Marvel 1975.01 - Captain America #181

In January 2018 I started a series of posts I called the Marvel Years. It was based on a New Year's Resolution I made to read and review all of Marvel's superhero comics from 1961 to 1972. Those were the years in which Stan Lee was a writer, although I intended to read the comics by other writers as well. My initial plan was to review all these comics by the end of 2018, but I underestimated the sheer volume of comics in the late 1960's. I finally reached my goal in March 2020.

By this time I'd changed my plans. I wanted to continue reading Marvel's comics up to 1991, the end of the Infinity Gauntlet mini-series. This is where I consider that Marvel canon comes to an end. I know that my distinction of what is and isn't canon is controversial, but I'm willing to defend my opinions at another date. For me it's all about continuity. Stan Lee began to write consistently interlocking stories in November 1961 (Fantastic Four #1), and I consider all comics to be canon that follow this consistency. I'm not talking about individual comics that make mistakes; for me a series is non-canon if its regular storylines contradict Stan Lee's continuity.

I get it. After 60 years of comics it's difficult for new writers to catch up on what's gone before. But in my opinion, that's the job of the editors. When a young writer presents his plot outline for a new issue, the editor should tell him if it contradicts something that was written 35 years ago. The easy way out of it is to say, "This is an alternate reality in the multiverse". I prefer to say that the new stories are what-if stories outside of the Marvel canon.

Not all Marvel series left canon at the same time. Some series deviated very early. I consider the Defenders to be non-canon from issue 12 onwards, because the Doctor Strange character in the Defenders was obviously not the same person as Doctor Strange in his own comic. Steve Englehart even wrote about this in a Doctor Strange letters page. He said that he'd discussed the discrepancies with Steve Gerber, and they'd decided to ignore them. Non-canon doesn't mean bad. Steve Gerber is one of my favourite Marvel writers, and his Defenders comics are excellent; they're just not canon.

I read all of Marvel's super-hero comics, but I omitted non-canon comics from my reviews. If I'd continued with my Marvel Years posts up to 1991 you would have seen the size of my reviews tapering off as more and more series became non-canon. However, tragedy struck in late 2020. Google updated its blogger software, and a bug crept in, the infamous imageanchor bug. Whenever a person swaps windows from HTML format to normal text format, the imageanchor tab is removed from all images. I can't go into technicalities here, but it makes it difficult to write long posts. Not impossible, but awkward. After a few months of struggling along, I ceased my Marvel Years posts in October 2020 with the December 1974 post. I intended to continue as soon as Google fixed the bug, but now, two years later, the bug still hasn't been fixed. I've reported the bug many times, but Google's customer support is awful. There isn't even an automatic acknowledgement that a bug report has been received.

For this reason I've decided to do smaller Marvel reviews, one issue at a time. It won't be complete. I'll just pick out the comics I like the most between 1975 and 1991. I'll start off by continuing a few series from 1974. When I've got through all of them I'll start on others. I already have a list. My intention is to review one issue every day, if I can keep up the momentum. I'll see as I go along. My reviews will probably be more detailed than the mini-reviews in my Marvel Years posts, but no promises.

My first series is Captain America #181 to #186. This is a good place to start Many fans consider Captain America #153 to #186 to be his best ever stories, so it's a shame that I stopped in the middle,

Those unfamiliar with 1970's Marvel comics might ask why I call this comic "Captain America" when the cover above says it's "Captain America and the Falcon". The comic started as Captain America #100 in April 1968 (continuing from Tales Of Suspense #99) and ran to Captain America #454 in August 1996. The comic was temporarily renamed when Captain America and the Falcon became partners, from issue 134 (February 1971) to issue 222 (June 1978). This happened again with "Daredevil", which was renamed "Daredevil and the Black Widow" from issue 92 (October 1972) to issue 107 (January 1974). Collectors usually refer to both comic books by their original names. After some consideration, I'll use the original name in the title but the full name in the review itself.

Captain America and the Falcon #181

Title: The Mark of Madness

Writer: Steve Englehart

Artist: Sal Buscema

Villain: Serpent Squad (Warlord Krang, Madame Viper, Princess Python, Eel, Cobra)

Regulars: Sharon Carter, Peggy Carter

Guests: Sub-Mariner, Nick Fury, Dum-Dum Dugan, Gabe Jones

The last few issues have been big changes for Steve Rogers. In Captain America #176 he renounced his identity as Captain America. This is because of his disillusionment with the American system. In Captain America #175 Captain America found the leader of the Secret Empire in the Oval Office. Number One was unmasked, and Captain America was shocked to see his identity. The reader doesn't see his face, but Steve Englehart says that he was hinting at it being President Nixon. The story was written in the middle of the Watergate affair, so it was politically apt.

After a few issues of trying to lead a normal life as a civilian, Steve Rogers finally donned a new costume last issue. He became the Nomad. Now he's standing in front of the statue of Abraham Lincoln. He loves America, and he's always served America, but how can he serve a country with an evil leader?

While he's brooding, he's attacked by Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner. Namor demands to know the whereabouts of Warlord Krang, but Nomad has no idea who that is. Namor, witnessed Nomad fighting the Serpent Squad last issue, and Krang is a member of the Squad, but he hadn't yet revealed himself at that time.

Nomad and Sub-Mariner fight until Nomad reveals that he used to be Captain America. Sub-Mariner fills Nomad in on Krang's background.

Meanwhile Krang explains to the Serpent Squad that he found the Serpent Crown of Lemuria on the sea bed. When he put it on, the crown told him to ally himself with Madame Hydra, who has since become Madame Viper. Now, influenced by the crown, he wants the sunken Kingdom of Lemuria to be brought to the surface, where Lemuria can rule the world. The company executive kidnapped last issue is the president of Roxxon Corporation, an oil company that's been drilling near Lemuria. His equipment can be used to raise Lemuria.

Together, Nomad and Sub-Mariner defeat the Serpent Squad and free its president (who's named Hugh Jones in future issues). Krang is captured, but he throws the crown to Madame Viper as she makes her escape. In the past he wouldn't have acted like this. Krang is a man who considers himself superior to all others, but he's under the influence of the Serpent Crown, which sees Madame Viper as the best chance of success.

Meanwhile, the Falcon has met yet another Captain America imitator, a kid called Roscoe. He looks similar, and he's a skilled athlete, but he's no Captain America. The super-soldier serum is missing from his veins. The cover is misleading. Roscoe isn't involved in the fight against the Serpent Squad.