I could wax rhapsodic about my favorite Captain America story arc, which stretched from Tales of Suspense 97 (Jan. 1968) to the first issue of Captain America’s new title (April 1968).
From the moment Cap hurtled aloft over Manhattan in the Black Panther’s open-air sky craft (you press “S” for “Soar”), I knew I was in for a treat, and Marvel delivered.
Because this was Cap’s first meeting with T’Challa, naturally they had to skirmish briefly before getting down to serious business. In fact, the two characters mirrored each other in ability and nobility, with the Black Panther functioning as essentially a Captain Africa.
Their successful partnership here would prompt Cap to recommend that T’Challa replace him in the Avengers.
Cap’s archenemy Baron Zemo has apparently returned from the dead to threaten the world with his orbital solar ray, operated from a secret base in Wakanda. Cap and the Black Panther fight their way in against great odds, and with all the pugilistic fireworks we expected of Jack Kirby’s art.
“Cap often worked best in action stories, in my opinion,” observed Harmony Gates. “Kirby in particular did a very good job of structuring tales in a way that emphasized the action while still presenting intriguing scenarios (with the latter explained in a very economical/effective way).”
The heroic pair are confronted by “Irma Kruhl” — actually SHIELD’s Agent 13 in disguise — who is ordered by Zemo to shoot Cap as a test of her loyalty. That cliffhanger ended the run of Tales of Suspense.
“With their output no longer restricted, Marvel Comics begins expanding its line (in issues cover-dated January 1968),” explained John Wells in the American Comic Book Chronicles. “Captain America 100 and The Incredible Hulk 102 are followed in February by Captain Marvel 1, Iron Man 1, and The Sub-Mariner 1.”
To celebrate the fact that Cap now finally had his own title again after 14 years, the story includes a generous flashback sequence to remind us how Cap was rescued from an icy grave — accidentally by the Sub-Mariner, and then deliberately by the Avengers.
For my 12 cents, this was Jack Kirby and Stan Lee at the peak of their powers.
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