Captain America #192
Mad-Flight!
Following the Falcon’s criminal trail in California, Steve Rogers head to the airport lost in thought. Even though Sam didn’t go to jail he’s still left wondering if their partnership was nothing more than a sham this whole time.[1] When he arrives at a ticket counter and tries to get on a flight to New York, Steve learns that all flights are sold out, but he might be able to get onto a chartered flight that is about to leave.
In a hurry to get back home, Steve races to the terminal and uses his SHIELD A-1 priority to get onto the private flight chartered by a company with the dubious name of the Acme Eraser Company. When he and the other passengers board, a woman named Karla asks everyone to turn over their weapons until the flight is over.[2] This obviously raises Steve’s suspicions but he plays along by telling Karla that he doesn’t carry a gun.
He quickly realizes that he is on a plane full of criminals when he takes a seat next to a mobster named Heels, so named because he has weapons stashed in the raised platforms of his shoes. Steve is surprised that these mobsters were gathered by Doctor Faustus who has gathered them all on a plot a massive crime spree in Manhattan. Steve then races to the washroom where he changes into Captain America. He then clashes with the criminals who are on board. When Heels tries to use the guns hidden in his shoes they are taken away because a stray bullet could cause explosive decompression in the cabin, killing them all. Eventually, Captain America is forced to surrender when Faustus has two of his men train their sonic depressors — the weapons they plan to use to hold Manhattan hostage — are trained on the hero.
As they approach JFK International airport, Faustus highjacks the airwaves to make his ransom demands to the city. While he is distracted, Captain America whirls into action and begins attacking Faustus and his men. Heels tries to shoot Captain America again by pulling out a gun hiding in his. However, this only causes the very thing he was warned about: The bullet misses and causes explosive decompression in the plane, which sucks Doctor Faustus out of the plane and seemingly to his death.[3] After using his shield to patch the hole in the plane, Captain America then manages to pull off an emergency landing. The police are waiting to take the crooks into custody once they land safely on the ground.
After his ordeals, Captain America thinks about all of the changes that he has gone through recently and realizes he has been through a lot in recent history. He decides to put it all behind him and looks forward to the new things that he will experience in the future.[4]
Recurring Characters
Captain America, Doctor Faustus, Karla Sofen
Continuity Notes
In Captain America #186 the Red Skull claimed that Sam Wilson was a drug dealer he brainwashed with the Cosmic Cube into becoming an ideal partner to Captain America. Last issue Sam went to trail for his past crimes. However, All-New Captain America #3 goes on to say that the Snap Wilson identity was the fabrication and Sam Wilson has always been a good man. How the trial against him last issue would have been allowed to happen as a result is, as of this writing in June 2021, remains unexplained. My speculations on the matter can be found here.
Karla’s full name is revealed to be Karla Sofen in Incredible Hulk #228-229. That story also reveals that she was not just a flight attendant, but a student of Doctor Faustus.
Faustus survives being sucked out of the plane. His survival is detailed when he resurfaces again in Amazing Spider-Man #169-170 thanks to the old “concealed parachute” trick.
These changes, other than the whole Snap Wilson thing is a vague reference to Captain America briefly quitting, then becoming Nomad, then going back to being Captain America again after he rediscovered the true meaning of America — that’s the TL;DR version at least — see Captain America #169-183.
Topical References
Doctor Faustus refers to Manhattan as a “bankrupt city” in this story. At the time of this story’s publication New York City had been in a financial crisis since 1970 and was deeply in debt. It eventually eliminated short term debt by 1978 and no longer needed financial support by 1985. This should be considered a topical reference as New York City is very prosperous place now.
It is also stated here that the United States is currently celebrating its bicentennial. Indeed the US was about to celebrate its 200th anniversary in 1976. Its reference here should be considered topical for the obvious reasons.
