Steve Rogers, Wendell (Quasar) Vaughn, and John Jameson are
jogging through Central Park when Steve gets a call to
investigate a “superhuman incident” at the courthouse. Wendell conjures up a
flying sled and he and Steve take off, changing into Captain America
and Quasar on the way. They arrive at their destination just as a villain comes
crashing out, hostage Karla (Moonstone) Sofen under one arm. Cap tries to
negotiate with the baddie but he shoots heat beams out of his eyes and leaps
away. The heroes follow so the villain drops building debris on the crowd
forcing Quasar to create a giant basket to catch it all, saving the people
below. Cap has recognized the enemy as Lloyd Bloch, the original Moonstone,
though now he is wearing an old costume of Count Nefaria….
Nefarius—for such is his name—takes refuge in a church with
his hostage; he tells her he holds a grudge for her having stolen the Moonstone
power from him. After his discharge from the mental hospital he found a guy who
could recreate the process that gave Count Nefaria his powers—and now he aims
to kill Karla Sofen slowly. Sofen, psychologist that she is, starts playing
mind games, such as convincing him he secretly loves her—and she
reciprocates—in order to escape….
Cap and Quasar arrive at the church and Q encloses the
building in a giant force bubble to prevent anyone leaving. They arrive as
Nefarius is removing one of Sofen’s energy-dampening gauntlets. Cap carries her
off as Quasar engages with the baddie. To his surprise, Nefarius is much
stronger than imagined and can even punch Q through the energy bubble. The
villain hurls Q at Cap, stunning him and he picks up his hostage and prepares
to leave. Sofen smashes off her other gauntlet and gives her captor a massive
energy blast through the ears, knocking him out. Sofen surrenders to Cap and
when questioned she says she was trying to seduce the baddie into letting her
go. Cap responds with disgust.
2. “The Warning” 3/3
Writer: Mark Gruenwald. Pencils: Mark Bagley. Inks: Dan Panosian. Colors: Nel Yomtov.
Synopsis: Rachel (Diamondback) Leighton receives a
mysterious note warning that her life is in danger. Leaving work at the
boutique, she calls her pals Black Mamba and Asp but gets no answer. After a
workout, she contacts Avengers Mansion
hoping to reach Captain America
but Peggy Carter tells her Cap is on a mission (first story in this issue).
Later, she stops by the Mansion but before she can ring, she is seized and
knocked unconscious by the superfast Black Racer, and carried off…..