Captain America
#257
Captain America
#257
Title: “Deadly Anniversary!”
Writer: Mike W. Barr
Penciller: Lee Elias
Inker: M Hands
Colors: Sharen & Hannigan
Editor: Jim Salicrup
In a sleazy hotel somewhere in the mid-west, Bruce Banner awakes from his nightmare just in time to see two men in gas masks gassing him.
Sometime later, a plane from the United States lands in Northern England. Captain America walks off the plane. Some people are chatting about what a warm and sensitive person he is, but off in the distance one man is phoning in that their information was correct and that Captain America is there. Cap hails a cab and rides silently to an abandoned airfield. The cab driver asks him if he is sure he wants to get out there and that he is in the middle of nowhere. Cap tips the man handsomely and says that this will be fine. Cap walks over to the cliffs overlooking the north Atlantic. He stands there silently showing none of the emotion churning inside him. A canister of gas flies by Cap’s head and he inhales some because he was distracted. Suddenly four men, who seemingly come out of the ground, tackle Cap. Cap fights back, but weakened by the gas his four attackers knock him out. They load him into a van.
When Cap wakes up he sees the man that is clearly the leader of the group that attacked him. Cap asks him who he is. The man says that his real name would be meaningless to him, but that Captain America can call him by his title as leader of the organization: Master of the Matrix Eight. He says that he was the former assistant to Cap’s deceased arch foe, Baron Zemo. Captain America says that it is fitting that he meet his old enemy’s henchmen on today of all days. The Master of the Matrix Eight says that Cap will do more than that and that he is going to meet their latest project as well. He tells his men to watch Captain America and that he is dangerous at all times. Cap thinks to himself that he is still too weak from the gas. He says that he will bide his time and try to find out what their plan is. Cap is taken past some cells and Bruce Banner spots Cap and tries to call to him, but Cap doesn’t answer Bruce and just walks around the corner. Bruce’s head drops down in despair.
The Master of the Matrix Eight walks along with Cap and tells him that they were founded by fleeing war criminals after World War II. He says that they were privy to many top echelon Nazi secrets and all their unrecovered gold. He says that they used the gold to set up this base and secret bunkers beneath England itself. He says that the Matrix Eight comes from twisting the Nazi swastika. He says that they develop and test weapons and then sell them to the highest bidder be it AIM, the Maggia, or even Hydra. As they walk, Cap notices a ceiling tile bowed from weight from above. He feels a hollow echo beneath his feet from a sector of the corridor, and he feels heat beside a thick wall as he brushes past it. Finally he smells natural gas just as the Master of the Matrix Eight shows Cap their latest project. He says that their research of Dr. Banner’s unique metabolism has allowed them to produce a being as powerful as the Hulk, but completely under his control. He introduces the Gammadroid. He tells Captain America that their sources tell them that he comes there every year on this date and that is how they knew to ambush him. He says that they will pit the Gammadroid against Cap. He says that they will destroy Cap and avenge their beloved Baron Zemo in the process. Cap thinks to himself that he has seen enough. He thinks that the gas hasn’t completely worn off yet, but that this is his best chance to escape. Cap runs and the Master of the Matrix Eight orders the others to stop him from escaping.
Captain America dodges the machine gun fire and heat ray.
He leaps over the acid bath beneath the hollow area of the floor he felt. He
ducks under the flame thrower from the ceiling using his shield for protection.
Cap says that it is too bad that he doesn’t have any eggs with him and that he
could make himself some breakfast. Master of the Matrix Eight shouts that he
must not reach Banner, and for them to take the Gammadroid with them. Cap runs
to Banner’s cell. Bruce says that he thought Cap had abandoned him. Cap says
that it would have been suicide to try and rescue him before he knew where their
weapons were. Cap snaps the cell open with his shield and tells Banner that they
have to get out of there quick. Bruce says that he doesn’t know and that they
drugged him. He says that he is feeling so weak. Cap tries to slap Banner, but
Banner is still out of it. Cap sees the men of the Matrix Eight coming at him
and he figures he has to buy more time. Cap dives into the fight. Cap gets hit
with a lucky punch. Cap starts to roll with the punch, but Hulk grabs Cap from
behind and steadies him. Hulk asks Star Man how he got there and why Star Man is
fighting those men. Cap tells Hulk that these men are his enemies and that they
work for Banner. Hulk says that he hates Banner and that he will smash Banner’s
men. Cap joins in the fight and tells Hulk to smash them gently. Another panel
drops out of the ceiling. Cap sees a weapon, but doesn’t recognize it. Cap tells
Hulk to look out, but a thick white fluid pours out of the nozzle and covers
Hulk. Cap recognizes the fluid as Adhesive X, the most powerful glue known to
man. Hulk struggles against the glue holding him in place. Cap thinks to himself
that they have to get out of there before the Gammadroid arrives. He decides to
give Hulk a hand with Adhesive X and hits Hulk with his shield to help break the
glue. Hulk asks why Star Man is hitting him with a plate. Hulk says that he
doesn’t like it. Cap realizes that he isn’t even chipping the glue.
Cap
decides to tell Hulk that he is hitting him because he is weak and stupid. He
tells Hulk that he can’t even break the sticky stuff. Hulk says that he is
getting mad. Cap keeps pounding on Hulk. Hulk shouts that he said to stop, but
Hulk just gets stronger and stronger until finally he smashes out of the
Adhesive X. Cap stands amazed that the Hulk broke, for the first time ever,
Adhesive X. Hulk says that now he will smash Star Man. Cap says that his plan
worked so far. Cap runs towards a shadow of the Gammadroid. Cap figures that if
he times it right that Hulk will attack the Gammadroid and not him. Cap stays
ahead of Hulk to make sure Hulk follows him. He gets to the Gammadroid, but sees
that it is even closer than he thought. Cap dives between the Gammadroid’s legs
and Hulk plows right into the thing. Hulk tells the monster to get out of his
way or he will hit it. Gammadroid grabs Hulk’s arm and Hulk says to let go or he
will smash him too.
Cap finds the nerve center of the place and rigs it to explode in five minutes. Cap thinks to himself that alarms will warn personnel, but that he has to think of a way to get the Hulk out.
Hulk hits the Gammadroid and drops it. Hulk grabs at Star Man, but Cap tells Hulk not to smash anymore. He tries to tell Hulk that the place is going to explode, but Hulk grabs Cap by the shoulder and tosses him aside. Hulk tells Cap to shut up. He says that Cap called him names and tried to hurt him, and that now he is just trying to get away. Hulk slams the door shut. Suddenly gas pours out of the ceiling. Cap holds his breath, but Hulk breathes the gas in. Cap tells Hulk that his gas is working on him and that he is to weak to fight. Hulk lunges at Hulk, but Cap moves aside and gets Hulk to smash open the escape hatch. Hulk falls over from the gas and turns back into Bruce Banner. Cap throws Bruce over his aching shoulder and climbs out.
Master of the Matrix Eight says that the Hulk’s rampage may have damaged the network of pipes containing Adhesive X. He says that he had better take some solvent in case any of the adhesive leaked out. Suddenly, the ceiling crumbles and Adhesive X falls of the Master of the Matrix Eight. He is stuck in place just out of reach of the solvent. He struggles and struggles to reach it, but then the secret complex explodes. The Master is buried.
Captain America and Bruce Banner finally make it to the surface of the Atlantic Ocean. Cap tells Bruce to be still. He pulls him from behind and says that it is only a mile to the shore. Once they make it to shore, Cap asks Bruce if he can walk. Bruce says that he doesn’t think so. He tells Cap that he doesn’t know how he knew he had been captured, but thanks him for rescuing him. Cap says that it was his pleasure, but that he didn’t come there to free him. Bruce starts to ask why, but just then the secret complex explodes. Cap says that he guesses he hasn’t lost his touch for sabotage after all these years. Bruce says that he can say that again. Cap says that Bruce deserves an explanation. He says that the Matrix Eight knew he always came back there every year on this day, but that they don’t know why. Bruce asks why it is. Cap tells Bruce of how Bucky tried to stop Zemo’s flying bomb by himself. He says that he can still hear Bucky’s last words to this day. He told Bucky to get off and that it might be booby-trapped. Bucky said, “You’re right, Cap! I see the fuse! It’s gonna blow!” Cap says that it did explode with Bucky right on top of it. He says that he never even got a chance to say goodbye. Bruce says that he knows how it hurts to lose someone close to you. He tells Cap that if he ever needs someone to talk to. Cap thanks Bruce.
When Captain America Throws His Mighty Shield rating: 6.5 out of 10
Cool story with a cool idea behind it. Master of the Matrix Eight was an old assistant of Baron Zemo’s. He’s got Adhesive X, he’s created the Gammadroid… all he needs now is a fashion designer. Great googly moogly Wonder Man laughs at this guy’s outfit. It’s too bad that they got rid of this guy as soon as they brought him in. I mean I know we already had Zemo’s son, but that was before he was even known as Baron Zemo, and it would be years until Helmut would pose any kind of real threat. Imagine what Helmut could have done with a genius of the Master of the Matrix Eight behind him… well maybe after he went and got a real name and a new outfit. Touching ending marking Bucky’s “death”. I don’t even mind seeing Hulk beaten by gas after his “once in a lifetime” feat of strength breaking out of Adhesive X. The art isn’t particularly good, but it’s not awful either. A little sketchy and a little blocky there are still moments of decent style and storytelling. 2.5 out of 5 for the art.
Review and picture by the Leader
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