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Captain America #435: Review

Jan 1995
Mark Gruenwald, Dave Hoover

Story Name:

Snake, Rattle, & Roll

Review & Comments

Rating:
4 stars

Captain America #435 Review by (May 13, 2017)
Comments: “Fighting Chance, Book 11.” Title is a pun on “Shake, Rattle & Roll,” an early rock 'n' roll song by Bill Haley and the Comets. Free Spirit's heroes are Captain America, Mother Teresa, and Michael Stipe. Scary sight: Mr. Hyde in swim trunks.

Review: This installment of the trilogy transports us to an unusual milieu: a neighborhood in the suburbs, mostly poolside. The contrast of the Serpent Society headquarters and the typical villain lair is almost comical in its presentation. And the chaos-filled action scenes are a hoot, with Mr Hyde (one of my favorite villains for sheer mean power) adding some spice to the mix. Cap's malady takes a dark turn and he is still puzzled over Diamondback's disappearance so he isn't enjoying punching Serpents in the face as much as he could. The medical emergency and Jack Flag's ignorance of it adds a leavening effect to the largely lightly-handled baddie bits. And Jack Flag, the alleged centerpiece of this final arc is dressed like Cobra for the entire issue and is mightily overshadowed by the more competent Free Spirit. Poor schnook.




 

Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Captain America #435 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

At the Serpent Society Compound in Arizona, Jack Flag, the vigilante hero, has infiltrated the criminal organization on a mission to destroy it. Having successfully completed the test to steal a painting from Mr. Hyde (unaware it was a set-up to kill him), Jack has been rewarded with the offer to become King Cobra’s heir. Trying on the costume, he then must run the gauntlet, taking on several members of the Society en masse. With his newly enhanced strength he is able to take them all on—until they pile on him at once. An alarm sounds…and Jack is nowhere to be seen. He rises from the pool with a flip comment, and is dispatched with the others to find the intruder. The intruder turns out to be an enraged Mr. Hyde, who followed Jack and is now clobbering the Serpents one by one on his way into the compound. He confronts Cobra and the two manage to work out their differences over drinks by the pool….

Meanwhile in Mexico, Captain America and Free Spirit have been picked up by Zack Moonhunter. As the two young people introduce themselves, Cap checks for messages to see if Rachel has contacted him. A report of Serpent Society activity in Arizona leads him to wonder if she has gone back to her old gang. Cap has Zack drop him near the Serpents’ compound in the desert, ordering Free Spirit to stay behind. Finding the evidence of Hyde’s forced entry, he follows and is attacked by Jack Flag, in King Cobra’s costume. As Jack fights with Cap, he whispers that he is a good guy infiltrating the villain organization and suggests that Cap let him "win" the fight. Meanwhile, Hank Pym and Dr. Kincaid are searching for Cap, whose condition has become dangerous. They contact his ship and reach Moonhunter who informs them as to the hero’s whereabouts. Free Spirit, sensing an emergency, has Zack drop her near the compound and heads to Cap’s aid. Cap, trying to keep his energy level low, is not putting up a convincing fight against Jack/Cobra so when other Serpents arrive, Cap allows himself to be captured and brought before Cobra and Hyde. Elsewhere, Free Spirit has been caught by Coachwhip and gives her a sound beating. At the pool, Hyde is dunking Cap as Cobra questions him as to whether he is an impostor or has any allies about. Suddenly, Free Spirit, disguised as Coachwhip, lashes Hyde’s hand, causing him to drop Cap into the pool. Cobra opens up a hatch which draws Cap down a giant drain and Cobra and Hyde leap after him. Jack rushes to Free Spirit’s side as they are quickly surrounded by the members of the Serpent Society….


Preview Pages
Click sample interior pages to enlarge them:




Dave Hoover
Danny Bulanadi
George Roussos
Dave Hoover (Cover Penciler)
Dave Hoover (Cover Inker)


Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Captain America
Captain America

(Steve Rogers)

Plus: Cobra (Klaus Voorhees), Free Spirit, Jack Flag, Moonhunter, Mr. Hyde (Calvin Zabo), Serpent Society.

> Captain America: Book info and issue index

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