The Rocks are Burning!

Captured by the Loyalist Forces of America, Captain America and the Falcon are forced to participate in their Kill-Derby, a gladiatorial-style battle arena after one of the combatants steals Captain America’s shield. With only Cap, the Falcon, and a lone warrior still standing, Steve tells Sam to hold back while he fights to get his shield back. When Captain America proves to be the superior fighter, the warrior with the shield pretends to toss it back to him. However, Cap notices that his foe has planted and explosive onto the shield and leaps out of the way. When the weapon boomerangs back to the warrior he is caught in the blast of his own trap. Recovering his shield, Captain America tries to convince the watching audience that watching men fight to the death is wrong.

While on the surface, General Argyle Fist and his troops continue to search for the entrance to the Loyalist hideout. Having pinpointed its general location using ground-penetrating radar, they begin blasting the badland surface with napalm until they uncover the secret entrance. With the underground tunnel exposed, Fist leads his men into battle.

Back down below, Captain America’s impassioned speech has fallen on deaf ears. However, since they survived the life-or-death battle, Cheer Chadwick offers Cap and Falcon the pot of gold that the Kill-Derby contestants were fighting for. Since they refuse to accept this wealth, Cheer orders the crowd to kill them both. Before the frenzied mob can attack, General Fist and his men come rushing in with guns blazing. The Loyalist’s own militia responds with their high-tech weaponry but when Captain America and the Falcon join the fracas, the militia is defeated. As Cheer Chadwick flees with her father “Poppa” Chadwick, he assures her daughter that this is only a minor setback and America will soon be theirs when they unleash the Madbomb on the 4th of July.[1]

Recurring Characters

Captain America, Falcon, the Elite (Cheer Chadwick, Poppa), Royalist Forces (Tinkerbell), Argyle Fist

Continuity Notes

1. Poppa Chadwick’s first name is not given here. Thunderbolts #31 reveals it to be Hesperus.

Topical References

• This story states that it takes place prior to the American Bicentennial. This should be considered a topical reference. Modern readers should interpret the event as a 4th of July celebration, but not one tied to any specific milestone.