Captain America #300: Review

Dec 1984

J. M. DeMatteis, Paul Neary

::: click cover to ENLARGE it :::

Story Name:

Das Ende!

Review & Comments

Rating:

Captain America #300 Review by Peter Silvestro (May 9, 2015)

Writer: Michael Ellis. Plot: J.M. DeMatteis. Comments: “Death of the Red Skull” conclusion. The title is German for “The End.” Scriptwriter Michael Ellis is a pen name for J.M. DeMatteis. The Red Skull was intended to become permanently dead (like Bucky) with this story; he will return (also like Bucky) in issue #346 (in disguise) with his true identity being revealed in #350.

Review: …and what was intended as a classic issue goes off the rails by concentrating on Black Crow and his white man’s version of Indian wisdom. What, couldn’t they get Brother Voodoo? Anyway, despite the oddball mysticism, the actual battle with the Red Skull is pulled off nicely, though a bit overlong—but better than the cover implies, with the two punching each other while on their knees. Plus, Cap proves he’s a hero by refusing to sink to the baddie’s level. The impact of the story is muted by the fact that the Red Skull would be resurrected more than a couple of times over the years. But this was great by Marvel 80s standards. PS Nice that they had Dave Cox recover. The 90s Marvel probably would have killed him. PSS Cap is still dying from the poison by the way; he’s not out of the woods until next issue, though the trades always end it here.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Captain America #300 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

Jesse Black Crow hears the voice of the Earth Spirit calling to him that his brother is in danger; he transforms into his bird form and flies to the rescue. At Skull House, Captain America and the Red Skull, both dying from the villain’s poison, are fighting to the finish. The Skull revels in bringing the hero down to his level but when Cap has his foe at his mercy…he refuses to kill him. The Skull demands to die, then he suffers a final seizure and lies still. While this was going on, Dave Cox was fighting for his life in the hospital but as the Red Skull dies, Dave awakens from his coma—and outside the window, the Black Crow flies to his next destination….

Cap leaves the bunker and discovers that Skull House was not destroyed (last issue) and that his friends are unharmed. Cap then collapses from the poison. Black Crow arrives to heal Cap of the venom because the spirit of America within him is stronger than any poison. Falcon and Nomad leave Bernie and Arnie and reenter Skull House. There they find Cap with the body of the Red Skull. Cap says it is time to bury the past….