A Face of a Hero! Yours!

Arnim Zola has just dropped a bombshell of a revelation regarding the origins of his latest creation, Nazi X. The mad geneticist claims that its metallic head houses the brain of none other than Adolf Hitler himself.[1] While Zola was originally planning on grafting a replica of Hitler’s face onto Nazi X, he has now decided that he wants to use Captain America’s instead. Refusing to allow this, Captain America and Donna Maria begin grabbing bottles of volatile chemicals off a nearby table and hurl them at Zola.[2] The resulting explosions and flames giving them cover to flee their captor once again. As they flee, they feel the castle rumbling as the flames cause it pain, since it is one giant bio-engineered organism created by Zola.

Meanwhile, Sharon Carter and the Red Skull are arriving outside of Arnim Zola’s castle. The Nazi war criminal has promised to take Sharon to Captain America as long as she promised not to alert SHIELD to his involvement in Zola’s experiments.

As they arrive on the scene, Captain America and Donna Maria get outside the castle. There, they are ambushed by two creatures that Zola has guarding his home. While one lunges at Captain America, Donna Maria uses one of their last vials of chemicals to light the other on fire. When she tries to do the same to the one mauling Cap, it bucks her off while also grabbing the vial of chemicals. That’s when Sharon shoots the vial, causing it to explode in the monster’s hand, killing it. Sharon is then reunited with Captain America, but everyone is horrified to discover that Captain America has been blinded during his fight against the monster. As the castle begins to convulse and explode around them, the Red Skull tries to use the ensuing chaos to kill his arch-nemesis while he has the advantage.

However, the exploding castle separates the two combatants before a victor can be decided. That’s when a SHIELD team who were summoned by the homing beacon that Sharon secretly activated while she was dealing with the Red Skull. With Skull missing in action and Zola’s castle destroyed, SHIELD airlifts everyone out so Sharon can give her report and Cap can get some much needed medical attention.[3]

Recurring Characters

Captain America, Red Skull, Arnim Zola, SHIELD (Sharon Carter), Nazi X, Donna Maria Puentes

Continuity Notes

1. This may or may not be accurate depending on how you want to slice it (pardon the pun.) 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 receptacle for Hitler’s mind. Taskmaster (vol. 2) #4 reveals that there were actually many cloned brains of Hitler created back in the day. Official Index to the Marvel Universe: Captain America’s summary of last issue suggests that this could be Hitler’s original brain, but bereft of the memories and personality of the infamous Nazi leader.

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

3. The fate of both the Red Skull and Arnim Zola are left unrevealed at the end of this story. Both men survive. The Skull will reappear in Captain Britain #15, while Zola will resurface in Super-Villain Team-Up #17.