Members of the right-wing urban terrorist group the Watchdogs have invaded the offices of a hip-hop music firm, spreading gasoline. When they set the bomb, Mike, a rookie member of the gang, spies a sleeping janitor and realizes he can do nothing to save him before the explosion. Barely escaping himself, he is mocked by the others….
Bernie Rosenthal, a newly minted lawyer hoping to rekindle her romance with Steve Rogers, stops by Avengers Mansion to see him. They make a date to go shopping later. Bernie heads over to see old friend Mike Farrel and finds him distraught. Before he can say why, his Watchdog pal Stuart arrives to check up on him. After Stuart leaves, Mike unburdens his soul, explaining how he joined the group because he admired their ideals but wasn’t prepared for murder. Bernie promises not to go to the police and leaves, both of them unaware that the Watchdogs heard it all, thanks to the bug Stuart had just planted….
Captain America receives a call from Bernie telling him that Mike is in (unspecified) trouble. He heads over to Mike’s apartment just in time to intercept the Watchdogs who were coming to silence him….
Mike, meanwhile, has gone to an art gallery to see an avant-garde painter who is next on the ‘Dog’s hit list. It all goes wrong when the artist interprets Mike’s warning as a threat and Mike loses his temper and storms out….
Cap does his usual expert job at beating up on the bad guys when Bernie arrives and is taken hostage. The baddies leave Cap with a ticking time bomb and depart. Cap carefully defuses the device but by then the Watchdogs are long gone….
Mike arrives home to see police in front of his building. Jumping to the conclusion that Bernie has betrayed him he heads off into the night….
2. “Loose Ends”
Writer: Mark Gruenwald. Pencils: Mark Bagley, Dan Panosian. Inks: Dan Panosian. Colors: Nel Yomtov.
Synopsis: Learning of the downfall of the Serpent Society, Diamondback and her pals, Asp and Black Mamba, also discover that three other members of the Society are free and will likely be seeking revenge against the trio. Diamond proposes that they team up to form a group called B.A.D. Girls, Inc. for the purpose of capturing their foes. They design new costumes and return to Diamond’s apartment to set a trap for the baddies. Problem: the baddies have already been there and have set a trap for the intrepid trio. Puff Adder crashes a Serpent Saucer through the roof as Rock Python seizes Asp and Mamba is buried under the rubble….
3/5