Captain America #386
For Rightousness’s Sake
When trying to silence their guilt ridden new recruit, Mike Farrel, the Watchdogs ended up in a clash with Captain America. They managed to get away by kidnapped Cap’s former girlfriend, Bernie Rosenthal.[1] They then bring her to the leader of the New York chapter. After hearing how everything went down, the Top Dog tells his men to stash Bernie away at “The Lodge” for safekeeping.
Meanwhile, Captain America has returned to Avengers Headquarters to figure out a way to track down the Watchdogs and free Bernie. Coming up with nothing, Steve decides to blow off steam in the training room. John Jameson watches on, wishing there was more he could do to help. That’s when Jarvis arrives and tells John that there is a visitor for Cap and asks him to shut down the simulation. This visitor — US Agent — tells them not to both and leaps into the middle of the training session. The Agent tells Captain America that he wants to help him hunt down and stop the Watchdogs. Cap remembers reading how the Agent clashed with the Watchdogs in the past. However, he also killed a number of the terrorists in retaliation when they murdered his parents.[2] Steve doesn’t want to bring a loose cannon like John Walker on this mission, especially since US Agent was ousted from the Avengers’ west coast roster.[3] However, John reminds Steve how he saved him during their fight with the Red Skull and that he owes him one. Steve still refuses telling Walker flat out that he will not jeopardize innocent lives working someone as violent as he is. US Agent then turns and leaves without another word.
While in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, Mike Farrel is on the run from both the law and the Watchdogs. Getting a room in a cheap motel he shaves off his unique mustache in an effort to make himself less recognizable while out in public. With no other options, he decides to go back to the Watchdogs and throw himself at their mercy.
Along the Vermont border, Bernie Rosenthal is brought to the Lodge. This is a Watchdog facility where they taken “immortal” people and brainwash into believing the organization’s puritan ideals. Since Bernie isn’t really a prisoner, they toss her into one of the living quarters. However, Rosenthal — no stranger to being kidnapped by villains — decides to bide her time because Captain America will find a way to find and rescue her.[5]
Back at Avengers Headquarters, Captain America is telling John Jameson as much information about US Agent that he can divulge, since most of John Walker’s past is classified information.[6] That’s when they are interrupted by Fabian Stankewicz, the Avengers resident inventor. He tells Cap that he might have found a connection between the disappearances of fifteen people who work in industries that the Watchdogs find immoral. He also used this list to figure out that the next target could be an erotic artist named Enrique Parquer. This gives Steve an idea, but it will require a disguise.
In Queens, Mike Farrel finds Stuart Bartlet, the man who recruited him into the Watchdogs, and asks for help. Stu pretends to want to bring Mike back into the fold. However, when the return to Bartlet’s apartment he calls his superiors to ask what they want done about Mike. Overhearing the conversation, Farrel tries to attack Stu, but Barlet manages to knock him out.
While in Soho, Captain America pays a visit to Enrique Parquer. He complains about this being the second time he has been warned about threats to his exhibit and refuses to cancel his art showing. Cap hands Parquer a business card in case he changes his mind and declines an offer to buy some of Enrique’s art for the lobby at Avengers Headquarters. He then returns to his van where he and John Jameson will stake the place out for the Watchdogs. Sure enough, a few hours later a pair of men come and haul Enrique away. While John follows from behind, Cap takes to the air in his sky-cycle to track them from the sky.
The pair are led to the The Lodge, where the Watchdogs put a shock collar on Parquer and force him to join the others in a brainwashing session to teach them the group’s brand of morality. When Cap arrives on the scene, he cuts the power before begin detected by the guard dogs. He leads them on a chase through the front door. With the Watchdogs trying to contain the dogs, Captain America slinks around the building in the dark. In one room he finds Mike Farrel and tells him to lay low until the danger has passed. Just then, US Agent comes crashing in through a skylight, ambushing a number of the Watchdogs. With his superior strength, he trounces them easily and just before he breaks the back of one of the terrorists, he stops himself remembering the vow he made to never take another life.[7]
Meanwhile, Captain America finds Bernie and the other prisoners and frees them. As they make their way out, Cap almost decks US Agent when he sneaks up behind him in the darkness. As it turns out, the Agent knocked out all the Watchdogs while Cap was busy. With the authorities on their way, Mike Farrel tells Cap and US Agent that he worked with the Watchdogs and is just as guilty of their crimes and promises to turn himself and.
Recurring Characters
Captain America, US Agent, Watchdogs (Stuart Bartlet), John Jameson, Bernie Rosenthal, Fabian Stankewicz, Mike Farrel
Continuity Notes
Steve and Bernie Rosenthal had a pretty serious and complex relationship. They began dating shortly thereafter in issue #251. Bern figured out his double-identity in Captain America #275-276. Although Bernie proposed to him in issue #292, his duties as Captain America drove a wedge and Bernie ultimately decided to leave New York to pursue her legal career in issue #317. The two drifted apart shortly thereafter. Since then, Cap started dating Diamondback in Captain America #371. He has been unable to find a way to bring Rachel up since Bernie re-entered his life in issue #380.
US Agent clashed with the Watchdogs during a period where he took over the role of Captain America between issues #333 and 350. He first fought them in Captain America #335. When John Walker’s true identity was exposed in issue #341, the Watchdogs kidnapped and murdered his parents in Captain America #345.
US Agent was forced onto the west coast team in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #44. However, when the Avengers organization lost their backing by the US government and became a part of the United Nations (circa Avengers #326-329), the west coast team used this change to force US Agent off the team, as seen in Avengers West Coast #69.
US Agent helped Captain America fight the Red Skull in Captain America #350. Here, Walker refers to the Skull as a “Red Skull lookalike”. This is because the general public believes that Skull to have died of old age in Captain America #300. The reality is that the Skull cheated death by having his mind downloaded into a clone body created from Captain America’s DNA, this was also revealed in issue #350. However, very few people know the truth.
Bernie recounts the time that she was a prisoner of the Red Skull. This happened in Captain America #294-300.
Here, Steve mentions that US Agent was once known as the Super-Patriot. Walker operated under this identity from Captain America #323 until he was awarded the Captain America title in issue #333. After bottoming out as Captain America in issue #350, John was reinvented as US Agent in Captain America #354.
Back when he was Captain America, John got revenge against his former friends Left-Winger and Right-Winger for publicly revealing his real identity. He left them to die in an oil tank explosion in Captain America #347. He later discovered that they survived but suffered burns over 90% of their bodies. Unable to deal with the constant pain, the Wingers committed suicide. Learning about this, John vowed never to take a life again as seen in Captain America #383.
Topical References
Stu is depicted as having a CRT television in his apartment that uses an antenna to pick up signals. This should be considered topical reference as this is an obsolete technology.
When Stu knocks Mike out with a beer bottle he quips “This Bud’s for you!” This was a brand slogan for Budweiser beer that was first used in 1979. The slogan was still in use around the time this comic book was published. Its reference here should be considered a topical reference since Budweiser is a real world product.
Snake Heist
Diamondback, Black Mamba, and Asp — now calling themselves BAD Girls Inc. — returned to Rachel’s apartment to set up a trap for the remaining members of the Serpent Society.[1] Unfortunately, they were waiting nearby in ambush and they are caught off guard when they are attacked by Anaconda, Puff Adder, and Rock Python. With a Serpent Saucer crashed through the ceiling of the apartment, Black Mamba is buried under the debris.
With one of their members down, both Diamondback and Asp are quickly subdued and taken prisoner. The villains take off with their prisoners aboard the Serpent Saucer. However, before they can carry out their revenge, something attacks the ship. Suddenly, the floor of the craft is ripped open and two mechanical arms grab and toss Puff Adder and Rock Python out of the ship. The owner of these robotic limbs turns out to be MODAM who tells Diamondback that this is a rescue mission.
Recurring Characters
BAD Girls Inc. (Diamondback, Black Mamba, Asp), Serpent Society (Rock Python, Anaconda, Puff Adder), MODAM
Continuity Notes
Diamondback, Asp, and Black Mamba helped Captain America take down most of the Serpent Society. See Captain America #380-382.