With this issue, we welcome the Falcon back to the title and meet a very modern (circa 2000) threat, all while building up to Captain America’s confrontation with the starry-eyed fella behind him on the cover, who was introduced behind the scenes in issue #28 and will receive the spotlight in the upcoming annual. (We’ll see a bit of him at the end of this issue.) Also, you will notice that writer Dan Jurgens starts pulling double duty with this issue, writing and penciling (as he did on Superman and his creation Booster Gold at DC). As a bonus, we have a scene from the latest run of Spider-Woman featuring Cap’s encounter with the third hero to bear that name.
When we first see our hero in Captain America #33, he is prowling the rooftops in pursuit of some very well tricked out burglars…
…while lurking in the shadows like some kind of dark knight detective.
The shadows seem to represent Cap’s mood this night, as he cuts the rope holding up the thief…
…fully aware that his partner is there to catch her…
…apparently all in an attempt to get her to talk.
If you’re familiar with my work on Batman and Daredevil, you know I’m not a fan of this sort of “enhanced interrogation,” regardless of how common it is in superhero comics and films. (In the coming years, Cap will approach and cross this line more often, as detailed on pp. 143–148 of my book.) What makes it even worse in cases like this is that the stakes are so low: we’re not talking about the ticking bomb scenario, in which millions of lives are potentially in danger, which is used in theory to justify the use of torture. These are just petty crooks, gangsters, or hired thugs, who are pressed for information about their bosses, who are only marginally more threatening.
Cap demands the thieves’ names, and while the one named Josh tries to play tough, the one named Dawn knows the way this ends (especially after the experience she just had).
Given Cap’s personal experience with conspiracies at the highest levels of the American government, you’d think he might be less skeptical of what Dawn and Josh have to say, but unfortunately, he and Sam focus on how they look. (However, Cap is right about the internet, readers of this fine blog aside.)
Josh and Dawn tell Cap and Sam about an internet service provider called Parliamech that is stealing information for personal computers, and firebombed Josh’s home when he tried to report on it (an incident Cap remembers).
When Josh reveals the source of his information—he founded Parliamech—Cap and Sam are finally convinced, and they decide to pay a visit to the company headquarters. (Luckily they didn’t have to wrap the phone cord around the security guard’s neck to get him to call the CEO.)
The CEO invites them in, but our heroes find themselves in a trap…
…and Cap finds an acceptable vertical use for his shield.
After the CEO injects gas into the elevator, Cap’s grip on the shield relaxes and they plummet to the ground, emerging only to find killer robots waiting for them—but Cap’s confidence is not shaken, especially after he apparently thrusts his hand right through one of them.
Unfortunately, holding their breath in the elevator did not prevent the gas from seeping through this skin, and Cap and Sam soon succumb to its effects.
They (and we) will meet their captor in the next issue, but before we leave this one, let’s get a look at Protocide, the looming threat from the cover who takes out USAgent on the final page.
We’ll discuss Protocide and his link to Cap more when he finally faces our hero in issue #35, not issue #34, in which Cap and Sam continue their battle with Parliamech. (They’re covered together here anyway.)
In this month’s Spider-Woman #15, Mattie Franklin, the current holder of that mantle following Jessica Drew and Julia Carpenter, comes across Cap fighting different killer robots (Mandroids, to be precise)…
…and incorrectly attributes Wolverine’s famous catchphrase to him.
Duly impressed, Mattie wonders if she should lend a hand, but wisely sees that it is unneeded.
Yucky-gross indeed.
Even though another Mandroid operator recognizes Mattie, Cap does not, but he implicitly trusts her heroism nonetheless. She finally sees a chance to help…
…but obviously isn’t familiar with Cap’s shieldwork, and ends up just getting in the way (literally).
Cap impresses Mattie once again by saving her from the final Mandroid…
…before he Hulks out suddenly and picks her up like a small puppy.
(Oh, he “works out,” okay.) Cap praises her efforts, and then she shoots her shot, as the youths say…
…and she’s still thinking about it later.
(Maybe she means “hulk.”)
ISSUE DETAILS
Captain America (vol. 3) #33, September 2000: Dan Jurgens (writer and pencils), Art Thibert (inks), Gregory Wright (colors), Todd Klein (letters). (More details at Marvel Database.)
Collected in: Captain America by Dan Jurgens Omnibus.
Spider-Woman (vol. 3) #15, September 2000: John Byrne (writer), Bart Sears (pencils), Randy Elliot (inks), Steve Oliff (colors), Sharpefont (letters). (More details at Marvel Database.)
Not yet collected.
PREVIOUS ISSUE: Captain America #32 (August 2000)
NEXT ISSUES: Captain America #34-35 (October-November 2000)
THE VIRTUES OF CAPTAIN AMERICA 
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