Captain America Vol 1 174

Secret Empire (Main story and recap)
- ⏴ Number Thirteen (Main story and recap)
- Committee to Regain America's Principles (Main story and recap)
  - Quentin Harderman (Main story and recap)
- Moonstone (Lloyd Bloch) (Main story and recap)
- Number Forty-Two (First appearance)
- ⏴ Number One ⏵
- ⏴ Number Nine (Linda Donaldson)
- ⏴ Number Sixteen (Mr. Black)
- Number Sixty-Eight (First appearance as Number Sixty-Eight)
- Number Eight (First appearance)
- "Bouncer" (Robot)
- Unidentified Agent (Behind the scenes)
- Numerous unnamed members

Other Characters:

Tumbler (John Robert Keane) (Only in recap) (Corpse, skeleton or other remains)
Banshee (Sean Cassidy) (Only in recap)
Richard Nixon (Referenced) (Topical Reference)
S.H.I.E.L.D. (Behind the scenes)
Redwing (Referenced)
Miss Kearny (First appearance)
Frank (First appearance)
Viper (Jordan Dixon) (Mentioned in narration)
⏴ Mesmero (Vincent) ⏵
Brotherhood of Evil Mutants
⏴ Beast (Hank McCoy) ⏵ (Main story and flashback)
Magneto (Only in recap)

Races and Species:

Humans (Main story and recap)
Mutants (Main story and recap)
Robots
Hawks (Mentioned)

Locations:

Earth
- North America
  - United States of America
    - Texas
      - Secret Empire Installation
      - Dallas (Only in recap)
        Brand Corporation Dallas Plant (Only in recap)
    - Tennessee (Only in recap)
      - Nashville (Only in recap)
    - New York (Main story and flashback)
      - Westchester County (Only in recap)
        North Salem (Only in recap)
        Salem Center (Only in recap)
        Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters (Only in recap)
      - New York City (Only in flashback)
      - Long Island (Only in flashback)
  - Chihuahuan Desert

Items:

Captain America's Uniform and Shield (Main story and recap)
Falcon's Wings (Main story and recap)
Cyclop's Visor MK I (Only in recap)
X-Uniforms (Only in recap)
Electron-Gyro
Magneto's Helmet (Only in recap)
Atomic Annihilator (First appearance)

Events:

Watergate Scandal (Mentioned)

Synopsis for "It's Always Darkest...!"

Cap and Falcon are disguised as possible employees of the Secret Empire to gain entry into their secret base to spy on what they are planning. They are found out and almost executed by laser beams; however, they're able to escape down an exhaust vent and then find a way to let in Professor X, Cyclops, and Marvel Girl, who are looking for lost X-Men and some other X-Men's villains who have mysteriously disappeared.

They locate the missing mutants, Beast, Iceman, Angel, Lorna Dane, Havok, Mastermind, Blob, Unus, and Mesmero, who have been attached to a turntable that will use their mental patterns to project a force field. The mutants are set free, but then the Secret Empire uses the Atomic Annihilator on the heroes and appears to kill them all.

Notes

Publisher Notes[]

This issue contains a letters page, Let's Rap With Cap. Letters are published from ("Name and Address Unknown", Bob Rodi and R.E. Miller. The letters page also contains a 1/2 page ad for Doctor Strange (Vol. 2) #1 with a cover reproduction.
This issue contains a Series "A" Marvel Value Stamp: Vol 1 48 - Kraven

Continuity Notes[]

The Beast was last seen in Incredible Hulk #161.
Havok and Lorne Dane were last seen in Incredible Hulk #150.
Angel and Iceman were last seen in Avengers #111.

Trivia

Mr. Black is missing his mustache and is notably heavier than his appearance last issue in Captain America #173.

Links and References

The Grand Comics Database: Captain America Vol 1 174 [1]
The Unofficial Marvel Value Stamps Site [2]

References