Denial

Now

Captain America has been called in to the White House to meet with the President of the United States. As a Presidential aide takes him down to the Oval Office, Steve thinks about all the times he has been here, and how it’s usually because there is some serious trouble.[1]

Inside, Cap is warmly greeted by the newly elected President who is still settling into the new job. The reason why he has called Steve is because his administration has found an old file in the records dating back to World War II. It is a top secret file regarding Operation: Rebirth. The document is sealed and has directions to only be opened in the event of Captain America’s death. Seeing the name of Project: Rebirth, reminds Steve of the day he was transformed into Captain America by Abraham Erskine’s Super Soldier Formula.[2] It has been many decades and Steve hasn’t through about the circumstances that led to this document being created for just as long. Now, however, the memories come back to him vividly…..

Late Summer, 1944

Captain America and the Invaders — Bucky, the Sub-Mariner, Human Torch, and Toro — were dispatched to the Pacific coast to deal with battleships deployed by the Imperial Japanese Army. As the others dealt with the ships and crews on the surface, Namor dove into the waters to deal with any sub-marines in the area.

Little did any of them know that the battle was being observed by a Nazi submarine that was hiding just out of sight. Aboard the vessel was the Red Skull and his associate Warrior Woman.[3] They had come in order to kidnap the Sub-Mariner in order to learn the location of Atlantis. The Skull was interested in taking over the undersea kingdom to present it as a gift to Hitler himself.[4]

Once the Invaders had finished wrapping things up with the Japanese, the Skull’s team struck. When Namor surfaced from the ocean, he was suddenly snared with a coil and pulled back into the water. As the only one physically capable of saving the Sub-Mariner, Cap leaped into the water and swam after him. While Steve managed to free his friend, he got caught up in the coils and pulled into the Nazi submarine instead. While Warrior Woman is furious that their crew botched the kidnapping job, the Red Skull still had a use for his old enemy.

When Captain America finally woke up he was tied up and strung upside down in a tunnel somewhere. With him were the Red Skull, Warrior Woman, and a team of Nazis setting up camera equipment. The Skull had intended to record Warrior Woman torturing Captain America on camera to create a propaganda film to boost German morale. With the cameras rolling, Warrior Woman began to whip Captain America. Unfortunately, she was incapable of making him scream in agony. When Cap later blacked out from the pain, the Skull ordered his troops to toss him in a cell until he wakes up so they could start all over again.

Also imprisoned there were two Russian operatives, Sergei and Karinna, both husband and wife. When Sergei tried grabbing one of the guards to get free, the Nazis ended up shooting him to death, much to the horror of his spouse. When Captain America finally woke up and learned what was going on, both he and Karinna initially believe that they are locked up with Nazi plants. However, they quickly decide to trust each other in order to get free.

By this time, word of Captain America’s disappearance had reached the White House. This resulted in an emergency meeting being called between President Roosevelt and top military officials. They have to consider the possibility that Captain America may have been killed in action and that they need to set up a contingency plan. It was decided that Captain America’s death would be a heavy blow to American morale and could negatively effect the war effort. As such, they made a decision to create a program designed to cover up Captain America’s death and to find someone else to fill the role as soon as possible.[5]

Meanwhile, the rest of the Invaders were doing everything the could to try and find their missing leader. When the American Navy proved incapable of tracking him down, Namor called in his own people to help. One of his men, Chelwid, was able to locate the German sub that had kidnapped Cap.

At that same time, Captain America had managed to pick the lock on his jail cell using the prong on his belt. Freeing Karinna, the two tried to escape but were caught by Nazi guards. Taking the brunt of the attack, Cap ordered Karinna to flee. She did as told until she came upon Captain America’s shield. Unfortunately, Warrior Woman caught the Russian before she could return the weapon to its owner. By this time, the Nazis had subdued Captain America once more. When the Red Skull came to see what the commotion was, he decided to take the opportunity to gloat about how he plans to invade Atlantis once he forces Cap to reveal its location.

That’s when the Invaders came crashing into the hideout and attacked. With Warrior Woman knocked out by the Sub-Mariner, the Red Skull quickly realized that this was a losing battle. He then activated a device that let off a blinding flash of light that disorientated the Invaders long enough for the Skull to escape.

In the aftermath of the battle, Karinna mentions how she has nowhere to go, as the Russians forget about their soldiers who are captured. Captain America then promised to take her back to America to show that his country doesn’t forget their own men.

Now

While telling this story to the President, Captain America is grimly aware of the file’s purpose — to find a replacement in case of his death — but knows that this was a necessity during the war. After telling this story, Steve offers the file back to the President since it has other important details such as his true identity and the project that made him. However, the President tells Cap to keep it. As it turns out, the President feels he owes the hero a lot. Confused, Cap asks what he is talking about. The President then explains that his family had fought in the war and one of Captain America’s missions in turn saved that family member’s life. If it wasn’t for Captain America, the President’s family line would have ended there and he would never have been born. The President then tells Cap if there is anything else he can do it need only be asked. Captain America believes that there is something that can be done.

A short while later, a Presidential commendation for one Karianne Rose is received at her family farm in Soaring Skies, Montana.

Recurring Characters

Invaders (Captain America, Bucky, Sub-Mariner, Human Torch, Toro), Nazis (Red Skull, Warrior Woman)

Continuity Notes

1. The first time Captain America was called to the White House was shortly after the start of his career. It was to meet President Franklin Roosevelt who gifted him with his trademark round shield. See Captain America #255.

2. Brief recap of Steve’s origins here, as per Captain America Comics #1, but you knew that already.

3. Here, Warrior Woman states that she is happy to be away from her husband. Shortly after getting her powers in Invaders #17, Warrior Woman was forced to marry Master Man under orders from Hitler himself, as seen in issue #20. She complied even though she hates Master Man’s guts.

4. The Red Skull states here that the Nazis do not know where Atlantis is. However, this is not correct. Hitler actually ordered an invasion of Atlantis back in 1940 as per Sub-Mariner Comics #1 a tale that was later expanded upon in Saga of the Sub-Mariner #5. Nazis were also seen previously occupying Atlantis in 1942 per Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #2-4. They also targeted Atlantis in Marvel Mystery Comics #37, 41, and Daring Comics #9. This could only mean that while Hitler and other Nazis know the location of Atlantis, that information was not shared with the Red Skull.

5. While this protocol isn’t initiated at this point, when Captain America goes MIA in 1945, President Truman used these powers to have William Nasland and Jeff Mace, aka the Spirit of ‘76 and Patriot, take the place of Steve Rogers. See Avengers #4 and What If? #4.

Topical References

• The present day President of the United States is depicted as George W. Bush. He was the Commander-in-Chief when this comic was first published. About that….

  • Bush served for two terms between 2001 to 2009. His appearance here should be considered topical.

  • There are also mentions of his father, George H.W. Bush who was president from 1989 to 1993. It is stated here that Cap saved the senior Bush’s life during World War II.

  • References to Captain America being present during Bush Sr.’s presidency should also be considered topical. H.W.’s World War II military service would not be considered topical on itself.

  • That said, if George W. Bush’s appearance is topical, then everything he says here about his life and presidency is topical as well, including the story about his father during World War II. This is because as the years go on it becomes increasingly impossible for a sitting president to have a father who fought in World War II.

  • Modern readers could interpret this dialogue as a sitting President talking about how they are an immediate descendant of someone who fought in World War II.

• At the end of the story, the President sends a commendation to Karinna Rose at her home in Montana. The presumption here is that the old woman getting the mail is Karianne herself. Atthe time this story was published in 2001 it was possible for someone who was active in World War II to still be alive. However, without some means of slowing or stopping the aging process this becomes increasingly impossible due to the Sliding Timescale. It seems unlikely that a one-off character like Karianne would have access to such means. Marvel has yet to offer an explanation as to how she could still be alive, and I highly doubt they ever will given the circumstances. That said, one could assume that the old woman here is not Karinna Rose but a descendant and that this commendation is being awarded posthumously.