Nazi “X”!

Imprisoned by the mad geneticist Arnim Zola, Captain America and Donna Maria are attacked in their cell by his latest creation, a humanoid he calls Nazi X.[1] Having had enough of this sport, Zola uses his control device to shut down Nazi X. He then reveals that inside the creature’s helmet exists a living human brain. As he boasts about how he kept this brain alive for years, Donna Maria sneaks behind him and tries to damage the ESP-Box that rests on Zola’s shoulders in place of his head. In the struggle, Captain America manages to grab the device Arnim uses to control his creations and he and Donna Maria flee from their cell.

Infuriated by this escape attempt, Zola retreats to his lab where he hoots his ESP-Box into a device that allows him to channel that power of his mind all over the castle. Although it appears to be an ancient stone structure, it is actually comprised of organic material which Zola can now command with his mind to attack his escaped prisoners. As the very walls around them try to attack, Captain America and Donna Maria attempt to find a way out.

Meanwhile, Sharon Carter is meeting with a millionaire named Cyrus Fenton, who SHIELD suspects is financially supporting Zola. As Sharon questions the bristly old man, she discovers that his face is actually a life-like mask when she touches him. With his cover blown, the Red Skull removes his Fenton masks and reveals that he murdered the investor and stole his fortune so he could fund his evil experiments. When the Nazi war criminal tries to attack her, Sharon fends him off with a SHIELD electro-pistol. Without weapons of his own, Red Skull plots against her by offering to bring her to Captain America, as long as she promises not to inform SHIELD of her discovery. Desperate to find Cap, Sharon reluctantly agrees to the Skull’s terms.

Back in Switzerland, Captain America and Donna Maria can’t find a way out. When Zola gloats over this, Captain America challenges to come out and face them. The geneticist does, but only so he can continue to show off Nazi X. When he explains that the brain which powers the creature had been preserved and kept in his care since the end of World War II, Captain America correctly deduces that it must be the brain of some high ranking Nazi. Arnim Zola confirms this and then tells Captain America that his face will be the one to give Nazi X the final piece of his perfect body.[2]

Recurring Characters

Captain America, Sharon Carter, Red Skull, Arnim Zola, Nazi X, Donna Maria Puentez

Continuity Notes

1. Donna Maria’s last name is not given here. It’s identified as Puentes in Captain America #350.

2. This high ranking Nazi is identified as Adolf Hitler next issue. In this story, Zola suggests that Hitler’s brain was removed in the final days of the war but this is not accurate. As detailed in Young Men #24, Adolf Hitler was immolated in his bunker by the android Human Torch. Super-Villain Team-Up #17 revealed that Zola developed a technology that allowed Hitler to cheat death by transferring his body into cloned bodies. Most of these clones became the various Hate-Mongers (first seen in Fantastic Four #21) and it’s clarified that Nazi X is just another one of these clones. Taskmaster (vol. 2) #4 reveals that there were actually many cloned brains of Hitler created back in the day.

Topical References

• This story refers to bio-engineering as a “new science”, that should be considered topical as what was considered almost science fiction back then is now very real today, albeit not as fantastic as what is displayed here.

Arnim Zola’s Flashback

As stated above, Zola’s tale of preserving Hitler’s brain doesn’t mesh very well with the concept of Hitler surviving by downloading his mind into cloned bodies. However, it should be pointed out that this revelation wasn’t made until much later in Super-Villain Team-Up #17, which was published almost 3 years after this story. Since the whole Hitler clone thing wasn’t common knowledge to heroes like Captain America at this point, one could presume that Zola isn’t telling the whole truth to keep it a secret. You can’t really expect a literal Nazi scientist to tell the whole truth all the time, can you? I thought not.

Official Index to the Marvel Universe: Captain America’s entry on this issue also suggests that the brain in Nazi X could still potentially be that of the original Hitler’s brain, bereft of the actual mind and memories of the infamous Nazi leader. This would also make sense considering the flashback does not show the condition of Hitler’s body when his brain is removed. Although how Hitler could be burned alive and still have an undamaged brain is anyone’s guess, so maybe chalk that up to more crazy comic book Nazi science.