The Good Old Days: Part 1

Three Weeks Ago

At the Sisters of Mercy Hospice in San Francisco, an elderly man has called in his family, the police, and a lawyer to make a dying confession before the end. Much to everyone's surprise, what he has to say happens to involve Captain America.

Today

At the Brooklyn law office of Jennifer Walkers, She-Hulk is visited by Steven Rogers, who has become an elderly man and has retired from his role as Captain America. There he is reconnected with Patsy Walker and meets Jen's paralegal Angie Huang and her monkey Hei Hei. Once they sit down in Jen's office, She-Hulk is incredibly awkward dealing with Steve now that he is an elderly man. Rogers breaks the ice by pointing out that he was always an old man, but now he looks the part. In a private meeting, Steve tells Jennifer about a situation that occurred in 1940 before he became Captain America. It involves a raid on a Nazi operation run by a costumed Nazi operative named Saurespritze and the death of a young man. After he tells this story, he informs Jennifer that he needs a lawyer. Since Steve is one of her oldest friends she agrees to take the case, pro bono, and then calls Angie into the board room. She tells her paralegal that they are taking on Steve Rogers as a client, telling her that he has been named in a wrongful death suit dating back to 1940. She tells her to get all the documents from the Los Angeles Superior Court. This comes as a shock to Angie, as she would not expect that the man who was Captain America to find himself in such a lawsuit. Jennifer begins detailing her cause, planning on using Steve's recent death and resurrection make it impossible for him to be held legally responsible. However, Steve refuses to bend the law in such a way, he wants to win on his merit, not a technicality.

Later that evening, She-Hulk, Patsy, and Angie go out for drinks. There Jen proposes a toast to the case that will put them on the map. Angie points out that it only will if they win it. When Patsy asks how she could consider the possibility of losing this trial, Angie points out how court trials take all sorts of twists and turns. She goes over the case against Steve, and Jennifer is surprised to see how thorough the case against Steve is. The lawyer in question also has weaved around any statute of limitations in California law so that this case can continue further. When Angie asks how Jennifer will get past the issue of being able to practice law in California, Jen decides to call in a favor. She contacts Matt Murdock, who also has a big case coming up. She asks for him to allow her to use his firm as the firm of record. When Matt asks her for the trial details, she explains that she will be representing Steve Rogers. Before she can tell him any more, Murdock tells her that he can't help and abruptly hangs up on her. With Murdock unable to help her, She-Hulk decides to pull some other strings.

Soon, Jennifer, Steve, Patricia, and Angie are en route to California aboard a Stark Industries aircraft. Along the way, they begin to strategize, planning to send Patricia off somewhere to get evidence that will help out their case while everyone else is busy in court. When they arrive at LAX they are surprised to see a throng of reporters are there waiting for them for comment. As they are swarmed on the tarmac, Jennifer gets fed up and frightens them all away. Taking a limo into Hollywood, She-Hulk takes her staff and client to the law offices of Matt Rocks. Matt Rock's is a flamboyant duplicate of the Multiple Man who has opened a successful law firm. He has allowed Jen to operate out of his firm so she can represent Steve in court. When Patsy asks how Matt Rocks can exist after the original Multiple Man absorbed all of his duplicates after he got married and retired. Matt explains that as one of the highest-paid entertainment lawyers in Hollywood, he and Madrox have a deal: he sends Jamie half of everything he earns in exchange for his continued existence.

After Matt leaves them to do their work, Patsy and Steve leave while Jennifer and Angie get down to work. They work through the entire night after midnight Angie sends She-Hulk to get some sleep, telling her that she is as ready as she will ever be. However, it is a sleepless night for Jen and the next morning she is ready and convinced that she is ready for this case. This confidence lasts until she enters the courtroom and sees that the prosecution lawyer is none other than Matt Murdock.

Continuity Notes

• The dying elderly man in this story is stated as being a ninety-four and was alive during the 1940s. This will eventually cause some issues due to the Sliding TImescale of Earth-616 as time will move forward to a point where it is impossible for someone alive in the 1940s to be alive without some kind of means of prolonging their lives. As such this elderly man's relation to Captain America should be considered a topical reference. How this story arc will be considered moving forward is a matter of interpretation.

• Steve Rogers was reduced to his proper age in Captain America Vol 7 #25 a condition that lasts until Captain America: Sam Wilson #7. In this story, he states that he is ninety years old. His actual age should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale as it is relative to the date of publication.

• Jennifer mentions how Steve Rogers was recently killed on live television. That happened in Captain America Vol 5 #25. He was later resurrected in Captain America: Reborn #1-6.

• Patsy mentions how Jamie Madrox absorbed all his duplicates after he married Layla Miller in X-Factor #262

Continuity Errors

• She-Hulk states that she wasn't aware that Steve Rogers is now an old man. This does not make sense as she was among the Avengers who saw this first hand in Captain America Vol 7 #25. This is likely artistic license by the writer to inform readers who may not be following Captain America’s title.