Wednesday 16 November 2022

Marvel 1975.06 - Captain America #186


Captain America and the Falcon #186

Title: Mind Cage

Writer: Steve Englehart, John Warner
Artist: Frank Robbins

Villain: Red Skull

Regulars: Sharon Carter, Peggy Carter

Guests: Gabe Jones


At the end of the last issue the Red Skull claimed to have made the Falcon. Now we find out what he meant.

Captain America met Sam Wilson in Captain America #117, when he was trapped on Exile Island in the Red Skull's body. At that time the Red Skull was in possession of the Cosmic Cube. He used it to play a long term game with Captain America. He found a young criminal on the island called Sam Wilson with a pet falcon. He used the cube to change his memories and become a noble man. The Red Skull also gave Sam a psychic link with his falcon, meaning that he wasn't a mutant, as suspected by Professor X. All these years Sam's true evil nature has been hidden inside, waiting to be unlocked by the Red Skull.

Captain America #117 and the following issues were written by Stan Lee. I often wonder what he thought when subsequent writers retconned his characters and gave them a completely different background. Were there ever any arguments in the bullpen, or did Stan just accept the new direction?

The  Falcon attacks Captain America. Cap is at first unwilling to hurt his partner, but then he overcomes himself and defeats him. There follows a fight with the Red Skull himself. Gabe Jones and Peggy Carter escape and call SHIELD for help, but their call is intercepted by an unknown group. This group sends soldiers to attack the Red Skull's men. The Red Skull himself flees, and the Falcon is left unconscious on the floor.

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