Captain America Comics #78
His Touch Is Death
Seeking a means to destroy Captain America and Bucky, Russian officials have devoted their scientist into creating Electro, a Soviet agent who is powered by electricity to slay the two heroes. Russian officials are pleased with the results, but they warn Electro that the powerful electric charge in his body needs to be recharged every 24 hours.
Soon Electro is shipped to New York City where he is to attack Captain America and Bucky while they are participating in a local parade. During the parade, Captain America and Bucky notice that one of the billboards has been altered to read "Captain America Dies Today!". Suspecting trouble, they get fire fighters to erect a ladder so they can climb up and see who is responsible for the threat. They battle Electro on the roof tops luring him to a giant display of a type writer, using it's massive keys and roller to overpower the villain.
With his electrical charge running low, Electro electrifies a wire that Bucky is holding stunning the boy. He then takes Bucky hostage in order to keep Captain America at bay long enough to reach a nearby dynamo to recharge his powers. However, Cap realizes what the game is and activates a sprinkler just as Electro is grabbing the dynamo that short circuits him and seemingly kills the foe.
In the aftermath of the battle, Captain America and Bucky return to the parade and find that the sign has been changed to read "Captain America Lives!"
Recurring Characters
Captain America
Bucky
Electro
Continuity Notes
The Russian spies in this story state here that Captain America got his powers during World War II through the Super Soldier Program. This is the origin of the original Captain America, Steve Rogers, that was depicted in Captain America Comics #1. What is not known by the spies at this time is that the man they are facing here is not the real Captain America. As revealed in Avengers #4, Rogers went missing in action in 1945. What If? #4 went on to show that successors took his place thereafter in order to cover this up. Per Captain America #155, this Captain America is actually William Burnside, who was active as Captain America in the 1950s.
Although he appears to die here, Electro survived his encounter with Captain America and is seen again in Captain America Annual #13.
The Green Dragon
In their capacity as soldiers in the United States army, Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes are assigned to guard duty in Korea. The pair spot a Chinese spy and try to stop him. The spy manages to escape but they pull away an amulet from him that is emblazoned with the image of a green dragon.
They take the amulet to their superiors who take it to a defected communist Chinese agent. He tells Steve and Bucky that the legend of the Green Dragon: That centuries ago the mythical creature defended China from the country's enemies and that the people of China believe that the Green Dragon will someday return again to defend them from their enemies, especially after the recent years of constant warfare. He tells them that there is an upcoming feast for the Green Dragon, suggesting that if they can slip into Communist China that they could learn what the government is up to there, pointing out the celebration involves people wearing bright costumes.
Steve and Bucky then smuggle themselves into China where they change into their Captain America and Bucky costumes, which amazingly enough provides the perfect cover for their travels through China due to the Green Dragon celebrations. Arriving in Shanghai, the pair scale rooftops and locate what they believe to be a massive mechanical effigy of the Green Dragon. As they approach the Green Dragon they are spotted by Chinese soldiers and are attacked. They seek cover inside what they think is a mechanical dragon, and Captain America orders Bucky to operate the controls to defend themselves. Suddenly the Green Dragon begins attacking the Chinese soldiers sending them fleeing enemy soldiers and manage to recover a stolen list of UN officials while showing the people of China who their real enemies are.
In the aftermath of the battle, Cap finds Bucky passed out inside the Green Dragon. When he revives the boy he is shocked to learn Bucky was knocked out the whole time and had no control over the Green Dragon at all. Puzzling the mystery the two head back for home.
Recurring Characters
Captain America
Bucky
Continuity Notes
Avengers, Thor, and Captain America: Official Index to the Marvel Universe posits that the Green Dragon in this story could be a member of the Makluans. A race of aliens that look like dragons. The most famous being Fin Fang Foom who first appeared in Strange Tales #89.
Playing With Fire
The Human Torch and Toro are in Korea clashing with the remaining gorilla forces who have ignored the recent ceasefire following the end of the Korean War, using their flame powers to destroy tanks set against them. During the course of the battle the Torch tosses a flaming boomerang across the battle field. Suddenly, Chinese soldiers appear with fire extinguishers and put out their flames. But before the Torch and Toro can be executed, the flaming boomerang comes back and knocks out the shooter. Able to flame on again, the Torch incinerates the fire extinguisher and the pair make a massive pit to put the captured soldiers in.
They then continue further where they come across an prisoner of war camp where American troops are being held prisoner. Burning through the ground underneath the base and into the prisoner's barracks, the flaming heroes make their presence known to the POWs and they begin planning an escape.
Using their flame powers subtly, the Torch and Toro help the prisoners make their escape but the alarm is soon raised. However, the Chinese soldiers are ill equipped to deal with the Torch and Toro who use their flame powers to explode weapons and melt tanks to molten slag, providing sufficient cover for the American soldiers to escape and return to base.
Recurring Characters
Human Torch
Toro
The Hour of Doom
The entire nation has come to idolized professional athlete and scholar Chuck Blayne. Watching a televised program of Blayne are Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes. Bucky points out that Blayne has become a real role model to teenagers and wonders if the media star will eventually eclipse even Captain America in popularity. Listening to Blayne's speech over the television Bucky finds himself motivated, however the words remind Steve of somebody but he can't quite place it.
Unknown to the two heroes Blayne is really a communist spy who meets with his superiors. Impressed by how Blayne has easily won the respect of the American public they decide to step up to the next phase of their plan, planting a bomb in the United Nations and having Blayne denounce the organization and urging the public to side with him in order to prevent the bomb from going off and destroying half of New York City.
Blayne follows everything according to plan and during the next meeting with the United Nations, Blayne interrupts the proceedings with his bomb threat, telling the people of America over television cameras to abolish the United Nations and embrace communism or risk having half of New York blown up. The United Nations building is evacuated and Blayne taken into police custody, but he refuses to reveal the location of the bomb. Hearing the news, Captain America and Bucky arrive on the scene to help search for the bomb. Cap suggests cutting the power to the entire building and they begin searching for the bomb. Without the hum of other electronics, Captain America easily finds what he believes to be the only bomb and disarms it.
However, he wants a full confession out of Blayne and has him brought into the UN building to confess, not making him aware that the bomb has already been removed. With the clock ticking Blayne suddenly cracks and reveals that there is not one bomb, but two, and the second more powerful explosive is hidden in the clock in the UN assembly forum. Captain America holds back the clocks hands while the authorities disarm the bomb. With the crisis averted and Blayne exposed as a communist on live television Captain America suddenly remembers where he has heard Blayne's speech before, as it is the same one that Adolf Hitler made during World War II.
Recurring Characters
Captain America
Bucky