Captain America #401
After the Storm
This story continues from Avengers #374…
In the aftermath of Operation: Galactic Storm, Captain America has called a meeting of both east and west coast branches of the Avengers. In light of part of the team’s decision to assassinate the Supreme Intelligence — against his orders — Cap has decided to put his leadership to a vote.[1] Iron Man insists that he did the right thing executing the Supreme Intelligence, stating that the Avengers usual code against killing doesn’t apply in a time of war. However, nobody wants Captain America to stand down and Goliath suggests that they all meet again to discuss things after everyone has had a chance for some rest and relaxation. Regardless, Captain America tells the group that he will be holding a voluntary meeting on ethics later that day. However, the reception to the idea is cold as everyone has their own personal business to attend to.
After the meeting adjourns, Quasar pulls Cap aside and tells him that he's leaving the Avengers effective immediately. This is because he feels as though he has been shirking his duty as defender of the universe by staying Earth-bound and is leaving for space to be more effective. His first order of business is to return to the Kree galaxy to see how he can help the survivors of the Nega-Bombs.[2] Captain America understands and tells Wendell that there will always be a place for him in the Avengers and wishes him the best of luck. Steve then heads down to the communications room where Peggy Carter is overjoyed to see that he is still alive. She tells him how US Agent and Falcon just found the long lost D-Man in the Arctic and are bringing him back.[3] This reminds Steve that his girlfriend Rachel Leighton and pilot John Jameson are still missing.[4] This upsets Cap as his life always seems to fall apart whenever he is away on Avengers duty.
At that moment, on Riverside Avenue in New York, Crossbones is taking Rachel for a walk after keeping her prisoner in an abandoned subway station and starving her for weeks. She has been forced to reveal everything she knows about Captain America to her prisoner and has since developed Stockholm Syndrome toward her captor. Seeing how weak and pitiful Rachel has become, Crossbones decides to do something about it. After breaking into a car and hotwiring it, he takes Rachel outside the city.[5]
Back at Avengers Headquarters, Captain America is going over the list of inactive Avengers and stresses over how the team is losing its stability.[6] He wonders if his own brand of heroism is outdated in this day and age where more brutal vigilantes like Wolverine, the Punisher, and Cable, seem to be thriving. His thoughts are interrupted when Clint Barton knocks at his door and tries to talk to him, but Steve doesn’t answer him. Later that evening, the only people to show up at his ethics seminar are the Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Scarlet Witch. It turns out that everyone else had business elsewhere.[7] Captain America decides that this meeting is a waste of time and walks out. Moments later, Thor comes rushing in asking if he’s missed the meeting. Going down to the kitchen for some coffee, Natasha, Wanda, and Clint discuss Cap’s current mood and what to do about it. Clint decides that what Steve needs is a night out for some fun and barges into his room and refuses to leave until he agrees to go out to a bar. Realizing that Barton isn’t going to relent a slightly more cheerful Steve Rogers agrees to go out.
By this time, Crossbones has driven all the way to New Jersey. Stopping at a gas station to fill up, he orders Rachel to call the Avengers and give them a phony status report so Captain America doesn’t come looking for them. She complies and gets ahold of Peggy Carter, telling her that she’s fine and to pass along a message to Steve to not worry. Peggy is concerned how to deal with this and confides in the Black Widow. Natasha is against telling Steve about this right now as he needs a night away from his personal problems. Instead, the Widow decides to trace the call and investigate where it came from.
Meanwhile, Clint has taken Steve down to a bar on the Lower East Side. Even though Steve doesn’t drink, he agrees to go inside and try to have some fun.[8] After ordering a pitcher of beer, they sit down at a table where Steve tells Clint about his current misgivings and doubts. Barton gets upset that Cap believes that he is no longer able to inspire the rest of the Avengers. He tells Steve that he should quit, just to show the team how much they need him, and suggests quitting as well so he can help bring this message home and suggests maybe starting a brand new team. Steve quashes all these ideas as the Avengers are going through a period of instability and they need him even if they don’t realize it. Clint tells Steve that he has to stop being so selfless and instead focus on his relationship. However, Steve points out that his girlfriend is one of the missing people he’s trying to find.[9]
That’s when Tony Stark enters the bar coming to talk to Steve, prompting Clint to go shoot some pool so they can talk in private. Steve and Tony talk about the differences they have been having recently. It all began during Tony’s “Armor Wars”, when he shut down stolen pieces of Stark technology. This put the pair at odds when Tony — as Iron Man — went so far as to shut down the Guardsmen armor at the Vault. This forced Tony to fake Iron Man’s death and convince the public that a new man in the suit. Although they tried to talk about it after the fact, Steve admits that he was too stunned by Tony’s stunt to have a meaningful conversation.[10] Tony admits that he pushed things too far back then and should have been better at explaining himself to Steve, who was concerned as a friend. They then talk about Operation: Galactic Storm, namely Tony pulling rank on the Kree home world then leading a group of Avengers to assassinate the Supreme Intelligence. This is where the two disagree, Tony believes he was justified as they were in the middle of a war, while Steve insisted that the Intelligence should have been put on trail, just like the war criminals at the end of World War II.[11] When Tony also points out that he left Cap stranded on Hala to stop the Nega-Bomb, Steve agrees that at least that was the right decision as he would have done the same thing.
Elsewhere, the Black Widow arrives at the gas station payphone where Rachel made her call, but finds no sign of her. About twenty miles away, Crossbones has brought her to the abandoned bomb shelter that Magneto once trapped his former boss, the Red Skull, to die.[12] Lowering themselves inside with a rope, Crossbones tells Rachel that he is going to spend their time down here training her, saying that he’s finally going to let her join his gang.[13]
Back at the bar, Tony Stark tells Steve that he can’t quit the Avengers because he is an inspiration to the entire team, Tony included. Stark says that Rogers inspires him to do the best he can.[14] Even though they don’t always agree, he respects Steve and appreciates everything he does. Tony also admits that he makes mistakes because he can never be as perfect as Steve and asks for his forgiveness. Steve accepts this apology, thinking that Tony was brave walking into a bar to tell him all of these even though he is a recovering alcoholic.[15] The two shake hands and after Tony leaves, Steve grabs Clint and says it is time to head back to headquarters.
When they return to Avengers Headquarters, the Falcon and US Agent have returned from their mission in the Arctic. Steve is then happily reunited with D-Man, but learns that his friend has been left in an unspeaking fugue state after his ordeals up north. Still, Steve is thankful that Falc and US Agent were able to bring him home and even tells the US Agent that he owes him one. This gives Steve new hope as he believes that perhaps he can get through this tough period with a little help from his friends.
… Operation: Galactic Storm’s epilogue continues in Quasar #35.
Recurring Characters
Captain America, Avengers (Black Knight, Black Widow, Captain Marvel, Crystal, Doctor Pym, Demolition Man, Falcon, Gilgamesh, Hawkeye, Hercules, Iron Man, Living Lightning, Mockingbird, Quasar, Scarlet Witch, She-Hulk, Sersi, Spider-Woman, Starfox, Thor, US Agent, Vision, Wasp, Wonder Man), Diamondback, John Jameson, Peggy Carter, Edwin Jarvis, Crossbones
Continuity Notes
When it was learned that the Supreme Intelligence instigated the war between the Kree and Shi’ar to detonate a Nega-Bomb in the Kree empire and jumpstart his people’s evolution, Iron Man led a team of Avengers to kill him in Avengers #374. What they don’t know is that the Intelligence faked his own death and lives on. He’ll turn up alive again in Imperial Guard #1-3.
While we’ll see in greater detail in Quasar #35-36.
D-Man was lost during a fight against ULTIMATUM in the Arctic in Captain America #349. He was found by US Agent and Falcon last issue.
Rachel, aka Diamondback, was kidnapped by Crossbones in Captain America #396, Steve will not rescue her until issue #411. John left Cap’s employ as he has been unable to stop hitting on Rachel and feels inadequate being Steve’s pilot. He took off following the events of Captain America #398. We’ll find out he is one of Dredmund’s werewolves in issue #407.
Before her kidnapping, Rachel experienced a near death experience in Captain America #388 that made her decide to retire as Diamondback.
Here, Steve mentions how Spider-Man and the Sub-Mariner have not answered any Avengers summons in recent history. The details:
The Sub-Mariner was given membership in the Avengers in Avengers #262 and served on the team until the death of his wife Marrina in issue #293. He returned again briefly in Avengers #305-310.
Spider-Man has flirted with Avengers membership for many years with flubbed attempts at membership in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #3, Avengers #221, 236-237, and 314-318. He was finally given reserve status in Avengers #329, but not much will come of it. He will not become a proper member of the Avengers until many years later in New Avengers #1-5.
Natasha states here that the Vision is off getting his skin repaired. He suffered damage getting caught in a Nega-Bomb explosion in Wonder Man (vol. 2) #9.
It was revealed in Captain America #371 that Steve doesn’t drink because his father was an alcoholic.
Hawkeye chastises himself for giving relationship advice since his own marriage is in trouble at the time of this story. Hawkeye married Mockingbird in Hawkeye #4. However, the couple’s relationship has been in trouble since West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #34, when Hawkeye found out that she stoon and watched a villain die. This was a whole thing. See West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #17-24.
When Tony discovered that his Iron Man technology was stolen and sold to others, he went on a mission to deactivate all the unauthorized use of his technology. This made Iron Man very unpopular leading to a clash with Captain America to boot. As Iron Man’s true identity wasn’t public knowledge at the time, Tony faked “Iron Man’s” death and led the world to believe he hired someone new to wear the suit. See Iron Man #225-232 and Captain America #340. For a time he also tried to convince his fellow Avengers that it was someone different in the armor, but this didn’t really pan out and he stopped pretending in Avengers West Coast #72.
Iron Man and Captain America were among the Avengers delegation to the Kree home world of Hala. For those events see Iron Man #278-279, Captain America #398-400, and Avengers #374. What neither of them know is that Iron Man’s sudden decision to assassinate the Supreme Intelligence was implanted in his mind by Immortus, this will be revealed in Avengers Forever #8.
Magneto, a Holocaust survivor, captured the Red Skull and dumped him in this bombshell back in Captain America #367 as punishment for the crimes he committed as a member of the Nazis during World War II. He was later freed by Crossbones in issue #370. At the time of this story, Crossbones was fired by the Skull, as seen in Captain America #394.
When she was just fifteen years old, Rachel tried to join Brock’s street gang, the Savage Crims. The future Crossbones raped and beat her instead, then murdered two of her brothers after the fact. See Captain America #400 for all the gory details.
Here, Tony states that he didn’t cry at his father’s funeral. He is referring to Howard Stark the man he believes to be his father at the time of this story:
It’s later revealed that Tony is not Howard Stark’s biological son and that he was adopted. His real parents were Amanda Armstron and a SHIELD agent known only a Jude. See Iron Man (vol. 5) #7 and International Iron Man #5-7.
Howard Stark allegedly died in a car accident as revealed in Iron Man #288. However, S.H.I.E.L.D. #5 reveals that a car accident contingency was put into place should Howard ever need to fake his own death. As of this writing (July, 2022) it has yet to be confirmed if Stark faked his death or not.
Although Tony claims to have not cried at his father’s funeral, Iron Man (vol. 3) #44 shows otherwise. One could assume that Tony is only saying he didn’t in order to butter Steve up.
Tony has gone through two alcoholic benders in the past that almost destroyed his entire life. See Iron Man #120-128 and again in Iron Man #167-182.
Topical References
Artist Rik Levins stacks the scene at the Laughing Moose bar with cameos of famous people and characters. All of these should be considered topical references since they were added tongue and cheek and not reflective as actual appearances of these characters. They include:
Emma Peel and John Steed: The main characters of a British series espionage series called The Avengers, which ran from 1961 to 1969.
Gomez and Morticia Adams and their butler Lurch of the Adams Family. Starting off as a series of New Yorker cartoons in the 1930s the franchise spun-off in various TV and film projects. The best known incarnation was a TV series that ran from 1964 to 1967.
Humphry Bogart: A famous actor from the golden age of Hollywood, best known for his role in Casablanca. He died in 1957.
James Bond: The lead character in books published by author Ian Flemming. These works were adapted into the James Bond franchise of films.
Albert Einstein: The famous physicist. He died in 1955.
Dagwood Bumstead: The lead character in the Blondie comic strip which began in 1930.
Minnesota Fats: A fictional pool hustler from the Walter Tevis novel “The Hustler” from 1959. The character was famously played by actor Jackie Gleason in a 1961 film adaptation of the book.
Reid Fleming: The title character in David Boswell’s Reid Fleming, World's Toughest Milkman.
Groucho Marx: Another actor from the Golden Age of Hollywood, this time a comedian. He died in 1977.
Popeye the Sailor: The titular character of his own comic strip that was began publication by King Features Syndicate in 1929.
Elvis Presley: The so-called “King of Rock and Roll” who was popular throughout the 50s and 60s. He died in 1977.
Rod Serling: Noted television producer best known for being the narrator on the Twilight Zone. He died in 1975.
Dick Tracy: The title character of a detective adventure comic strip that began printing in newspapers in 1931.
The Yellow Kid: One of the earliest comic strip characters ever created. Made his debut in 1895.
When Steve thinks he can get by with a “little help from his friends”, he quotes the Beatles son “With a Little Help from my Friends” and mentions the songs writers Paul McCartney and John Lennon. Since Steve is quoting a classic song and not something that was new at the time this story was published, this wouldn’t necessarily be considered a topical reference.
Operation: Galactic Storm Reading Order
Captain America #398, Avengers West Coast #80, Quasar #32, Wonder Man (vol. 2) #7, Avengers #345, Iron Man #278, Thor #445, Captain America #399, Avengers West Coast #81, Quasar #33, Wonder Man (vol. 2) #8, Avengers #346, Iron Man #279, Thor #446, Captain America #400, Avengers West Coast #82, Quasar #34, Wonder Man (vol. 2) #9, Avengers #347, Captain America #401, Quasar #35