Captain America #431
Fighting Chance Book 7: The Next Generation
With the Super-Soldier Serum in his body wearing out, Captain America undergoes some tests to determine his effectiveness after a poor display in New Orleans that almost cost lives.[1][2] Examined by the Keith Kincaid, the Avengers resident doctor, the prognosis isn’t good. Steve’s condition has gotten even worse since his last check up and Keith insists that he slow down before it is too late. Steve tells him he can’t because there is still so much to do. When Keith suggests they get some other experts involved in finding a cure — such as Hank Pym — Steve once again swears Keith to secrecy as he refuses to be the object of pity.
Outside, Diamondback is waiting for Steve to come out. She knows that Steve is upset over the fact that she called in the Black Widow to bail them out. Her thoughts are interrupted when she overhears Quicksilver and Crystal gossiping about her as the pass by. Bothered by their offhand comments, Rachel finds the Widow and asks her what the other Avengers think of her relationship with Cap. While Natasha has come to respect her, she says that the others believe that Steve’s relationship with a reformed criminal is beneath him.[3] However, the Widow points out that the only thing that matters is what Steve thinks about her, and he thinks she’s great. However, given recent tensions between the two, Rachel isn’t entirely sure she can believe that anymore.
Meanwhile, at Hayden College in the midwestern United States, a young student named Cathy Webster is asked to stay behind after class by her teacher, Professor Suzanne Polukort. Suzanne introduces Cathy to her colleague, Doctor Deidre Wentworth, who has determined that the mousy young woman would be ideal for her latest enhancement experiments.[4] Cathy is reluctant, but the two women convince her that participating will earn her extra credit, helping her lagging grade point average caused by her lackluster grades in physical education. Webster says she’ll think about it. She starts making up her mind after getting pushed to the ground by a more athletic student during a soccer match.
Back at Avengers Headquarters, Steve is finished his appointment and discovers that Rachel has left, but didn’t tell anyone where she was going. He then checks in with Peggy Carter to see how the search for missing children related to the Dran case is going. Later, he calls on Fabian Stankowicz — his resident technician — to help him build some new devices that will make him a more effective crime fighter, not telling Fabian why he needs this new gear and Stankowicz is too excited over his new project to ask.
Meanwhile, Diamondback pays a visit to her lawyer and Cap’s ex-girlfriend, Bernie Rosenthal. She tells Bernie how she has confirmed that Snapdragon had died, saying that her brother Kono confirmed that he had her remains cremated.[5] However, since the crime was committed in Boca Caliente — an island owned by Advanced Idea Mechanics — Bernie say it is a bad idea to go there to stand trial as they could possible put Rachel to death without any due process. Rachel insists that she needs to face punishment for her crimes, but Bernie suggests that she might need a therapist instead of a lawyer.
At Hayden College, Cathy Webster returns to her dorm and discovers that her roommate Jennifer has sneaked a boy named Joe into their room. This is something that is against the rules and Cathy warns her that she could be suspended. When Jennifer goes out to get some food, the dorm mother barges in and catches Cathy with Joe and assumes that it was her who is breaking the rules. Rather than rat her friend out, Cathy takes the blame even if it means getting suspended from school. Due to her string of bad luck, Cathy decides to accept Doctor Wentworth’s offer and participate in the experiment. Cathy is led to believe that the process involves listening to special subliminal messaging in her sleep. However, once she has fallen asleep for the night, Doctor Wentworth activates a ray that begins bombarding Webster with some unknown energy source.
Sometime later, Steve Rogers returns to his base of operations and checks in with his old friend Arnie Roth, who has taken up operating the costume shop that serves as a front for his crime fighting operations.[6][7] In the back room, Fabian is ready to show off his latest work. He has built a battle harness for Cap to wear over its costume. It not only adds additional armored protection, but is loaded with pouches that have various pieces of equipment as well as a sidearm holster carrying a grappling hook gun. That’s when Diamondback arrives and tells Steve that they need to talk in private. When they are alone, Rachel tells Steve that she needs time apart, citing his apparent resentment toward her for bailing him out recently, and the impression from others that she is not worthy of being Captain America’s girlfriend. Steve tries to convince her that she has got everything wrong and he wants her to be with him. However, their discussion is interrupted when Peggy calls in to inform Steve that she has successfully tracked down the missing children. They have been kidnapped by Baron Zemo and taken to his castle in New Mexico. Steve want to go right away, telling Diamondback to come with him so they can sort out their relationship along the way.
The following day, Cathy Webster wakes up, but doesn’t feel any different after a night listening to the subliminal tapes. However, when Doctor Wentworth has her do some exercises, she discovers that her body is been developed to its peak. The doctor tells Cathy that she would like her to become the spokeswoman for her new process and to also promote equality and combat sexism in society. Cathy agrees to take on the job and goes back to her old dorm room to as Jennifer if she has any dance oufits she can wear for the job. Decked out in an American flag themed costume, Cathy shows up at a toga party at one of the fraternity dorms. Calling herself Free Spirit, Cathy calls out the frat boys for treating the women in attendance as sex objects. Naturally, the dude bros don’t take kindly to this and try to get rough with her. Free Spirit fights back and suddenly gets consumed with an overwhelming hatred toward men. She has to use all her willpower to stop herself from seriously hurting someone. Back in control and suspecting there was something wrong with the process that gave her powers, Free Spirit flees the scene to track down Doctor Wentworth. When she arrives at the lab she discovers that place has been stripped bare and Wentworth nowhere to be found. Free Spirit vows then and there to track down the doctor and find out what exactly what was done to her.
Meanwhile, Cap and his allies are en route to Mexico and Diamondback is starting to feel guilty about her decision to leave Steve, thinking that she is abandoning him during his ongoing health crisis. Arriving outside Zemo’s castle, they handglide down to the property where they are promptly captured by an army of his plastoid warriors and taken before Zemo. Zemo his face apparently healed introduces them to his wife Heikie. He then explains that the children he purchased all came from abusive and neglectful homes and that he is providing them with a safe environment to grow and flourish.[8] To prove this, he calls the children into the room. They are all wearing Zemo outfits and after pronouncing that they hate Captain America, the children draw guns and start pointing them at the hero.
Recurring Characters
Captain America, Baron Zemo, Baroness Zemo, Superia, Diamondback, Free Spirit, Fabian Stankowicz, Bernie Rosenthal, Peggy Carter, Arnie Roth, Moonhunter, Keith Kincaid, Avengers (Black Widow, Crystal, Quicksilver)
Continuity Notes
Captain America learned that the serum in his body was wearing down back in Captain America #425. He runs the risk of becoming completely disabled every time he overexerts his body. He will eventually be cured of this condition in issue #445.
Cap’s performance was particularly bad when clashing with the Americop and rescuing Diamondback from Damon Dran as seen in Captain America #428-430.
Diamondback started her costumed career as a member of the criminal Serpent Society back in Captain America #310. She became attracted to Captain America and decided to go straight following the events of issue #344. After a time, the pair eventually started dating, starting in Captain America #371. It’s pretty rich that Quicksilver has issue with Rachel’s criminal past since he too started off as a criminal in Magneto’s Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in X-Men #4, and would later reform and join the Avengers in issue #16 of that series.
It’s later revealed in issue #433 that Doctor Wentworth is actually the female supremacist Superia.
Diamondback attempted to drown her enemy Snapdragon back in Captain America #413 and had been haunted ever since. All the evidence she as found since — in issues #426-429 — points to the possibility that she is indeed dead. Bernie pointing out that Rachel hasn’t seen a body turns out to be a valid point as Snapdragon will turn up alive again in Moon Knight (vol. 6) #2. Her profile in Captain America: America’s Avenger #1 reveals that Snapdragon had faked her death.
Here, Steve makes reference to his recent adventure with Daredevil. The pair teamed up to stop Baron Strucker’s System Crash in Daredevil #326-332.
Arnie Roth had recently returned from Florida in Captain America #428 after being absent since issue #306.
Next issue it’s revealed that Zemo’s face hasn’t been healed, he’s just wearing a life like mask.
Topical References
Cathy’s roommate Jennifer states that she met him as a Smashing Pumpkins concert. This comic was published during the height of the Pumpkin’s popularity among young people. It should be considered a topical reference because the band broke up in the year 2000. Although they got back together in 2006 and continue to tour and release albums, they are not as popular as they once were and definitely not the go-to music for college students these days. It’s old people rock now. Do you feel old? You should.
