CAPTAIN AMERICA #159 - Turning Point! (Oy Vey!)

(CAPTAIN AMERICA #159 - cover-dated March 1973, on newsstands December 5th, 1972, with cover art Sal Buscema and inks by George Roussos)

—

First, a little background:

In December of 1972, Marvel Comics released 42 individual comic books titles to the marketplace. As I talk about in my book - Stan Lee Lied (Your Handy Guide to Every Lie in the Marvel Universe) - Marvel was a bit short on real creative talent at this time - so that 42 individual books was propped up by REPRINTS

Beware, Crypt of Shadows, (eventually) Chamber of Chills, Kid Colt Outlaw, Li’l Pals, Marvel Superheroes, Marvel’s Greatest Comics, Mighty Marvel Western, Monster Madness (not reprints, but silly dialogue over B&W pictures), My Love, Ringo Kid, Sgt. Fury (every other issue), Special Marvel Edition, Two Gun Kid, War is Hell, Western Gunfighters, and Where Monsters Dwell.

For that MONTH, 38% of Marvel’s output was REPRINTS. That was DOWN from where it was in 1970!

(After Kirby left in mid-1970, for the rest of the year, Marvel’s Reprints comprised 49.3% of their published titles. Truly the House of Ideas was closed!) 

Lee and Thomas began bringing in writers who were drooling fanboys of Stan Lee, to do comics HIS way, and artists who would simply put up with working the Marvel Method (i.e. writing most of the story)and not complain. Into this we have writer Steve Englehart. Now in 1972 when I read Captain America #158 (the previous issue), I neither knew or cared who he was - I just thought the story was silly. And the artwork didn’t necessarily knock me out. 

I’ve since grown to really appreciate Sal Buscema’s storytelling, and that John Verpoorten was a pretty good inker! Unfortunately for those of you who may have been a fan of him, I’ve grown to really dislike Steve Englehart - not because of his silly writing - but due to his unimaginable disrespect he showed Jack Kirby.

Anyway. It’s all just MY opinion. If you know of something of his I should read, that might make me see it otherwise, I’ll be happy to check it out. I plan to read a LOT of these 70’s comics that I passed on back 50+ years ago! 

(CAPTAIN AMERICA #159 - cover-dated March 1973, on newsstands December 5th, 1972, with art Sal Buscema and inks by John Verpoorten)

——

In the Marvel Universe, every few months it seems is a ‘Turning Point’ for some character. It’s a cheap trick to make stories seem more relevant and wrap up whatever storyline is going on. I’ll warn you ahead of time, before I even read it - I doubt anything happens in this issue that CHANGES Captain America or makes this story an actual ‘Turning Point’.

(CAPTAIN AMERICA #159 - cover-dated March 1973, on newsstands December 5th, 1972, with art Sal Buscema and inks by John Verpoorten)

——

You’d think these guys got paid by the word, with all the yapping they do in the yellow boxes. I guess I was different than most - none of what was usually said in narration in a Marvel Comic ever seemed important to me. I mean… what the hell is he talking about here? And once the people start talking… this Muldoon guy is a weak supporting character - I suspect (because I don’t care enough to go look) who was created simply to play this part in things. He has zero proof that Rogers is the Cowled Commander. And why would there even NEED to be a Cowled Commander to be ‘behind police corruption’. Just dumb.

(CAPTAIN AMERICA #159 - cover-dated March 1973, on newsstands December 5th, 1972, with art Sal Buscema and inks by John Verpoorten)

——

Comics that need lots and lots of words to help you understand what’s going on. Ugh.

And of course they leave him on his own, so that he can escape. Such a common trope.

(CAPTAIN AMERICA #159 - cover-dated March 1973, on newsstands December 5th, 1972, with art Sal Buscema and inks by John Verpoorten)

——

Dum dum Rogers still can’t figure out what the serum is doing to him. He breaks free of the ropes as if it’s something he hasn’t done as Cap a million times before. 

(CAPTAIN AMERICA #159 - cover-dated March 1973, on newsstands December 5th, 1972, with art Sal Buscema and inks by John Verpoorten)

——

LOL. That is the dorkiest group of bad guys I can imagine.

Marvel Comics were written for a more sophisticated reader?

Yeah, says who?

(CAPTAIN AMERICA #159 - cover-dated March 1973, on newsstands December 5th, 1972, with art Sal Buscema and inks by John Verpoorten)

——

The Eel and the Viper are both snake like creatures with a similar costume designer, so obviously they’re brothers. Hee!

And apparently close brothers as the Eel calls him by his first name in the middle of a crime.

(CAPTAIN AMERICA #159 - cover-dated March 1973, on newsstands December 5th, 1972, with art Sal Buscema and inks by John Verpoorten)

——

Here the extra exposition - telling us what we can clearly see - is unnecessary.

This is the Marvel style. Writers who hold our hand through the artwork. 

(CAPTAIN AMERICA #159 - cover-dated March 1973, on newsstands December 5th, 1972, with art Sal Buscema and inks by John Verpoorten)

——

How do we allow the bad guys to get away? Have a Police Car,, who completely ignores the bad guys running off, pull up and cut off the heroes! 

(CAPTAIN AMERICA #159 - cover-dated March 1973, on newsstands December 5th, 1972, with art Sal Buscema and inks by John Verpoorten)

——

Why not run past the car? Jump over it? This is a guy who once punched Hitler in the face! And who IS this dude anyway? Another character created who ‘adds to the mystery’ of WHO the Cowled Commander is!

Seriously, this storyline has given us ZERO reason to care. 

(CAPTAIN AMERICA #159 - cover-dated March 1973, on newsstands December 5th, 1972, with art Sal Buscema and inks by John Verpoorten)

——

LOL

(CAPTAIN AMERICA #159 - cover-dated March 1973, on newsstands December 5th, 1972, with art Sal Buscema and inks by John Verpoorten)

——

And now an appearance by the love interest(s), because… well you’ll see. In all of New York City, they just happened to be at the spot the heroes are at. They ‘heard’. 

Romance? Team-up?

“Hold it! The Bird’s Back!”

(CAPTAIN AMERICA #159 - cover-dated March 1973, on newsstands December 5th, 1972, with art Sal Buscema and inks by John Verpoorten)

——

“He Done Did it’???

(CAPTAIN AMERICA #159 - cover-dated March 1973, on newsstands December 5th, 1972, with art Sal Buscema and inks by John Verpoorten)

——

Marvel Comics: Making the dumbest villains seem like the most deadly!

At least for a panel or two. This guy’s going to easily get his ass kicked here, 

despite being able to conjure up plants that can eat people. 

(CAPTAIN AMERICA #159 - cover-dated March 1973, on newsstands December 5th, 1972, with art Sal Buscema and inks by John Verpoorten)

——

This is the type of dialogue that these Marvel guys love to write and that apparently the Marvel readers - at least the most vocal ones - love to read. No one talks like this. 

(CAPTAIN AMERICA #159 - cover-dated March 1973, on newsstands December 5th, 1972, with art Sal Buscema and inks by John Verpoorten)

——

The Cowled Commander has shown himself! The heroes are trapped in an ‘Inescapable’ room.

I’m not worried in the least bit…

(CAPTAIN AMERICA #159 - cover-dated March 1973, on newsstands December 5th, 1972, with art Sal Buscema and inks by John Verpoorten)

——

Of course the villains leave them alone, gloat as if they’re already dead - meanwhile the heroes escape and save the day.

Not exactly a new concept.

I love Buscema’s rendering of Scarecrow getting blasted by Cap’s shield! (With the Eel looking back over his shoulder in surprise from where it came from. That’s good basic storytelling. I really have learned to appreciate Sal over the years!

(CAPTAIN AMERICA #159 - cover-dated March 1973, on newsstands December 5th, 1972, with art Sal Buscema and inks by John Verpoorten)

——

I have no words…

Yes I do. The Porcupine is one of the dumbest heroes ever created. Why would they continue using this silly looking costume? Maybe update it or something?

(CAPTAIN AMERICA #159 - cover-dated March 1973, on newsstands December 5th, 1972, with art Sal Buscema and inks by John Verpoorten)

——

Ya think? You took their WORD for it? Based on how they were dressed?

(CAPTAIN AMERICA #159 - cover-dated March 1973, on newsstands December 5th, 1972, with art Sal Buscema and inks by John Verpoorten)

——

Big reveal. NOT.

And dumbest reason to become a criminal, ever. 

You risked your entire career to create crimes to get an administrative change at the Police station?

(CAPTAIN AMERICA #159 - cover-dated March 1973, on newsstands December 5th, 1972, with art Sal Buscema and inks by John Verpoorten)

——

Oh by the way, your loved ones were kidnapped in all of this.

Add kidnapping to his list of crimes. 

(CAPTAIN AMERICA #159 - cover-dated March 1973, on newsstands December 5th, 1972, with art Sal Buscema and inks by John Verpoorten)

——

He did? He had everyone fooled? Who really noticed? If he hadn’t made a speckle of himself, no one would’ve even known he existed.

And he almost got away with it? By kidnapping Steve Rogers? And kidnapping two women? And hiring 4 ridiculously dressed bad guys?

I may be infinitely dumber for reading this comic…

(CAPTAIN AMERICA #159 - cover-dated March 1973, on newsstands December 5th, 1972, with art Sal Buscema and inks by John Verpoorten)

——

I think I made the right choice in NOT being a regular Captain America reader! Or at least not until Kirby returned 3 years later and gave us the the Madbomb Saga! Hell yeah!

NOTE: Sgt. Muldoon was a character - supposedly - inspired by Kirby. NOT modeled after him - Lee and Romita, supposedly, created him in homage. I don't believe that, but that's the rumor.

Hey, if you're glad to see us back, leave a comment!

Thanks!