the two old soldiers make their peace, and Sharon Carter formally announces she's quitting S.H.I.E.L.D. The next day, Steve and Sharon fly off to the Bahamas for a well-earned vacation, with Sam warmly wishing them goodbye.
Once the flight has departed, Sam puts on his costume as the Falcon and goes swinging out to patrol the city. Towards the afternoon, he heads back to his home in Harlem, only to spot his girlfriend Leila Taylor making out with Rafe Michel, something that enrages the superhero.
Six hours later, Steve Rogers' civilian partner in his identity as a policeman, patrolman Bob Courtney, arrives at the police station, and is told that Rogers is off on sick leave with the flu. He contemplates informing the desk sergeant about Rogers disappearing and abandoning his uniform the previous evening, but chooses not to until he finds out what happened. He overhears some of the other cops talking about how Muldoon is up on charges, and resolves to talk to him, as he was the officer who put Rogers in Courtney's patrol car.
The next morning, Wilson goes to his usual hangout for breakfast. He's initially in a sour mood, but perks up when he hears some locals discussing his recent efforts as the Falcon with approval. As he leaves, he runs into Leila, who is in an even worse mood; she tells him that Captain America has been beating up random people in Harlem, then storms off when he is dumbfounded by her assertions. He heads home and dons his costume, then goes out looking.
Hours later, he discovers the impossible: Captain America, beating up a random black civilian. He intervenes, and finds himself all the more confused as he fights; the man sounds like Steve Rogers, has all his moves, but he calls Falcon "boy" - a term that Rogers would never use - and is far too strong. He floors the stranger, and uses that as an opportunity to rip off his mask, only to reel in horror as he sees Steve Rogers' face looking back at him.
Suddenly, somebody hits him from behind, and when he struggles to his feet, he finds himself facing off against two men, who look down at him with contempt, describing themselves as "the real Captain America and Bucky!" - and looking every inch the part they claim!
Solicit Synopsis
Notes
Continuity Notes[]
- This retcon makes William Burnside (Captain America) and Jack Monroe (Bucky) last seen appearance in Captain America #78 (1954).
- Jack Monroe, the misguided Bucky in this issue, will later become Captain America's partner in Captain America #284.
Publication Notes[]
- Preliminary art for this issue's cover was done by Marie Severin.
- Steve Englehart begins his long tenure as Captain America scribe in this issue. He will continue as writer until Captain America #186.
- Steve Englehart has noted that the plot concept of the 1950's Captain America and Bucky were ideas from Roy Thomas.
- As seen on page one, this issue is Story # 910Z.
- This issue contains a letters page, Let's Rap With Cap. Letters are published from Josephy Randisi, Robert A. Gillis and John Roemer.
See Also
Links and References
- The Grand Comics Database: Captain America Vol 1 153 [1]