Captain America #226: Review

Oct 1978

Roger McKenzie, Sal Buscema

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Story Name:

Am I Still Captain America?

Review & Comments

Rating:

Captain America #226 Review by Peter Silvestro (October 3, 2011)

Review: Yet another writer takes over: Roger McKenzie brings back the Red Skull (after a fashion) in spades. A typical 70s tale is played for excitement, not the least of which is the weakened Cap’s battle with the robot Impact. And McKenzie does invoke the recent “Search for Steve Rogers” by having Cap come to appreciate that Captain America and Steve Rogers are one and the same—his heroic identity is not a persona that can be donned and doffed but is squarely rooted in his character.

Comments: Part one of a two-part story.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Captain America #226 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

His body drained of the Super-Soldier Serum that gave him his powers, the now-scrawny Captain America has the need to prove himself. He does this by entering a SHIELD training room and fighting a huge robot called Impact-739. Nick Fury calls a halt to the exercise, fearing Cap will be injured or killed. Fury is interrupted by SHIELD Agent Jacobs reporting odd phenomena near the Helicarrier—when suddenly the agent is struck by a beam that transforms him into a clone of the Red Skull! The villain fires at Fury who has no qualms about beating up the newly-minted enemy agent (though it hurts to punch a skull with a bare fist. Who knew?). Jacobs’ shot blew out the controls, trapping Cap in the training room at the mercy of the berserk Impact. As Fury gives orders to break into the room and rescue the weakened hero, a confused Cap dodges the murderous robot, relying on his training and agility. Fury gets on the viewscreen to warn Cap but the machine menace destroys the monitor with a blast from its hammer-like weapon…. Out in space, a skull-shaped satellite begins to fire beams at the Helicarrier, turning SHIELD agents into Red Skulls by the dozen. Unable to face them all single-handedly Fury seeks out Dum Dum Dugan, only to find his old comrade is also a Red Skull; the ex-Howler stuns Fury with a shot. Meanwhile, Cap is fighting for his life against the berserk training robot. He hurls his shield but Impact catches it and flings it back, quickly following up with a blow from its electrified weapon. Impact enfolds Cap in its unbreakable grip and sends painful electricity through the hero’s body…but under the torture, something is triggered in Cap’s metabolism and the Super-Soldier Serum kicks in once more. Restored to his former strength he impales Impact on its own weapon and then decapitates the robot with a stroke of his shield. He looks up to discover a squad of Red Skulls, with Nick Fury prisoner, announcing their victory….

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