Captain America #154
The Falcon Fights Alone!
Investigating reports of Captain America attacking black men in Harlem, the Falcon finds himself in a battle against two impostors dressed up like Captain America and Bucky.[1] However, unlike the men they are posing as, this duo have superhuman strength. As a pair of local boys watch, the Falcon and his pet hawk, Redwing, try their best to fight off the impostors. Ultimately, the Falcon is knocked out. This Captain America intends on using torture to learn the location of the real Captain America — whom he believes is an impostor.
The two boys rush to find help, one of them is Jody Casper — Sam Wilson’s nephew. When they go to Sam’s office they find it empty. Unaware that Jody’s uncle is actually the Falcon they seek help elsewhere. They run into Leila and Rafe Michel, two local activists and tell them what they saw.[2] At first, Rafe isn’t interested in helping the Falcon, calling the hero a sell-out. However, others in the neighborhood want to help and remind Rafe that despite his feelings, the Falcon is still part of the African-American community and needs their help. Rafe quickly changes his tune and begins forming a posse to help the hero.
Meanwhile, Steve Rogers and his girlfriend Sharon Carter are enjoying a vacation in the Bahamas. However, a stroll on the beach is interrupted by a bodybuilder who tries to make a pass at Sharon. Unimpressed, she tells him off and when the muscle-bound clod tries to get physical, Steve easily defeats him in a fight. The couple decide that the beach is too crowded and agree to find somewhere more private to continue their vacation.
Back in New York, the fake Captain America and Bucky have taken the Falcon to a warehouse to interrogate him. However, Sam refuses to reveal the whereabouts of his partner. That’s when Rafe and his gang come storming into the warehouse. The pair of phonies put up a good fight but, despite their super-human strength, they are greatly outnumbered. When Bucky is swarmed, his partner decides to grab Buck and run. As the two impostors make their escape, Falcon finally breaks free from his bonds. He thanks Rafe and the others for saving him. While Rafe still gives Falcon a hard time, the others are much kinder and Leila finds herself softening her opinion on the hero. However, the Falcon still has the two impostors to stop and quickly leaves so he can track them down with the help of Redwing. Falcon begins questioning local hoods and the ownership of the warehouse he was prisoner in is traced by to Mogran, the local mobster. Fighting through Morgan’s men, the Falcon learns that while he rented out the warehouse, he received payment anonymously by mail, and has no leads for the Falcon to follow.
While in Queens, Office Bob Courtney pays a visit to his superior, Sargent Brain Muldoon. Muldoon has been suspended pending an investigation into allegations that he has been accepting bribes. Bob has come to see how Brian is doing and also tell him about Steve Rogers’ strange behavior of late. The pair begin to suspect that Rogers might be framing Muldoon for some nefarious purpose.[3]
Meanwhile, the Falcon tries calling Steve at the resort he has been staying at only to learn that he and Sharon have relocated to a private beach on the island of Mosca Cay. Due to its isolated nature, there is no way of reaching them. Needing to get to Cap as soon as possible, Falcon decides to enlist the aid of the Avengers. Arriving at Avengers Mansion, Falcon is greeted by Jarvis, Iron Man, the Scarlet Witch, and Hawkeye. As he tells them about the fake Captain America on the loose, the Vision enters the room and tells them that he admitted a man resembling Cap into the monitor room. Realizing they have been tricked by the impostor, they all rush down to stop him only to find the com room deserted. Worse, the phony had been listening into the conversation and now knows the real Captain America is Mosca Cay. With the stake higher than ever, Falcon realizes that if he doesn’t beat the impostor to Mosca Cay, it might mean the death of Steve Rogers.
Recurring Characters
Captain America, Falcon, Captain America (Burnside), Bucky, Sharon Carter, Leila Taylor, Rafe Michel, Boss Morgan, Brain Muldoon, Ellen Muldoon, Jody Casper, Bob Courtney, Avengers (Iron Man, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, the Vision)
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.
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.
Leila’s last name is not given here. It’s identified as Taylor in Captain America #188.
Lots going on here about the Brian Muldoon drama:
Steve Rogers has been working undercover as a rookie with the NYPD in order to find corruption within the force. He joined in Captain America #139 and reported secretly to the police commissioner. Muldoon was his superior officer and had issue with Steve’s frequent absences and his close ties to the commissioner.
Muldoon was suspended on bribery allegations in Captain America #152. At the same time, Rogers abandoned his shift in that same issue and then called in sick last issue, arousing the suspicions of Courtney, his partner on the beat.
In reality, Muldoon is the one responsible for the corruption. As the Cowled Commander, he has been trying to create a fake crime wave in the hopes it would fix the NYPD’s tarnished reputation and get the public to support increased police powers. It’s not the greatest plan TBH. See Captain America #159.
Topical References
Harlem is referred to as a ghetto in this story. The area has since undergone a great deal of gentrification in the years since this comic was published. While there are still issues with poverty in the area it’s hardly the ghetto it is classified as here.
The 1950s Cap and Bucky repeatedly use the term “Coloreds” to describe black people in this story. This is not so much a topical reference since the pair have been on ice since the 1950s and that term was used in that era. However, while not as offensive as say the n-word, some would consider its use offensive by today’s standards.