To Tame a Tumbler

Captain America is on patrol on his motorcycle when he catches the new Tumbler trying to rob the Guardian Life Insurance Company. This new Tumbler looks forward to defeating Captain America in battle in order to avenge the death of his brother, the original Tumbler.[1] Captain America points out that it was Moonstone who is really responsible for the original Tumbler’s death. Still, the new Tumbler manages to run circles around Captain America. However, this is when Cap points out that in trying to get out of reach he left his bag of stolen loot on the ground. Realizing he has totally fucked up, the Tumbler makes a hasty retreat. Looking inside the bag, Captain America finds that it contains a life insurance policy for one John Keane.

Meanwhile, the Tumbler retreats back to his home, chastising himself for screwing up so badly especially since his revenge is so important to him. Michael Keane returned home to look after his mother after his brother John was murdered. His ailing mother assured that she could be looked after thanks to the insurance policy that John took out. However, when Michael went to the Guardian Life Insurance Company to make a claim, the owner of the company declined to pay out due to John’s criminal past, saying that since he died while committing a criminal act his insurance policy was null and void. Michael struggled to look after his mother, but she soon died due to her frail health. Blaming the insurance company for his mother’s death, Michael decided to become the new Tumbler and began training himself to be just as acrobatic as his brother, something made easier thanks to his prior military service and training.

When the Tumbler returns home and begins planning his next move, Captain America shows up. Thanks to the insurance policy left behind during the Tumbler’s crime, Cap was able to use SHIELD’s database to learn about Michael and where he lived. There is a brief battle in the tiny apartment, but Captain America is able to pin the Tumbler under a table. He then explains that he hasn’t come to arrest the Tumbler, but instead help him find the evidence that Guardian Life is committing insurance fraud.

When the pair return to the life insurance company’s office they find a flurry of activity and believe that the company is trying to remove any evidence of fraud from the building after the Tumbler’s earlier break in. Sneaking inside, the pair find the records of a number of super-villains who have taken out insurance policies with the company. Captain America deduces that Guardian Life offers enticing insurance policies to criminals since no other insurance company would take out a policy on them and then reap the rewards since they could deny the beneficiaries based on the their client’s criminal past. Even though the company is defrauding criminals, Captain America still believes that they should be punished for their criminal ways.

They are soon caught by the owner of the company and his armed guards. However, Captain America and the Tumbler are able to fight their way to freedom with the evidence needed to expose Guardian Life Insurance and shut them down. In the aftermath of the battle, the Tumbler thanks Captain America for his help and assures him that the all-new heroic Tumbler will be back to fight crime.[2]

Recurring Characters

Captain America

Continuity Notes

1. The original Tumbler, was originally John Keane. He first fought Captain America back in Tales of Suspense #83. He was killed by Moonstone in Captain America #169 in a plot to frame Captain America for murder.

2. Except Michael Keane is never seen as the Tumbler again, at least as of this writing in November, 2021. In fact, as of Amazing Spider-Man #697, the Tumbler identity and costume went on to become part of the Hobgoblin’s super-villain franchise business.

Topical References

• This story states that the original Tumbler’s life insurance policy of a million dollars. Adjusting for inflation that would be worth about 2.6 million in 2021 dollars.

• In this story, Cap explains that he was able to find Michael’s home address by looking him up in the phone book, which was totally something you could do in 1984. However, phone books are not as ubiquitous anymore and its use here should be considered topical since Steve would have had access to more accurate information source (Such as the SHIELD records that he also used to look up and learn about Michael Keane)