Synopsis
As Captain America and the Falcon are out on late-night patrol, Cap is brooding about his place in the modern world, prompted by his clash with his 1950s replacement and the return of Peggy Carter. Suddenly they are fired upon with a ray gun by a costumed villain called Phoenix who seems to have a grudge against Cap, though the hero does not recognize him. Falcon assaults the baddie only to be knocked down; as Phoenix points his gun to destroy the winged hero, he realizes the charge is exhausted and flees to fight another day. The following night, the heroes meet and Cap rudely tells Falcon that he is no help and the Avenger wants to go it alone (this is, of course, a trick by Cap to keep his partner out of danger). Searching the city for a sign of the villain, Cap encounters an injured man who claims to have been shot by a costumed nut with a ray gun. Cap follows and spies the Phoenix in an ally; he attacks and finds the "villain" is a dummy, which sprays knockout gas in his face. The real Phoenix was the "victim" who carries Cap off to his factory hideout. Cap awakens to find himself in chains suspended over a bubbling vat of Adhesive X. Phoenix reveals that he is the son of Cap’s old enemy Baron Zemo, whose life was ruined when Cap caused his face to be doused with the miracle adhesive. When Cap returned, the son recreated his father’s death ray and superglue and set out on the path of vengeance. Just as the villain is about to drop Cap into the deadly vat, Falcon bursts in (he didn’t believe Cap’s disavowal either) and attacks. Cap breaks his bonds, determined to help rather than destroy his misguided enemy. Phoenix hurls Cap’s shield at him but it boomerangs, knocking the madman into the vat of Adhesive X. Cap mourns, in part blaming himself for the return of the old hatreds.
Enemies
Phoenix (Helmut Zemo).