Captain America Vol 1 453

Captain America #453
Previous Issue	Captain America #452
Next Issue	Captain America #454
Cover Date	July, 1996
Issue Details
Editor-in-Chief	Bob Harras

1. "Executive Action"
Appearances · Synopsis
Writer(s)	Mark Waid
Penciler(s)	Ron Garney Pino Rinaldi
Inker(s)	Scott Koblish
Letterer(s)	John Costanza
Editor(s)	Bobbie Chase

 Don't thank me, sir. It comes with the job...and I wouldn't want it any other way. 

—Captain America

Appearing in "Executive Action"

Featured Characters:

• ⏴ Captain America (Steve Rogers) ⏵

Supporting Characters:

• ⏴ Sharon Carter ⏵
• ⏴ President Clinton ⏵

Antagonists:

• Machinesmith's Robots (Last appearance)
• ⏴ Machinesmith (Sam Saxon) ⏵

Other Characters:

• S.H.I.E.L.D. (Appears on screen)
  • ⏴ Commander Dum-Dum Dugan ⏵ (Appears on screen)
• God (Yahweh) (Invoked) (Appears on screen)
• Avengers (Mentioned)
• ⏴ Doctor Doom (Victor von Doom) ⏵
• Red Skull (Johann Schmidt) (Mentioned)
• Moldavian Government Agents (First appearance)
• U.S. Secret Services
  • Unnamed agent (First appearance; dies)
  • Secret Services Snipers (First appearance)

Races and Species:

• Humans
• Robots

Locations:

• Earth
  • United States of America
    • Mt. Hood (Appears on screen)
    • Avengers Mansion, Midtown Manhattan, New York City, New York (Mentioned)
    • Maryland
      • Camp David
    • Washington, D.C.
      • White House
  • Europe
    • Moldavia
    • Latveria
      • Doomstadt
        • Castle Doom
• Hell (Mentioned)

Items:

• S.H.I.E.L.D. Uniforms (Appears on screen)
• Captain's New Uniform (Last appearance)
• Avengers Identicard
• Doctor Doom's Armor
• Captain America's Shield
• Captain America's Uniform

Vehicles:

• S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier (Appears on screen)

Synopsis for "Executive Action"

Machinesmith's consciousness abandons Steve Rogers and Sharon Carter at his base so he can focus on his form infiltrating the Moldavian delegation meeting the U.S. President. Steve counts on Sharon to hack Smith's system to restore control to the SHIELD Helicarrier locked on a crash course while he escapes the compound and makes his way to the neighboring Latveria to bargain with Doctor Doom for help. Rogers makes the case that the war Machinesmith is about to start will destabilize the region enough to threaten Doom's territory as well, and the play pays off. Doom provides Steve with an imitation Captain America costume and shield and has him quickly transported to Camp David just in time to interrupt Machinesmith's attack.

Machinesmith reveals his plan to gain access to the nuclear football and steal the launch codes from the President's brain. Smith demonstrating his mind-reading ability makes the President realize that Cap wasn't a traitor after all just as the exiled hero makes his entrance to take out Machinesmith and all his robots. In a last effort gamble, Smith transfers his consciousness to the football itself to enter the codes directly, but Cap notices in time and throws the device into an explosive fuel tank to destroy it. Afterwards, the President brings Rogers back to his office to apologize and reinstate him with the title and equipment of Captain America.

Notes

Publication Notes

• This issue contains a letters page, "American Grafitti". Letters are published from: Michael Lanahan, Charles Price, Jr., Amy Rambow, and Jonathan Davies.
• This issue is reprinted in other comics and books, see references for more info.

See Also

• 1 image(s) from Captain America Vol 1 453
• 5 reprint(s) of Captain America Vol 1 453