Celluloid Heroes

Steve Rogers is out on a night on the town with his friends Josh Cooper and Sam Wilson. After Sam almost lets slip that Steve is Captain America, the pair call it a night.[1] As they head for home they come upon a man getting mugged in the street. Sending Josh to get the police, Steve and Sam come to the rescue. Although their effectiveness is impaired by alcohol they manage to trounce the muggers just as Josh returns with a cop. The following morning, despite their hang overs, Steve and Sam change into Captain America and the Falcon and head to Avengers Mansion for a training session with the Beast.

Upon their arrival, non-descript bag lady reports the arrival of Captain America to her master, the massive Ameridroid. Being guided by a mystery man calling himself the Teacher, the Ameridroid orders his minions to begin what he calls Operation: Desecration.

Inside the mansion, Captain America receives a letter from Galaxy Pictures who are working on a film based on his life and have asked him to come out to Los Angeles to help promote the new movie. Captain America isn’t interested in participating in the slightest, however this changes when the Vision calls them to see story that is being reported on the morning news. Apparently Los Angeles is home to a new costumed vigilante, Nomad, who has been dealing with a terrorist organization called the Nihilist Order who have been terrorizing the area. Captain America can’t believe this since he was Nomad during a period in which he lost faith in the government and abandoned the Captain America identity for a time.[2] Curious to learn who the next Nomad is and what their motivations are, Captain America decides to use Galaxy Studio’s publicity campaign as a cover for his investigation into the new Nomad.

Arriving in Los Angeles, Captain America is attacked by members of the Nihilist Order. He is assisted by the timely arrival of Nomad. With the terrorists taken down, Nomad takes an interview from the media while Captain America is greeted by Wally Lombago, a representative from Galaxy Pictures that has come to pick him up. Captain America endures the ride back to the studio as Wally’s studio talk is exhausting. Little does he know that the vehicle has been bugged and he is being observed by the Ameridroid and his teacher, who are already plotting the next phase of their scheme. After, the Teacher takes the Ameridroid to device that has been altering the Ameridroid’s mind. The massive android is reluctant but complies with his Teacher, who recounts how the Ameridroid was once a Nazi war criminal named Lyle Dekker who transferred his mind into a massive android replica of Captain America. The process made Dekker realize how he gave up his humanity and was found by the Teacher pondering his next move following his last battle with Captain America.[3]

Meanwhile, at Galaxy Pictures, Leonard Spellman — the director of the new Captain America film — calls a press conference to generate publicity for the film. Also present is Jason Staid, the actor who will be playing Captain America in the film. He quickly turns the podium over to Captain America who answers questions from the press. Spellman then takes them all to see something the prop department whipped up: A 25 foot tall replica of Captain America. That’s when one of the reporters pulls out a gun and shoots Leonard in the shoulder. As it turns out she is really an operative of the Nihilistic Order. That’s when more NO operatives arrive in a helicopter to help their ally escape. Captain America leaps into action to stop them as Wally and Jason watch from the sidelines wondering what to do. That’s when Nomad arrives to lend a hand.

Nomad is too busy grand standing for the cameras that the terrorists are about to make their escape in the helicopter. When Captain America tries climbing up a rope ladder to get at them, Nomad picks up a gun off the ground and begins to shoot wildly, forcing Cap to leap to safety. However, rather than chew Nomad out for botching things, Captain America thanks him for his help and shakes his hand in front of the press. However, the Star-Spangled Avenger is highly suspicious of Nomad and is only playing nice to learn what his real game is.

Watching from the monitors, the Ameridroid and his Teacher are unimpressed that things didn’t go according to plan. When Nomad enters their hideout to apologize for screwing things up, the Teacher slaps him across the face for his failure. Still, the Teacher believes his plan will be a success and he will finally put an end to Captain America.[4]

Recurring Characters

Captain America, Ameriadroid, Red Skull, Sam Wilson, Josh Cooper, Avengers (Thor, Iron Man, Vision, Beast), Wally Lombergo, Leonard Spellman, Jason Staid

Continuity Notes

1. Sam mentions how he and Steve first met on the Red Skull’s island. This was in Captain America #117.

2. Steve Rogers gave up being Captain America when he discovered that the President of the United States was the leader of the Secret Empire and witnessed the Commander-in-Chief blow his brains out in the Oval Office circa Captain America #169-175. He then reinvented himself as Nomad until his replacement —- Roscoe Simmons — was murdered by the Red Skull, forcing Steve back in the role. See Captain America #176-186.

3. The whole Lyle Dekker/Ameridroid “saga” (if you want to call it that) was chronicled in Captain America #219-221.

4. Should it be a surprise to anybody that the “Teacher” is actually the Red Skull? The big “reveal” happens next issue but really you’d have to be an idiot not to see this coming a mile away.

Topical References

• The request from Galaxy Pictures arrives at the mansion via telegram. This should be considered a topical reference. while telegrams are still a thing, they are not as ubiquitous as they once were and certainly not a way a movie studio would correspond with someone.

• Captain America is depicted flying American Airlines to Los Angeles. This should be considered topical as this is a real world company. He is also depicted disembarking at LAX by a set of runway stairs that take him directly onto the tarmac. This method of getting off a plane is no longer used as a major international airport as most use passenger boarding bridges.

• Wally compares the Captain America movie they are working on to El Topo a 1970 Mexican film that received critical acclaim. It’s reference here should be considered topical.

• The member of the Nihilist Order posing as a news reporter is depicted using a tape recorder to interview Captain America. This thing is a large machine that she has slung over her shoulder as they were massive back then. I shouldn’t have to tell you why this is topical.