Comic Browser:

#380
#381
#382
#383
#384
#385
#386
#387
#388
#389
#390
#391
#392
#393
#394
#395
#396
#397
#398
#399
#400
#401
#402
#403
Selector

Captain America #385: Review

May 1991
Mark Gruenwald, Ron Lim

Story Name:

Going to the Dogs

Review & Comments

Rating:
4 stars

Captain America #385 Review by (January 25, 2016)
Comments: Main story: Part one of two parts. The Watchdogs were introduced in CAP issue #335 and they killed the parents of John Walker Cap. Rage became a provisional member of the Avengers in AVENGERS #326-328; Sandman became a reserve member in issue #329. The comedy show IN LIVING COLOR can be heard on a TV. Backup story: Part one of two parts, serving as a prologue to “The Superia Stratagem,” the story arc that occupies issues #387-392. Origin of B.A.D. Girls, Inc.

Review: An interesting issue with the crackpot group from earlier issues returning but now Cap has a personal interest as does the reader (though I’m sure not a lot of Cap fans are particularly fond of the underused Mike Farrel from years gone by). As I’ve mentioned, I’m not a big fan of Ron Lim’s art but the action scenes are well done, though his style feels less substantial to me than the situation calls for. The second story is okay but just feels like filler to me. Good thing it’s only a prologue to the next story.




 

Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Captain America #385 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro
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


Ron Lim
Danny Bulanadi
Christie Scheele
Ron Lim (Cover Penciler)
Danny Bulanadi (Cover Inker)
? (Cover Colorist)


Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Captain America
Captain America

(Steve Rogers)

Plus: Asp.

> Captain America: Book info and issue index

Share This Page


Elektra