Gantlet

This story continues from Nomad (vol. 2) #18…

Now

Captain America has arrived at the estate of notorious obese drug dealer Ulysses X. Lugman — aka the Slug — to stop his former partner Nomad from (brainwashed by Doctor Faustus) from killing him. Refusing to let anyone stand in his way, Nomad — aka Jack Monroe — tries to shoot Cap at point blank range with his sawed off shotgun. Luckily, Cap is able to deflect the blast with his shield. This however leaves him open to physical attack as Nomad slams his face into the Slug’s rolls of flesh in an effort to smother him alive.

Struggling to get free, Captain America thinks back to the events that led him here…

Earlier

Captain America was on his way back to New York after a mission in California. He was contacted by Giscard Epurer who told him that Nomad was a prisoner in a mental institution run by Doctor Faustus. Even though this was an obvious trap, Cap went to Florida anyway to investigate. Sneaking into the facility, Captain America is found by the wheelchair bound Faustus who has armed men attack the Avenger. Easily trouncing the mercenaries, Captain America prevents Faustus from escaping in a secret elevator and demands to know where Nomad is. Faustus explains how he brainwashed Nomad to be his personal assassin and sent him to eliminate the Slug. Not wanting his former partner to have blood on his hands, Cap has no choice but to let Faustus go so he can stop Nomad before he crosses the line.

Now

Captain America breaks free and as he brawls with Nomad he realizes that Faustus’ brainwashing has confused Nomad into thinking that Steve is the Captain America of the 1950s.[1] Reminding Jack that his old partner is long dead and that they are friends.[2] However, Jack continues to resist, having been convinced that he is evil because his abusive father was actually a Nazi spy — a secret that Jack was forced to keep as a child.[3] Steve tells Jack that the sins of their fathers have no bearing on who they are as a person, he reminds Monroe how his own father was an abusive alcoholic.[4] Moreover, both of their fathers are long dead and they cannot hurt them anymore. This makes Jack incredibly confused and he stops fighting, at least for now.

This gives Captain America a chance to stop the other assassins — Fastback, Outlaw, Hardhat, and Folio — from trying to kill Lugman as he tries to escape on his personal hovercraft. Although they shootdown the Slug’s craft, making him fall into a nearby lake, Captain America takes them all down before they can kill their target.

With the situation under control, Steve goes back to check on Nomad only to find the Nazi armband he had been wearing on the floor. Steve wonders if deprogramming Jack the way he did came at a cost and wonders what Monroe will do when he finally catches up with Doctor Faustus.

… This story concludes in Nomad (vol. 2) #19.

Recurring Characters

Captain America, Slug, Doctor Faustus, Nomad, Giscard Epurer

Continuity Notes

1. Jack Monroe was the sidekick to William Burnside, the man who took over Captain America’s identity in the 1950s. Exposed to an impure version of the Super Soldier Serum the pair became extremely paranoid forcing the government to put them in suspended animation for decades. They were freed in the present day and stopped by Steve Rogers. Later, Burnside was brainwashed by Doctor Faustus into becoming the Grand Director for a Neo-Nazi group called National Force. During that period, William shot his former partner and then immolated himself. While everyone believes that Burnside died, he actually survived and will return years later. See Young Men #24, Captain America #153-155, 231-236 and (vol. 5) #37.

2. Surviving getting shot, Jack Monroe tracked Steve Rogers down and the pair became partners for a time with Jack taking over Steve’s old Nomad identity. See Captain America #281-301.

3. The revelation that Jack’s father was a Nazi spy during World War II was revealed in Nomad (vol. 2) #18. Up until this point, Jack had suppressed the memory as his father was abusive as well.

4. Steve Rogers’ father was revealed to be an alcoholic back in Iron Man #172. A window into his childhood is depicted in Captain America (vol. 7) #1-2.