Captain America (1968 series) #122

Review: Cap again addresses the paradox of his existence, giving Stan Lee the opportunity to defend bringing back a comic book character from a previous decade when the Zeitgeist had shifted, setting the precedent of having to justify a hero’s existence every few years. The country needed heroes during World War 2 to inspire the nation—and its kids who read comic books. But after the War, a cynical attitude slowly set in and in the 1960s another war, this one in Vietnam, led to pervasive distrust of government (which would only get worse in the following decade with the Watergate scandal) and a jaded outlook with patriotic types now considered fools parroting the official government lies. So Cap (and his writers) has actually had a real challenge trying to stay relevant across the decades. This issue’s particular defense is one of the better ones because there are no simple answers but at least Cap (and Stan) are aware of the questions.

But eventually Cap decides he’s getting all introspective because he’s mooning over Sharon Carter. Well, that’s one way of rendering a political discussion moot. So to fill out the issue we have a fight with a supervillain. Unlike last issue’s generic big strong guy, here we have the very distinctive Scorpion. His part of the tale is quite entertaining and Cap gets to rescue Sharon though, in true Stan Lee fashion, he is never aware of it so he goes home, still moping.

Comments: A rare appearance of a Spider-Man villain in this title: Scorpion’s origin was in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #20 and he returned in issue #29; this marks his third appearance and he makes a comeback in CAP #150-152, outnumbering his Spidey appearances. Cap quotes the Bible: Matthew 16:26, “what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” The letters page includes one by “Baron Zemo,” probably a pseudonym. Probably.