User:Morgan695/sandbox5

"The Strange Death of Captain America"
"The Strange Death of Captain America"
	Cover of Captain America #113
Publisher	Marvel Comics
Publication date	February – May 1969
Genre	Superhero
Title(s)
	Captain America #110, 111, 113
Main character(s)	Captain America; Madame Hydra; Rick Jones;
Creative team
Writer(s)	Jim Steranko (story); Stan Lee (dialogue);
Artist(s)	Jim Steranko
Inker(s)	Joe Sinnott (#110, 111); Tom Palmer (#113);
Letterer(s)	Sam Rosen (#110, 111); Artie Simek (#113);
Editor(s)	Stan Lee

"The Strange Death of Captain America" is a 1969 story arc that ran in Captain America, an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It was plotted and illustrated by Jim Steranko, with dialogue written by Captain America editor Stan Lee. The story follows Captain America as he reckons with his lack of a secret identity.

Despite the brevity of Steranko's run, his time on Captain America significantly influenced how the character would be depicted in post-war comics.

Plot

At Avengers Mansion in New York City, the Hulk's sidekick Rick Jones finds the uniform of Bucky Barnes, the deceased partner of Captain America. Jones dons the uniform and asks Captain America to make him his new sidekick, a request he rejects. Suddenly, they are alerted that the fascistic terrorist group Hydra is attacking the city's water's supply. Captain America defeats the Hydra henchmen with assistance from Jones, and he reluctantly agrees to take Jones on as his new partner.

Later, Captain America is ambushed by Hydra assassins under the command of Madame Hydra while in the guise of Steve Rogers, his civilian identity; he reflects on how his lack of a secret identity exposes himself and his companions to danger. Shortly thereafter, Jones experiences a violent psychedelic hallucination after he picks up a letter from Hydra laced with a psychoactive gas intended for Captain America. In a confrontation between Captain America, Jones, and Hydra, Captain America is shot and falls into a river; only a bullet-riddled mask with Steve Rogers' facial features is recovered.

The revelation that Captain America is dead and that "Steve Rogers" was a false identity become public. A funeral held by the Avengers is attacked by Hydra, though Captain America suddenly appears to join the fight; in the ensuing conflict, Hydra is beaten back and Madame Hydra is killed. Captain America privately reveals to the Avengers that he is Steve Rogers, that his death was a ruse, and that as Captain America has returned while the public believes Steve Rogers to be dead, he once again has a secret identity.

Production and release

Context

Jim Steranko began working for Marvel in the late 1960s, after previously working at Harvey Comics where he wrote and illustrated the comic book Spyman under editor and Captain America co-creator Joe Simon. His first work at Marvel was as inker for the ongoing feature "Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D." in the anthology Strange Tales, which was illustrated by Captain America co-creator Jack Kirby; he would later assume Kirby's role as illustrator for the series.^[1]

This run is constituted of the stories "No Longer Alone" (Captain America #110, February 1969), "Tomorrow You Live, Tonight I Die!!" (#111, March 1969), and "The Strange Death of Captain America" (#113, May 1969).

According to Steranko, the establishment of Rick Jones as the new Bucky was a directive from Stan Lee.

Reception and legacy

References

^ Hayton & Albright 2009, p. 19.

Bibliography

Steranko, Jim (1970). The Steranko History of Comics, Vol 1. Supergraphics.
Weiner, Robert, ed. (2009). Captain America and the Struggle of the Superhero: Critical Essays. McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0786437030.
- Hayton, Christopher J.; Albright, David L. (2009). "O Captain! My Captain!". In Weiner, Robert (ed.). Captain America and the Struggle of the Superhero: Critical Essays. pp. 15–23.

RESOURCES

[FOOTNOTEHaytonAlbright200919-1] Hayton & Albright 2009, p. 19.

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