Captain America #156
Two Into One Won’t Go!
Captain America, Sharon Carter, and the Falcon are prisoners of Cap’s 1950s counterpart aboard a plane heading back to the United States.[1] They have just freed themselves as the aquatic aircraft lands off the shore of Miami beach. When Cap and his allies attack the 50’s Captain America and Bucky, the fight is a turbulent one as the plane rocks on the water. During the fight, the 50’s Captain America pulls a gun and tries to shoot his foes, but misses, blowing a hole in the side of the plane. In the ensuing battle, the phony Cap’s uniform is ripped. Realizing they are fighting a losing battle, the fake Captain America shoots an approaching Coast Guard vessel and flees, telling his counterpart to meet him at the Torch of Friendship in an hour for a final showdown. With the crew of the Coast Guard ship in peril, Captain America is forced to let his counterpart flee so he can help Falcon and Sharon rescue the crew.
Once this is done, Cap tries to convince his friends to get the authorities while he faces off against the impostor alone. However, the pair refuse to sit on the sidelines and so they all agree to go to the police together. After showing his Avengers identification to prove his identity, Captain America convinces the local cops to set up a barrier around the Torch of Friendship so he can face off against his impostor alone.
Meanwhile, back in New York City, Sergeant Brain Muldoon and Officer Bob Courtney break into Steve Rogers apartment. Convinced that Rogers is responsible for framing Muldoon for accepting a bribe they tear up the apartment looking for proof.[2] They find nothing and as they leave they run into Steve’s landlord and give him a half-baked story about preparing a surprise party. As the two officers leave, the landlord wonders what they could be up to. As they make their way to the Flame of Brotherhood, they are ambushed by Bucky. Sharon and Falcon tell Cap to keep on going while they deal with this pale imitation of Steve’s wartime partner. Although Bucky has super-human strength, he underestimates the fighting prowess of his opponents due to his sexist and racist ideals. Working together the pair throw Bucky off his feet. Falcon then takes the young man down with a single blow to his glass jaw.
Soon, Captain America arrives at the Flame of Brotherhood and learns from the police that his impostor has been luring around waiting for his arrival. As Captain America walks onto the battlefield he can’t help but wonder how one of his biggest fans could be twisted into a violent version of himself. When the 50’s Captain America attempts to ambush Steve, he is ready for him. Cap tries to talk sense into his counterpart but throws the 50’s Captain America into a fit of rage when he calls him a fascist.[3] In the ensuing battle, the real Steve Rogers holds his own against the man who took his name and appearance. When the 50’s Cap gloats that he is superior to even the original, that’s when Steve reveals that he is the original Captain America.
Steve then begins telling the other Captain America about his own history and past. Hearing things that only someone who grew up in the 1930s and 40s could know, the 1950’s Captain America realizes that this man is telling the truth. However, instead of ending the battle, this throws the other “Steve Rogers” into a blind rage and he lunges at the one true Captain America. Quick on his feet, Steve lands a powerful punch that sends his 50’s counterpart slamming into the side of the Flame of Brotherhood, knocking him out. In the aftermath of the battle, Steve Rogers can’t help but feel sorry for his counterpart and considers the fact that he could have gone down a similar path had things been different. That’s when Falcon and Sharon arrive with the defeated Bucky. With the battle over, the 50’s impostors are turned over to the authorities to be placed back into suspended animation. Still, this whole encounter has given Steve a lot to think about and he asks his friends to give him some time alone to sort out his thoughts.
Recurring Characters
Captain America, Falcon, Captain America (Burnside), Bucky, Sharon Carter, Brain Muldoon, Bob Courtney,
Continuity Notes
I’m going to get this all out of the way off the top. The whole fake Captain America and Bucky plotline is very complicated:
The real Captain America and Bucky went missing in 1945, as explained in Avengers #4. Cap was later revived by the Avengers in the Modern Age.
At the time of this story, everyone believes that the original Bucky died in 1945. It’s not until years later that it is learned he survived. He was recovered by the Russians and transformed into the assassin known as the Winter Solider. See Captain America (vol. 5) #14.
Since the apparent death of America’s two wartime heroes would have a negative impact on morale, the President had others to secretly take Steve Rogers place as Captain America. In the 1940s, these men were William Nasland and Jeff Mace, the former Spirit of ‘76 and Patriot respectively, per What If? #4
Mace later retired as Captain America in 1950, per Captain America: Patriot #4.
By the 1950s a man named William Burnside developed an obsession with Captain America, idolizing the hero during his childhood. He even went so far as get plastic surgery to resemble Steve Rogers and legally changed his name. He then went on a trip to Germany where he found an earlier version of the Super Soldier Serum that created Captain America. A school teacher at the time, Burnside and one of his students, Jack Monroe, then used the formula to become the “Commie Smasher” versions of Captain America and Bucky in the 1950s. See Captain America #155 and Young Men #24.
The real names of the fake Captain America and Bucky are not given here. William Burnside’s real name was not revealed until Captain America #602, while Bucky is identified as Jack Monroe in Captain America #281.
Brain Muldoon was suspended pending investigation in Captain America #152. We’ll learn in issue #159 that Muldoon is really responsible in some half-assed scheme to repair the NYPD’s tarnished reputation and get the public to support increased police power.
Here, a government official states that the lack of vita-ray bombardment is what caused Burnside and Monroe to go mad. The vita-ray retreatment was first detailed in Captain America #109. However, this was just part of various procedures that were done on Steve Rogers. There was an injection (first seen in Captain America Comics #1) as well as oral tablets (Tales of Suspense #63). Captain America #255 confirms that all three methods were used in succession.
Topical References
In this story, the 50’s Captain America and Bucky use the terms “colored” and “darkie” to describe the Falcon. This would not be considered a topical reference since both characters were in suspended animation since the 50s and their manner of speaking reflect the era that they come from. That said, these terms, would be considered offensive by today’s standard, particularly the second one which is viewed as a racial slur on par with the n-word.
