Captain America #331
Soldier, Soldier
Trapped in a sealed room, Captain America was forced to fight his ally, the Demolition Man, after the Power Broker super-charged his powers, driving D-Man mad in the process. However, Dennis suffered a heart attack and Captain America is performing CPR in a desperate attempt to resuscitate his friend. Captain America manages to get Dunphy’s heart beating again just as the Shroud frees him from the sealed room.
While Cap was busy saving D-Man’s life, the Shroud and his Night Crew quickly secured the lab and the scientists who trapped Captain America in the room. However, Dennis is not out of the woods yet and Cap turns his friend over to Doctor Malus for help. Meanwhile, they force the other two scientists to free Ms. Marvel, another prisoner of the Power Broker. She has been tortured for weeks and the experience has deeply traumatized her. When she is freed, she attacks her rescuers and then flees.
Borrowing the Shroud’s cape, Captain America chases after her and manages to calm her down by promising to bring the men responsible for hurting her to justice. With Marvel calmed down, Captain America goes back to the lab where he orders Malus and the other scientists to reverse the damage down to his friend. While they are busy working on D-Man, Cap then decides to revive the Power Broker — aka Curtiss Jackson — to question him some more.[1] However, Jackson is just stalling for time as he waits for his ace in the hole to arrive.
Meanwhile, in Washington, DC, FBI agents Elwood and Farbe report back to the Commission, telling them that they have been unsuccessful at finding Captain America. Their superiors are unhappy and order them back out and tell them not to come back until they have completed their mission.
An hour later, back in California, the scientists finally manage to stabilize D-Man’s condition. Cap is relieved but still wants to get both Dennis and Ms. Marvel to see some real doctors. As they wait for an ambulance to arrive a military helicopter lands on the front lawn of Jackson’s mansion. The man in charge is Lieutenant Michael Lynch and as he tries to secure the area, Ms. Marvel reveals that Lynch is in league with the Power Broker and is responsible for her imprisonment. This leads to a fight with his soldiers, forcing Cap to pull Ms. Marvel off of them and learns more about how Lynch betrayed her when she and the Thing originally attempted to shut the Power Broker down.[2]
While this is happening, Lynch summons G.I. Max, a soldier augmented by the Power Broker’s process as part of a plan to create an army of new super-strong super soldiers. Captain America faces Max alone, and although the soldier is much more powerful than he is, he lacks the proper training to use his enhanced abilities effectively.[3] Seeing his creation failing in battle, Lynch tries to shoot Captain America. Tragically, the bullets bounce off Cap’s shield and strike Max in the neck, killing him instantly. With Max now dead, the battle is quickly ended.
While the US military ends up disavowing any knowledge of G.I. Max, Lynch is reprimanded and is reduced to administrative duty. Curtiss Jackson is arrested but is released on bail, pending trail. Although D-Man is found to be in stable condition, he begins to question his future as a professional wrestler. Ms. Marvel helped Captain America keeps Jackson and his men in line until the authorities arrived and is now traveling back east with Captain America.[4] The Shroud and his crew were held responsible for the damage done to Jackson’s property but remain at large. In the aftermath of everything that happened, Captain America learns that he has been summoned by Washington, and is heading that way to see what they want.
Recurring Characters
Captain America, Demolition Man, Ms. Marvel, Night Shift (Shroud, Tick Tock, Danse Macabre, Brothers Grimm, Needle, Tatterdemalion, Werewolf by Night, Digger, Gypsy Moth), Curtiss Jackson, Karl Malus, Michael Lynch
Continuity Notes
Captain America mentions how Curtiss Jackson used to be leader of the west coast branch of the Corporation. Cap learned this in Captain America #230.
Ms. Marvel and the Thing attempted to shut down the Power Broker in Thing #35.
G.I. Max reminds Cap of Nuke, another contemporary super-soldier that he fought in Daredevil #233.
Topical References
Jackson is said to be held on a one million dollar bail, while it is stated that the Shroud caused ten million in damages. These amounts, adjusting for inflation would be 2.3 million and 24 million respectively.
