Captain America #182
Inferno
During his battle against Nomad, Viper and Cobra fled the rest of the Serpent Squad and find themselves pinned down by police in Seattle. When Nomad catches up with them, he tries to leap get involved,[1] however the police mistake him for a novice since nobody knows he used to be Captain America.[2] When he tries to force his way past the police, he’s knocked out and handcuffed to a car.
While in the building across the street, Viper is willing to die in battle due to her nihilistic beliefs. This disturbs Cobra who wants nothing to do with Viper’s bleak worldview, but she forces him to keep shooting back at the cops while she puts on the Serpent Crown for guidance. When the cops try to rush the building they are gunned down in cold blood, making Nomad wonder why they didn’t let him get involved.
In Virginia, Sharon Carter walks around her family home wondering what she is going to do about Steve’s recent decision to continue fighting crime as it has drove a further wedge in their relationship. Her thoughts are interrupted when she is greeted by Dave Cox, the Carter’s neighbor who she last met when they were attacked by the Serpent Squad.[3]
Back in Seattle, Nomad breaks free from his handcuffs and leaps into the building where Viper and Cobra are holed up. The building has since caught fire and the flames threaten to consume both villains. The Cobra begins to become mentally unhinged when faced with his own mortality and begins to hallucinate. He thinks he sees his former partner, Mister Hyde, is lurking in the smoke laughing at him.[4] When Nomad comes crashing in he tries to save them, but the Viper is willing to die because it will make her a martyr to her cause, confident that others will rise to take her place. Cobra tries to escape, but is shot in the back by Viper. When Nomad tries to stop her he is blasted out of the building by a blast from a firehose as fire fighters arrive on the scene to put out the blaze. That’s when the building collapses, seemingly burying Viper and Cobra alive. Unseen by anyone is the Serpent Crown which is washed away into a nearby sewer.[5]
In New York, Roscoe — a New York City gym owner — has decided to take up the mantle of Captain America and is now on patrol for the first time and enjoying every minute of it.[6] He is joined by the Falcon, who has given the idea of Roscoe being the new Captain America some second thought. However, Sam Wilson is only agreeing to work with Roscoe in order to convince him that this job is too dangerous.[7] As they go on patrol together, Falcon spots Gabe Jones out with Peggy Carter and once again wonders why the pair are spending so much time together. All thoughts about the pair are put aside when Falcon and the new Captain America spot a bank robbery in progress. However, when they take down the goons they are shocked to discover that they aren’t robbing the bank but were actually bringing money into the business.
As they try to make sense of this strange situation, Falcon and Roscoe are blasted from behind by the mastermind behind the plot. Wearing a cloth mask over his face, the leader of this gang removes it to reveal that he is none other than the Red Skull.
Recurring Characters
Nomad, Captain America, Falcon, Red Skull, Viper, Cobra, SHIELD (Sharon Carter, Peggy Carter, Gabe Jones), Dave Cox, Redwing
Continuity Notes
Nomad mentions how he made a brief stop in Vietnam before coming here. That was depicted in Avengers #131.
Steve Rogers quit as Captain America after discovering that the leader of the Secret Empire was a former President of the United States. See Captain America #169-175. He will be forced back into the role next issue.
The Serpent Squad came after Captain America at the Carter mansion in Captain America #163.
Cobra and Mister Hyde worked together on a number of occasions prior to this. See Journey into Mystery #105-106, 110-111, and Daredevil #30-32 and 61.
All parties survive. The Cobra is next seen in Daredevil #142-143, while Viper will resurface in Marvel Team-Up #83-85. This Serpent Crown will turn up again in Marvel Two-In-One #64-66. The events surrounding the Serpent Crown in this issue are explored in more detail in Web of Spider-Man Annual #5.
Roscoe’s full name is not given here. Captain America #615.1 reveals that his last name is Simmons.
Falcon recalls how two others unsuccessfully tried to take over as Captain America. They were baseball pitcher Bob Russo and a biker named Scar Turpin. See Captain America #178-179.
