This issue sees Captain America deal with the continuing Hydra threat, the return of Batroc the Leaper, and the growing “Capmania” around him since returning from the “Heroes Reborn” world. Along for the ride is Cap’s favorite pal, Hawkeye… is he just one more thing Cap has to deal with?
We open on a record scratch moment as Cap bravely dives off a building in New York City after a poison gas canister thrown by (who else) a Hydra agent. (If you don’t believe me, just read the crawl on the building.)
At last, Cap has the canister… but who has him?
Why, it’s “Circus Boy,” of course. (And for the youths out there, “Mr. Louganis” refers to Greg, gold medal-winning Olympic diver from the 1980s.)
He wouldn’t be Hawkeye if he didn’t make a jab about Cap’s age, which he barely squeezes in before the crowd approaches, followed by City Councilman Andrew Bolt, who asks for Cap’s endorsement in his run for the U.S. House of Representatives.
Cap declines, emphasizing his desire for political neutrality and then expressing faith in the American voter (an attitude that I will leave to you to judge).
After Capman and Robin Hood return to Stark Manor, they pick up their discussion of Capmania, with Clint starting out sympathetic before turning jealous—and then suggesting an obvious way for Cap to mingle with the people unnoticed. (And it doesn’t involve an overcoat.)
It doesn’t take long for Cap to regret going on with Clint’s plan. (Hey, I might have a few of those!)
If he’s embarrassed by the action figures, Cap expresses confusion, if not disappointment, at the people buying the Cap merch (and lunch deals) as well as the business making money off his image. And Clint is just along for the ride, always looking for a way to poke the old man when he can (but not harshly or meanly, at least not any more).
I think Clint just wants Cap to lighten up and enjoy the absurdity of it all—and add to the absurdity when he can, which he does below.
Clint also wants Cap to realize he deserves the love and acclaim, even though that’s the last thing he wants or thinks he deserves.
Once on his own again (whew), Cap starts thinking about the way he pursues his mission, wondering if he’s needed any more and then considering becoming more proactive to be relevant in “the complicated world nowadays.”
He’s heartened when he sees a kid playing him with a garbage can lid for a shield, but then wonders why his pal is playing Batroc—and soon finds out.
Happy to oblige, Cap answers the call, only to find out the entire thing was a set-up—and we the readers get the extra insight of the Hydra Supreme Sensational pulling the strings.
Once he knows this, Cap bows out, having better things to do with his time. While his admirers are left wondering what’s going on, Batroc is more assertive in his objection…
…but Circus Boy comes through again, this time against his partner’s wishes.
Cap warns Clint about the ice in the Rockefeller Center ice skating rink, which Batroc takes advantage of, until Cap returns the favor from the beginning of the issue.
(“And he’s not little! He’s a big, big man!”)
The crowd cheers while Cap tries to convince Batroc to stop, but the Leaper is only getting started. Cap silently acknowledges the ice puts him at a disadvantage…
…and also that he has upped his game since last time they fought. (Last time they met, as Batroc says, they were much more civil with each other.)
Batroc surprises Cap when he says Hydra paid him to throw the fight…
…which offends him, presumably both in terms of the honor of fair battle as well as the danger Hydra put onlookers in. (Not to mention poor Clint, caught in the middle!)
The old shield may not be very good for throwin’, but it is mighty fine for sleddin’.
After Cap says he can do this all day, Batroc leaves him with a backhanded compliment…
…and when Clint offers to catch him, Cap says it’s over, and Clint takes the win on their behalf. Cap, however, is not happy at all.
As he explains, the fight with Batroc didn’t do any good, and distracted him from pursuing actual wrongdoers and keeping innocent people safe. Clint says sure, but it wasn’t all for nothing: Cap did give the public someone to cheer for (although, given Capmania, this may not have been necessary). More important, he may have inspired them to do something heroic in their own lives. (After all, as far as they knew, Batroc was an actual threat that Cap put down.)
Cap seems to take Clint’s words to heart, and the hint of a smile shows that he may have even started to let himself enjoy the attention.
What is the Hydra Sensational up to, anyway? Find out in the next issue…
ISSUE DETAILS
Captain America (vol. 3) #4, April 1998: Mark Waid (writer), Ron Garney (pencils), Bob Wiacek (inks), Joe Rosas (colors), John Costanza (letters). (More details at Marvel Database.)
Collected in: Captain America: To Serve and Protect and Captain America: Heroes Return–The Complete Collection Vol. 1.
PREVIOUS ISSUE: Captain America #3 (March 1998)
ALSO THIS MONTH: Avengers #3 (April 1998)
NEXT ISSUE: Captain America #5 (May 1998)
THE VIRTUES OF CAPTAIN AMERICA 
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