Captain America #169
When a Legend Dies!
The Falcon is on patrol in Harlem when a gang of men hired by Morgan, the local crime boss, try to run him down with their car. They only clip the Falcon and so they attempt to swarm him. However, the Falcon refuses to go down without a fight. This attack happens outside the office where the Falcon works as a social worker in his civilian identity of Sam Wilson. Staying in the office his partner Captain America, aka Steve Rogers.[1] When Rogers exits the building for a walk he spots his partner in trouble and races back inside to change into Captain America and lend him a hand. After Captain America drives the attackers off, the Falcon is once again feeling undervalued due to Cap’s newfound super-human strength.[2] Cap then suggests they seek out the aid of Tony Stark to invent something to make the Falcon more of an equal. Sam likes this idea, but insists that they seek out the Black Panther’s aid instead, since he is a black man as well.
As Captain America rides off on his motorcycle to make arrangements, he hopes that this will finally help Falcon see himself as an equal instead of a sidekick.[3] Along the way, he catches the latest in a series of a smear campaign against him playing on televisions in a nearby shop window. A group calling themselves the Committee to Regain America’s Principals are calling out Captain America, once an American hero, has been acting like a vigilante flouting the law for his own brand of justice by brutalizing private citizens and fallout out of line with agencies like SHIELD.[4] The ad spot ends questioning if Captain America’s actions reflect America. Cap is angered that they would twist the facts to make him look bad and hopes that the American people don’t fall for it.[5] When he turns to ask people on the street if they still believe in him, they are visibly afraid of him and reluctantly agree in fear that the Avenger might get violent with them. His anger rising, Captain America grits his teeth and rides off.
The following morning, the Black Panther lands transatlantic ship in the middle of Harlem to take Falcon to Wakanda and develop new equipment for Cap’s partner. T’Challa welcomes Falcon’s girlfriend, Leila, to accompany them. She accepts, looking forward to visiting Africa and learn more about her roots.[6] Captain America shows up to see Falcon and Leila off on their trip to Wakanda, putting on a happy face until they are gone. Cap then heads to the advertising agency that is trying to assassinate his character. He intimidates his way into the office of one Quentin Harderman. Harderman insists that all he is doing is providing an differing opinion on what’s good for America. He then suggests that Captain America agree to a charity boxing match to prove everything his agency is saying is wrong. Annoyed by Quentin’s arrogance, Captain America agrees and storms out, little knowing that Harderman is still plotting against him.
Outside, Captain America comes across the Tumbler robbing a liquor-store.[6] Although Cap stops the robbery, the Tumbler manages to escape while the Avenger contemplates the best way of using the foiled robbery to repair the damage to his reputation. He then goes to Sharon Carter’s apartment to see how she is taking the negative press about Captain America. When he arrives, Sharon is upset about something entirely different, Peggy — her relative — has just joined up with SHIELD.[8] When Captain America goes to SHIELD headquarters to try and convince Nick Fury to deny Peggy’s admission into the spy agency he is confronted by the Countess Valentina de la Fontaine bars his entry, her negative opinions about Cap having been amplified by the negative advertising ruining his good name.[9] Since there is nothing he can do about it, Steve decides to return to his temporary home in Sam Wilson’s office for the night.
The following day, Captain America arrives for the charity boxing match. There, Quentin Harderman introduces him to his opponent, John Robert Keane. Cap instantly realizes there is something going on, as he knows Keane by his alter-ego, the Tumbler. Afraid that he was going to be recognize, John tries to flee the scene but Captain America trips Keane up with his shield. Suddenly, John screams in pain and drops dead on the ground, leaving people to believe Captain America somehow murdered the Tumbler. However, this is far from the truth as a strange costumed individual — who killed Keane with an invisible laser beam — quickly replaces the ceiling tile where he made the kill shot.[10] With Captain America now branded a murdered, this mysterious figure prepares to take a more active roll in the destruction of Captain America.[11]
Recurring Characters
Captain America, Falcon, Secret Empire (Quentin Harderman, Moonstone, Tumbler), Sharon Carter, Leila Taylor, Black Panther, SHIELD (Contessa de la Fontaine)
Continuity Notes
Steve has been living out of Sam Wilson’s office since he was evicted from his rented room in Captain America #166.
Captain America gained super-human strength when he was exposed to the Viper’s venom and it interacted with the Super-Soldier Serum in his body in Captain America #157. This super-strength will last until Captain America #218.
Cap recalls that Sam has always been trying to prove himself worthy even before Cap got his super-powers, citing the time Falcon went after Spider-Man in Captain America #137-138.
What nobody knows is the CRAP is a front for the Secret Empire, as we’ll learn in Captain America #173.
The facts about the twisted facts in the Anti-Captain America advertisement:
These smear ads were the work of the Viper who called in a favor to a fellow ad executive in Captain America #163. These advertisements started in issue #165.
The private citizen he is accused of beating is Doctor Faustus, a criminal mastermind who uses psychology as his weapon. Cap fought him in Captain America #107, and 161-162.
An image of Captain America pushing his way through police is taken out of context. They were from when Captain America battled his 1950s counterpart in Miami in Captain America #156.
Leila’s full name is not given here. It’s identified as Taylor in Captain America #188.
Mention is made of the last time Captain America fought the Tumbler. That was in Tales of Suspense #83.
Here Peggy Carter is referred to as Sharon’s older sister. However, due to the Sliding Timescale this has since become impossible and has been changed. This issues with the Carter family tree and how Peggy could still be vital enough to sign up for SHIELD in the modern age are covered in more detail here.
Valentina has been against Captain America ever since he was tricked into seriously injuring Nick Fury by Yellow Claw in Captain America #167.
The Tumbler is one of those few villains in the Marvel Universe who has remained dead (at least as I write this in June of 2021) He is succeeded by his brother, Michael, who takes on the role of the Tumbler in Captain America #291. This proved shortlived and the Tumbler identity became one of the Hobgoblin’s super-villain franchises up for rent, as seen in Amazing Spider-Man #697.
The mystery killer is identified as Moonstone next issue. His real name is identified as Lloyd Bloch in Captain America #379 (Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #7 and Deluxe Edition #9 misidentifies him as Byron Becton. The Nefarius entry in Captain America: America’s Avenger #1 clarifies that the Becton name was an alias)
Topical References
The televisions in the shop window Cap passes by are all depicted as CRT televisions that use antennae to pick up television stations. I shouldn’t have to tell you why this is a topical reference.
It is stated here that Peggy Carter lost 25 years of her life due to amnesia. This is not entirely accurate, but even then this measurement of time should be considered topical as the Sliding Timescale causes the gulf of time between World War II and the Modern Age of the Marvel Universe to grow longer with each passing year.
