Appearing in "Going Ballistic"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Fabian Stankowicz
- Diamondback
- Demolition-Man
- Luna
- Marilla
- Michael O'Brien
- Peggy Carter
- Zack Moonhunter
- ⏴ Black Widow ⏵
Antagonists:
- Blistik (First appearance)
Locations:
- Wakanda
- New York City
- Avengers Mansion
- Brooklyn Bridge
- Rokatanksi & Co., Brooklyn Heights
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "Going Ballistic"
Assassins hired by Doctor Faustus destroy Captain America's statue outside Avengers Mansion to send a warning and lure out the real deal. When he and Mike O'Brien arrive to investigate the site of the vandalism, the hitmen attempt to gun down Cap in a drive-by shooting. They fail to hit their mark and Cap pursues them, but before he can catch up, a new vigilante intercepts their van first. Blistik, a man armed with a staff that allows him to fly and shoot explosive blasts, declaring himself the protector of the quality of urban life, destroys the hitmen's van for the offense of disturbing traffic with their reckless driving. Blistik flies off immediately, leaving Cap to save his would-be killers from the flaming wreckage and give his report to the police later.
Meanwhile, Fabian is having a bad day at the mansion. One of his robots gets loose, causing an accident in the kitchen that earns him the ire of Marilla, who threatens to get him fired. Feeling redundant as the Avengers' mechanic and inventor since Hank Pym's return to the east coast, he decides to save them the trouble by writing a resignation note that reads just enough as a suicide note. He ends up atop the Brooklyn Bridge, contemplating jumping. Unfortunately, Blistik arrives at the scene first and isn't impressed by the traffic-disrupting spectacle. He goads Fabian to kill himself or he'll do it for him. Captain America arrives, having been headed to Fabian's place in Brooklyn via sky-cycle after finding his note and noticed Blistik hovering near the top of the bridge. Cap tries to talk Fabian down, but ends up having to fight through Blistik's more aggressive approach. A shield-toss breaks Blistik's staff, sending him plummeting into the river.
Once he's alone with Fabian, Steve assures him that he was never going to abandon one of his teammates and fire him over the incident with Marilla. As Steve thinks back to his how his Avenger duties have been recently keeping from spending as much time as he'd like with D-Man, Diamondback, and his other friends, he mentions that perhaps the Mansion isn't the right place for him anymore either and that they should get their own headquarters. At this, Fabian mentions that the building in Brooklyn Heights that houses Cap's computer hotline happens to be up for sale.
Notes
- Diamondback awakens from her coma in Wakanda General Hospital, where she's been since Captain America #417. She's transported back to New York after this issue.
- After this issue, Captain America moves back into his old neighborhood Brooklyn Heights in the Rokatanksi & Co. building. The store fronts as a costume shop, but is equipped with many crime fighting accessories.
- This issue contains a letters page, "Let's Rap With Cap". Letters are published from: Peter Stokking, Sgt. Raymond L. Baum, Jr., Zack Plum, Shannon Blakely, and John Miller.