Captain America #363

Nov 5

Nov 5 Captain America #363

Moon Over Madripoor

The mercenary known as Crossbones has just fled the battle between Captain America and Baron Zemo over the Bloodstone, with Diamondback as his prisoner. Climbing down the mountainside, he comes upon a fishing village and steals a boat in order to flee the country.

Later, Captain America and John Jameson return to Avengers Island. Thinking that Diamondback ditched him, he checks in with Peggy Carter to see if he has any messages from her, but none are waiting.

Meanwhile, Diamondback wakes up and finds herself a prisoner of Crossbones, and learns that her captor is taking her to the island of Madripoor. Crossbones tells her that his boss hired him to get the Bloodstone and that he isn’t going to be happy that he is coming back empty handed. As Diamondback struggles to get one of her acid tipped diamonds hidden in the heel of her boot she finds that her captor’s voice sounds familiar but can’t quite place it.[1]

Back in America, Steve Rogers tries to get some sleep but he can’t get Diamondback out of his mind. Even though she is a criminal who originally tried to take his life on a number of occasions, after his recent adventure with her he discovers that he actually cares about her well being.[2]

Several days later, Crossbones arrives in Madripoor and brings Diamondback to a local brothel run by Madam Xiona. She gives him a room where he handcuffs his prisoner to the bed. Here, Crossbones calls Diamondback by her old childhood nickname “Ratsel”, confirming her suspicions that he is someone from her past. Asking what he is going to do with her, Crossbones explains that he is going to hold her hostage in order to lure Captain America into a trap.

When Crossbones calls Captain America at Avengers Island, he tells the Avenger that if he wants to see Diamondback again that he is to meet him at the Brass Monkey in Madripoor. Cap falls for the trap and orders his pilot John Jameson to set a course for Madripoor.

Meanwhile, Crossbones leaves Diamondback tied up so he can find an appropriate place to set a trap for Captain America.[3] Arriving at the pier, he decides it will be the ideal spot for his first trap. As Captain America arrives in Madripoor, Diamondback manages to get free from her handcuffs and subdues Madam Xiona. After getting the location for the Brass Monkey, Diamondback tries to leave the brothel but discovers the sex workers and bodyguards are not willing to let her go.

By this time, Captain America arrives at the Brass Monkey where one of the patrons tells him that Crossbones is waiting for him at the pier. When Captain America arrives there he tries to engage Crossbones in battle but steps on a concealed beartrap, putting him at the villain’s mercy.

Recurring Characters

Captain America, Diamondback, Crossbones, Avengers Support Crew (Peggy Carter, Michael O’Brien, Fabien Stankiewicz), John Jameson, Wolverine

Continuity Notes

Crossbones, aka Brock Rumlow, sounds familiar because Rachel’s brother was in the same gang as Brock as we’ll learn in Captain America #400.
As a member of the Serpent Society, Diamondback attacked Captain America with her teammates in issue #313 and 315. The pair were forced to work together on three different occasions: Hunting the Scourge of the Underworld in Captain America #319-320, saving Washington from Viper in issues #341-344, and more recently when they stopped Baron Zemo from obtaining the Bloodstone in issues #357-362.
Crossbones walks past none other than Wolverine in the crowd. This is a nod to the fact that Madripoor one of Logan’s stomping grounds when he’s not busy with the X-Men as first established in Marvel Comics Presents #1-9.

Malus Aforethought

After her ordeal with Curtiss Jackson and the Scourge of the Underworld, Pricilla Lyons goes to a bar for a drink. There she is asked to talk by two men who have been augmented by the Power Broker’s process. She refuses to go quietly and a fight breaks out. However, more men enter the the diner and drag her outside where a limo is waiting for her.

Inside the limo is Doctor Karl Malus, one of the scientists that was employed by Curtiss Jackson before his accident. He wants to know what she was doing at Jackson’s mansion when he was attacked by Scourge. She explains that she wanted to undergo the Power Broker process, but when Scourge attacked she was forced to run the process on Jackson himself, leaving him immobilized by the excessive muscle mass he had gained.

Convinced that she is telling the truth, Malus explains that he wishes to continue the operation on his own but in order to get access to some proprietary equipment he needs finger prints from Jackson to gain access and wants Pricilla to use an epidermold to get a cast of Jackson’s fingerprints since she will likely be allowed to visit him in the hospital.

With no other choice, Pricilla agrees to do so and visits Jackson at the hospital the next day. In order to ensure her compliance, Malus has her rigged with an bomb, tracking device, and microphone so she can’t get away or warn anybody. She fells horrible betraying Curtiss like this but goes through it anyway. Jackson is surprised to see her in the hospital and when he asks why she has come to visit him, she tells him that she felt he could use a friend.