The Commission on Superhuman Affairs debates their next move in the wake of Steve Rogers’ resignation as Captain America: General Haywerth wants to court-martial Rogers, while Henry Peter Gyrich would prefer to use him as a means of forcing the Avengers into line. Valerie Cooper persuades them that the next course of action should be to find a new Captain America, to cover up the fact that the original was forced out. Haywerth reports on two failed Super-Soldier experiments, Nuke (DAREDEVIL #233) and G.I. Max (CAPTAIN AMERICA #331). Other suggestions include Jack (Nomad) Monroe, Sam (the Falcon) Wilson, and Nick Fury but none are acceptable. Then Cooper brings up Super-Patriot, in the news for his victory over the Washington D.C. terrorist Warhead (last issue). As the vigilante hero is leaving the studio where he had appeared on a talk show, two FBI agents escort him to a meeting with Valerie Cooper. She asks for his background and he readily supplies it: he was born John Walker in Custer Grove, Georgia. His older bother Mike died heroically in Vietnam and John wished to emulate him and so was enhanced with super-strength by the Power Broker. He planned to enter Unlimited Class Wrestling until promoter Ethan Thurm persuaded him to become a patriotic costumed hero. As Super-Patriot he mainly did publicity appearances until the terrorist incident at the Washington Monument led him to a more active type of heroism. Cooper explains how they are looking for a replacement Captain America and offers him the position, contingent on a background check. Stunned, Walker accepts and goes home where he tells Ethan Thurm about it. The wily agent draws up a list of demands including perks for himself, jobs for the Buckies, percentage of merchandising, etc. Walker goes out jogging and phones Cap’s hotline asking for a meeting at the Lincoln Memorial the following evening. The next night, after waiting past the appointed time, Walker is attacked by a figure he assumes is Captain America—then by two others—they turn out to be the Buckies, Lemar Hoskins, Hector Lennox, and Jerome Johnson, who have heard the news from Ethan and have come to roughhouse with the newly appointed Captain America. And he assures them he will not leave them behind.
Two days later, Super-Patriot appears before the Commission on Superhuman Affairs, where he is told he has passed his background check and that the position of Captain America is his if he wants it. He readily agrees, and hands in Ethan’s list of requests. Valerie Cooper takes him off and has him suit up for the first time as Captain America and presents him with the shield. She then takes him for training, leaving him in the hands of three Freedom Force operatives—the pardoned Blob, Avalanche, and Pyro. The three ex-villains relish attacking a costumed hero and Walker has to think fast as the ground buckles and fireballs whoosh past his head. He hurls the shield and knocks out Pyro then rides a shockwave to clobber Avalanche, but he is unable to do anything against the massive Blob. Cooper intervenes before the new Cap can be injured. She then sends him to watch tapes of the original in action. After a grueling day, he returns home but is unable to tell Ethan whether they have accepted the deal.
Three days later, new Cap meets with the Commission, who tell him that he will have to drop Ethan Thurm as his manager, as well as two of the Buckies who failed their background checks. Cap readily agrees….