The Flame and the Fury!

Two assassins from the National Front have just attempted to eliminate Peggy Carter. Luckily, the SHIELD agent is able to jump clear before they blow up her car. Hearing the blast, Captain America races to her side. She is injured and passes out as she hands him her SHIELD communicator. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have the proper code word to get help and he is under heavy fire from Peggy’s would-be killers.

After knocking out the shooters, the police arrive on the scene. As Peggy is taking away in an ambulance, Cap goes to question the two arrested members of National Force. However, the two killers activate devices built into their belts that incinerate them, as they would prefer death over capture. This act of suicide really drives home how fanatical the members of this Neo-Nazi group are.

Since he is on the outs with SHIELD, Captain America returns to his apartment to begin his own investigation into the National Front. Unaware that he is being observed, Steve Rogers changes out of his costume as he thinks about how complex the world has gotten since he first came on the scene during World War II.[1][2] He then pulls out his old police uniform, figuring his former cover identity will help him gather information more covertly than Captain America.[3] Going down to the local precinct, Steve is welcomed back by the commissioner.[4] In the commissioner’s office, Steve is told that the NYPD has had their hands tied because the National Front has been exercising their first amendment rights. When he pushed the issue he was told to stop poking around, suggesting to the commissioner that they may have somebody high up on their payroll.

While the commissioner is not looking, Steve changes into Captain America and leaves out the window to check other sources. He finds a stool pigeon named Carl Peel as he goes to pick up cocaine from a dead drop in an alley. Since a drug bust would mean jail time, Peel tells Captain America that the only person who knows anything about the National Front is Harlem’s resident crime boss, Morgan. Forcing his way into Morgan’s office, all the crime boss will say is that he and his men plan on starting a war with the National Front.[5] That’s when one of Morgan’s men rushes in to tell the mobster that the Neo-Nazis are planning to march through Harlem. Seeing this as a powder keg, Cap orders Morgan to stay away while he deals with the National Front. As the hero leaps out the window, Morgan orders his men to get ready for meet with National Front with force.

Meanwhile, National Front’s Grand Director arrives at an office in Midtown Manhattan. There he sits on a psychiatrists couch and talks about his conflicting feelings about their movement. He is particularly bothered by the upcoming violence and death, since it will end the lives of young people who still have hopes and dreams. The man listening to this assures the Director that these will be necessary sacrifices in order to achieve their goals and tells him to get back to work.[6]

Back in Harlem, the arrival of the National Front has led to violence and fires being set in the predominantly black neighborhood. The police try to keep the peace but local residents are becoming agitated. When Captain America arrives and tries to stop some of the National Front arsonists he is shocked when Sharon Carter — dressed like a member of the Front — appears and points a gun at him. Before he can think of what to do next, Morgan and his men arrive, putting Captain America in the middle of a potential cross fire.

Recurring Characters

Captain America, National Front (Doctor Faustus, Grand Director, Sharon Carter), Peggy Carter, Boss Morgan, Commissioner Feingold, Brain Muldoon

Continuity Notes

1. This man has been following Captain America since last issue. The identity of this stalker and who the Brotherhood is are, unfortunately, never revealed as this plotline was dropped following the stalker’s last appearance in Captain America #237.

2. Captain America mentions a few things about his past here: How he was in suspended animation for the years between World War II and the present (Avengers #4), his brief wartime romance with Peggy Carter and how he is now in a romance with her relative.(Tales of Suspense #75) The relationship between Peggy and Sharon is complex, click here for more.

3. Steve Rogers was a member of the NYPD from Captain America #139 through 159 where he investigated missing police officers and exposed departmental corruption. He officially resigned from his post in issue #180.

4. The commissioner’s full name is not given here. His last name is identified as Feingold in Defenders #13. It’s also interesting to note that Brain Muldoon appears in this story still in his position as Sargent in this story. He was exposed as the Cowled Commander in issue #159 and arrested. He next appears in Captain America #242 trying to get revenge against Captain America. The Cowled Commander profile in Captain America: America’s Avenger #1 also doesn’t explain his appearance here even though it is noted in Official Index of the Marvel Universe: Captain America.

5. Morgan complains about super-heroes always coming into hassle him. This story references the events of Power Man and Iron Fist #52. However, Morgan was regularly visited by the Falcon as seen in multiple instances as seen in Captain America #152, 154, 157-158, 165, 177-179, and 183.

6. If the psychiatrist’s office hasn’t tipped you off, the Grand Director’s puppet master is Doctor Faustus as we’ll learn next issue. The Grand Director is revealed to be William Burnside the 1950s Captain America next issue as well. How he became the Director is explained in issue #236.

Topical References

• Carl Peel is worried because a drug offense would have been a third-strike and instant jail time. This should be considered a topical reference as New York state abolished the three-strike rule in 2010 as it infringed on the Sixth Amendment of the US Constitution.

• In this story, Morgan calls Captain America a Honkey. This is a disparaging term used toward white people by blacks. It was used prominently by the Black Panthers in the 1960s as a counter-slur to the use of the n-word and to identify whites who were either racists, or supported established forms of discrimination.