Captain America
is dangling over the edge of a roof, held by the ankle by Rock Python. Puff
Adder and Anaconda of the Serpent Society look on as Python drops the hero to
his (probable) death. Contacting their leader King Cobra, the villainous trio
learns there is no reward for killing Cap so they don’t bother to check the
hero’s status before they return to headquarters. Cap however managed to put
his shield under him as he landed and that took the brunt of the blow. John
Jameson picks him up and they follow the bad guys by means of the
Translocator….
At the Society’s HQ, Diamondback is dying from Cobra’s venom
and hero-for-hire Paladin is also a prisoner. Cap arrives by Sky-Cycle and
enters by piggybacking on a Serpent Saucer. Once inside, Cap takes out
Constrictor and Fer-de-Lance then enters the premises only to be ambushed by
Bushmaster…..
Interlude: Bernie Rosenthal is confiding in Mike Farrel
about her relationship with Steve; she also suspects Mike is hiding a secret….
Cap manages to overcome Bushmaster and enters the chamber
where the prisoners are being held. King Cobra ambushes him as he did Paladin
last issue but Cap is sharper and clobbers him; Cobra moves on to Plan B and
threatens to kill Diamondback on the spot. Cap implies that Thor and the other
Avengers are waiting outside causing the villain to panic and flee. Cap
releases Asp and Black Mamba who promises to find him the antidote for
Diamond’s poison. By now, Cobra has learned that Cap is alone and he returns
with reinforcements. A battle breaks out between Cap and his team and the enemy
snakes. The good guys win, Diamond gets the antidote, Guardsmen from the Vault
carry off the baddies, and Cap lets Asp and Black Mamba go free as Diamond
wanted. Diamond, wanting to make Cap jealous, goes off with Paladin; Cap
doesn’t seem to notice.
Epilogue: Steve did notice such an obvious ploy and doesn’t
know why it bothers him. Jarvis announces he has a visitor: expecting Rachel,
he is surprised to see Bernie….
2. “Thanks for the Memories” 3.5
Writer: Mark Gruenwald. Pencils: Mark Bagley. Inks: Dan Panosian. Colors: Nel Yomtov.
USAgent John Walker’s memories are returning: At
his public debut as the new Captain America,
he and Battle Star (Lemar Hoskins) were upstaged by their former army buddies
Jerome and Hector, now known as Left- and Right-Winger. They revealed Cap’s
identity as John Walker to the public which led to Walker’s
parents being captured by the Watchdogs and their subsequent deaths. Walker
took his revenge against the Wingers and ended up facing the Red Skull and
saving Steve Rogers who was then the Captain. Steve resumed as Captain America
while Walker’s assassination was
faked as part of a plan to give him a new identity. Also in the plan, Walker’s
memories were wiped and it is revealed that Walker
specifically requested to have all memory of his parents’ deaths removed. At
this, Walker thanks them for the
restored memories and apologizes for suspecting Haywerth of foul play.