Captain America #110

Title: “No Longer Alone!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Penciller: Steranko

Inker: Joe Sinnott

Steve Rogers walks down the street covered by the darkness of the night. He lights up a cigarette and looks at a giant beat up poster of Captain America. As he turns from the poster he hears a loud pounding. He hears it getting louder and louder behind the wall. Suddenly the wall begins to crumble and two giant green hands come smashing through the wall. Hulk rips the wall apart. Soldiers come up behind Steve Rogers and tell him to get to cover and that the area is under martial law. Steve runs and says that he will take cover, but that Captain America won’t.

Hulk says that soldiers are all around him. He says that they are bringing out the big guns trying to kill him. The soldiers hit the Hulk with a cannon loaded with concentrated ionic energy. Hulk is sent flying.

Nearby another figure is rushing to the fight.

Captain America tells the soldiers not to just stand there and to regroup and fall back since the Hulk may still be alive. Cap tells the soldier not to just stand there and says that he can check his authority by contacting SHIELD. Cap approaches Hulk and says that they have been searching for Hulk for months. He says that they were hoping to help him before something like this happened. He says that Hulk doesn’t mean any harm, but that they never stop hounding him. Rick Jones calls down to Cap and tells him not to get too close to Hulk and that if he is alive that he will wake up uncontrollable. Cap realizes that Rick is the only friend Hulk trusts. Hulk gets up angry. He picks a large rock up over his head and says that men will never try to kill him again. Cap throws his shield and cuts through the rock over Hulk’s head. Cap tells Hulk to listen to him and that he wants to help him. Hulk shouts that no one helps him and grabs Cap by the wrists. Rick runs over and tells Hulk that Cap is a friend. He asks if Hulk doesn’t remember. Cap kicks Hulk in the face and says that it is no use trying to reason with him. Rick rushes to Hulk’s side. Cap tells Rick to get back and that Hulk is too dangerous. Hulk seems to recognize Rick for a second, but then he grabs Hulk and lifts him over his head. Hulk uproots a light post and throws it at the ionic cannon. Hulk says that no one can beat him. A nearby building starts to crumble from the impact of the ionic cannon exploding. Hulk roars as the building crumbles. Cap rushes Hulk as he starts to brace for a leap. Cap grabs Rick Jones right out of Hulk’s hands as Hulk leaps away. Cap holds Rick’s unconscious body. He says that he knows Hulk didn’t mean any harm, but that without even realizing it that a casual gesture from the Hulk almost killed the boy. Cap says that it is like how his own carelessness caused the death of Bucky Barnes.

Cap returns to Avengers headquarters and puts Rick into bed. He tells Rick to rest and says that until they find a way to tame the Hulk that he must never return to the Hulk. Steve thinks to himself that Rick is young and will heal quickly. As he leaves the room he says that if only a couple hours of rest could cure all of their ills so easily. He says that there are some memories that can never be erased. Steve stands looking out the window until he hears some footsteps. The lights switch on and Captain America turns and sees Rick Jones dressed up in Bucky’s costume. Rick tells Cap not to get uptight and that he found the clothes in the closet and thought he would try them on. Cap says that Rick can’t wear them, and that no one can ever wear them. He says that he will never watch another partner die. Rick knocks Cap’s hands off him and tells him to get off his soapbox. He says that if he isn’t good enough to fill Bucky’s boots to just tell him, but to spare him the Hamlet bit. Rick says that sooner or later that everyone loses someone, and that Cap isn’t the only one who has had it tough. Rick says that he may not be a muscle bound super hero, but that if he were that he would give another guy a chance. Rick starts to walk out and says that he will take it off now. Cap puts his hand on Rick’s shoulder and tells him to wait. He says that maybe he still isn’t too old to learn. Rick says that he hopes that means what he thinks it means. Cap tells Rick not to just stand there, but to put his mask on. The Avengers’ alarm goes off. Cap puts his mask on and tells Rick to listen to the beeps. He says that their frequency indicates the target area. Cap asks Rick if he is ready for this. Rick says that he has been waiting for this since he first met Cap.

Soon, Cap and Rick are lowering themselves into a manhole. Cap says that no matter what is below that they will face it together. He thinks to himself that he will face it just like he did with Bucky. Cap spots the problem. Suddenly an army of Hydra agents springs to life and Cap and Rick start fighting them. Cap dives into one of the men and shouts for Rick to get them. Cap wonders what is wrong with him and that Rick doesn’t have the training for this kind of thing. Rick judo tosses one Hydra agent into another. One Hydra agent has Rick lined up in his sights as he aims his weapon. Cap shouts for Rick to look out. Rick doesn’t hear Cap. Cap thinks that first it was Bucky, and now it will be Rick. Cap says that he can’t let it happen again. He throws his shield and hits the Hydra agent with the gun. Cap shouts for Rick to get into the tunnel. Rick thinks to himself that he still wants to stay and help, but does what he is told since he figures Cap has his reason. One of the Hydra agents says to go after the boy, and that Cap will not escape his stun ray. Cap is blasted with the stun ray and is dropped. The troops hail Hydra and says that they will never be destroyed. They say that they serve none but the master, and that the world will soon serve them. They ask Madame Hydra for commands. Madame Hydra says that no one must interfere with them contaminating the water supply and to destroy him. She says to hurry and that Cap begins to revive. One of the agents says that won’t help him because he is wearing a Hydra power vest. Madame Hydra says that she is weary of his boasts and that there is a task that needs doing. Cap hurls himself backward into the man wearing the vest and says that he has handled worse in his time. The agent punches a hole in the wall and asks Cap if he thinks he can match the hordes of the Hydra. Cap says that he can not only match it, but top it. Cap puts his shield on the ground for the agent to step on and then pulls it up. He takes his shield and smashes the agent through the wall. Cap says that now he has to go after him.

Rick runs along and says that Cap suckered him. He says that he just wanted him in the tunnel so he would be safe. He says that Cap wouldn’t have worried about Bucky, but that he isn’t going to keep him under wraps. Rick says that he will just double back. Rick sees that there are agents coming after him. He knows that they have seen him. Rick hides in a tunnel to the top as the Hydra agents are still looking around. After they leave, Rick says that he was lucky that time, and that he can make it back to Cap. Rick arrives just in time to see the Hydra agent wearing the power vest say that Captain America is dead. He holds Cap’s shield and says that he claims it. Madame Hydra tells him that it is his. She says that they have to get on with the task at hand. Rick thinks that it is his fault, and that they got Cap because he was worried about him. Rick rushes into the fight and says that he will make it up to Cap. The agent wearing the power vest reveals himself to actually be Captain America. Cap tells Rick not to run into them. The Hydra agents say that Cap almost had them fooled, but that his concern for another gave him away. Madame Hydra orders that the flame bazookas be used, but Cap bursts the water pressure pipes with his shield. Rick thinks to himself that Cap did his part, and that he can still prove himself if he can stop their leader. Madame Hydra asks Rick if he thought a “witless juvenile” could stop her. She grabs her whip and lassos Rick around his neck. She says that the torrent of water has swept away her task force and that she must abandon her plans, but that Cap will not remain behind to gloat. She pushes Rick toward the water. Cap tells Rick to stick his arm out and catches him. Rick tells Cap that while he is saving him that Madame Hydra is getting away. Cap tells Rick to shut up and hang on.

He gets Rick back up and tells him that if he aims to fill Bucky’s shoes that he is going to do it his way. He says that Rick will take orders, as Bucky did, without question. Rick says that everything he did went wrong. He says that Cap might have licked them if he wasn’t there to gum up the works. Cap says that they did lick them and that they stopped their plans and smashed a whole horde of their men. He says that their leader, whoever she was, was forced to flee. He says that despite the odds that Rick survived his baptism of fire, and that he did it like a man. As Rick and Cap walk off together Rick thinks that he may never be the partner that Bucky was, but that nothing will stop him from trying.

When Captain America Throws His Mighty Shield rating: 8.5 out of 10

Review and pictures by the Leader

RETURN TO ISSUES PAGE

RETURN TO WHEN CAPTAIN AMERICA THROWS HIS MIGHTY SHIELD

RETURN TO LEADER'S LAIR