Marvel Team-Up (vol. 3) #20
Freedom Ring Part One
After recoving a ring crafted out of a fragment of the Cosmic Ring, Captain America races across the rooftops of New York City in an effort to get the dangerous reality altering weapon into the hands of SHIELD.[1] Unfortunately, he is attacked by AIM’s MODOC Squad. The initially attack wrecks Cap’s utility belt and, unknown to him, the ring comes loose and falls on the edge of a building. As Captain America battles his attackers, the vibrations rom the battle cause the ring to bounce onto the ground in front of a diner on the corner of Bleeker and Elizabeth Street.
The following morning, Curtis Doyle meets with his friends at that same diner for their usual breakfast meet up. When it’s pointed out, Curtis admits that he is carrying a woman’s purse, telling them that he’s uncomfortable with is masculenity to buy one, as he finds it useful to carry all his things. As he sits down, he is telling his friends about the new elyptical trainer he bought for himself when they ask what he just put on the table. He holds up a bottle of pure maple syrup, saying that it’s better than the artificial stuff they have at the diner. That’s when the waiter comes to take their order. Curtis notes that the waiter is always working in the mornings. When getting back to talking about the syruyp he confirms that the staf at the diner don’t care. When the waiter tells Curtis his name, his friends tease Doyle over having a crush on the waiter, which Curtis denies.
After breakfast, Curtis and his friends are going their separate ways. Walking away with his friend Troy Curtis spots a weird looking ring on the ground and decides to pick it up and wear it. Troy is grossed out and tells Curtis to have fun with his “free dumb ring” while he goes to work like a real person. Curtis insists that he’s looking for a job. Instead, Curtis returns home to his apartment and debates using his new elyptical. Instead he thinks about how much he wants a large ice cream sundae and suddenly, thanks to the ring, one appears on his lap. Not knowing how this happened, Curtis freaks out and runs out of his apartment. When he goes back inside, the sundae is gone. Freaking out, Curtis calls Troy and gets the voice mail. Explaining what happened, Curtis asks Troy to come to his apartment as soon as he hears this. Realizing he left his apartment door open and that his neighbor across the hall is spying on him, Curtis slams the door.
At that same moment, aboard the SHIELD helicarrier, Captain America is being examined by a SHIELD doctor as he reports to Maria Hill. She is disappointed that Steve would lose the ring during his fight with the MODOC Squad. With the device out there somewhere in New York, all Maria Hill can hope for is that it is found by one of the good guys.
Later that evening, Troy finally arrives at Doyle’s apartment and after hearing one more time thinks Curtis needs to go to a hospital. However, by this time, Curtis has figured out how the ring works and asks Doyle to hold out his hands. With a mere thought, Curtis makes both a cake and a roasted chicken appear in Troy’s hands. When Troy suggests that maybe Curtis is a mutant, he is certain that he is not because these things only happen when he is wearing the ring.[2] Curtis goes on to explain that the ring can create anything he can think of but it has limits. To prove this, he creates a large toilet in the middle of his living room and after walking fifteen feet away frm it, the toilet suddenly vanishes into thin air. When Troy theorizes the ring could be used to make money which they can then use to buy things, Curtis believes that’s possible but wouldn’t do it on ethical grounds. After practicing with the ring all night, Curtis and Troy both fall asleep in the living room. As he dreams, Doyle’s dreams become a reality until he wakes up and they all disappear. Before they head to the diner for their usual breakfast meet up, Curtis tells Troy to keep the ring a secret. After the usual breakfast get together, Curits is stopped by Jeffrey, the waiter from the day before who asks him out on a date. Jeffrey is relieved when his hunch that Curtis is gay and accepts his offer to go out on a date.
Meanwhile, in an underground bunker in Japan, scientists continue to monitor the body of Titannus, an incredibly powerful Skrull, which is regrowing his head. They have placed implants in the alien’s regenerating brain that they hope will control Titannus. However, the lead scientist warns that if the implants fail the alien will not hesitate to kill them all.[3]
Recurring Characters
Captain America, Curtis Doyle, AIM, Spider-Man, Wolverine, SHIELD (Maria Hill), Daredevil, Z’Reg (unidentified)
Continuity Notes
The ring was recovered from the Ringmaster in Marvel Team-Up (vol. 3) #10
Curtis Doyle points out that he can’t be a mutant because most of the mutants are gone now. That’s the status quo at the time of this story as it occurrs following the events of House of M #1-8, which resulted in the Scarlet Witch depowering most mutants and nearly eradicating the mutant gene from the gene pool.
Titannus crushed his hown head in grief in Marvel Team-Up (vol. 3) #13.
