Captain America #47-48 (November-December 2001)

These two issues complete the storyline that began in issue #45, dealing with the Red Skull’s latest attempt to defeat America by exploiting its racial tensions, all against the backdrop of Captain America’s friends and allies gathering for a funeral.

As issue #47 opens, it is Earth’s Mightiest Heroes who assemble in honor of a fallen ally (and are joined on the next page by Namor). And I’m sure the image of our hero floating above them is not meant to suggest anything, nope.

Back to last issue’s cliffhanger, when the Red Skull ejected Cap out of the stolen SHIELD helicarrier over the ocean. (I mentioned the absence of his “buccaneer boots” in the last post, so I will refrain from doing so again here. But it’s a bit like Batman or Superman without trunks. OK, I’m done.) Luckily for our hero, help arrives just in the nick of time—or, rather, Sharon.

Cap sounds oddly defeatist, but he obviously isn’t aware that Sharon has a backseat driver.

The second time’s the charm—maybe Cap was inspired by Sharon’s near slip.

(Is it just me, or does Cap’s face look a little Byrne-ish in a few of the panels above?)

The danger isn’t over, though: The Red Skull shoots Sharon’s flying car down, plunging her and Cap into the drink, where a good friend just happened to be on call.

Namor urges rest but Cap is eager to rejoin the fight, and is very critical of his fellow Invader for ignoring the threat that evil poses to everyone, regardless of nationality or allegiance.

While Namor cannot bear to look at his friend’s bootless feet, Cap continues to argue that wrong is wrong, no matter whom it affects…

…and Namor accepts his schooling with grace he only extends to one person (and rarely to even him).

The three return to the helicarrier, where the Skull is holding Nick Fury after he was subdued in the last issue by a mysterious new player who reveals his unsurprising identity to all of them below.

Yes, it’s him. (Not one for subtlety.)

Issue #48 opens as the last three did, this time with Iron Man asking a scheduling question…

…before we return to the main action, with Cap characteristically defiant as his foes seem to have him as his allies on the ropes (at least according to Namor).

After the Red Skull reveals that he used the Cosmic Cube to create this latest Hate-Monger as the living personification of Hitler’s hate-filled dreams, to use in conjunction with the equipment of SHIELD’s “psi-division” to spread hate among the American people. A critical step of his plan, however, is to raise Captain America’s hatred first.

Sharon implores him to resist, and Nick has already given up…

…but we never had any doubt, did we? Although he may certainly feel hatred, especially for those like the Red Skull who threaten the dream he fights for, he doesn’t let it control him, much less serve the Skull’s ends. Hate-Monger turns to Namor instead, who would seem to be much easier prey, and this only contributes further to Cap’s resolve.

Cap rises through the flames to grab the incredulous Skull…

…but soon faces a Sub-Mariner whose hatred has finally been brought to the surface.

(Call me old, but Cap’s hair showing through his torn cowl reminds me of Ray Palmer in the Sword of the Atom miniseries.)

Cap tries to talk sense to his old friend, reminding him of all the good they did together and those they lost…

…which apparently distracts Namor enough for Cap to land a good blow.

Next, Cap has to turn his powers of persuasion to the Skull’s civilian lackeys, pointing out the diversity among them that the Skull hopes to eradicate…

…and then inspires them to join him in fighting back against the Nazis.

When Hate-Monger tries to activate his “psychic warriors,” they turn their energies toward him instead, releasing his energy and giving Cap the chance to subdue the Skull while acknowledging this will not be the last time he has to fight those who would try to eliminate democracy and freedom.

Now that that’s over… what was all the funeral talk about? We find out as we return to the present time of the framing sequence and see Cap himself arrive with a guest…

…whose identity reveals the hero they’ve all gathered to honor this day. (Cap met Ms. Proctor in 1991’s Marvel Holiday Special #1, but of course you remembered that.)

Cap pays tribute to his fallen friend, emphasizing their duty to fight fascism alongside their fellow heroes, including Invaders, Howlin’ Commandos, and the rest of the Allied forces,  as well as acknowledging his part in accepting a partner so young (an issue a certain caped crusader could take more seriously, as emphasized here).

Specifically, this started bothering him in a significant way in issue #39. Note that Cap corrects his mistake from that issue, pointed out here by loyal reader Chris, when he said Bucky died fighting the Red Skull, not Baron Zemo. He also explains why Bucky was not honored at the time (another issue Chris raised in his comment), which he claims was due to the secrecy of their mission, not the fact that his body was lost at sea. (It may also have something to do with the fact that there was a new “Bucky,” named Fred Davis, Jr., installed in his place, as William Naslund and Jeff Mace were for Cap, as revealed in What If? #4.)

Cap reveals a statue of Bucky, sculpted by none other than Alicia Masters (girlfriend and now wife of the ever-lovin’ blue-eyed Thing), and closes his tribute by emphasizing the obligation of those who are able to help others to do so, even if they must pay the ultimate price. (This is an extreme version of the duty of beneficence, but it fits the occasion.)

The funeral ends with a silent salute and the American flag that lay on Bucky’s casket folded and handed to his sister (as is protocol).

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ISSUE DETAILS

Captain America (vol. 3) #47, November 2001: Dan Jurgens (writer and pencils), Bob Layton (inks), Digital Chameleon (colors), Todd Klein (letters). (More details at Marvel Database.)

Captain America (vol. 3) #48, December 2001: Dan Jurgens (writer and pencils), Bob Layton (inks), Digital Chameleon (colors), Todd Klein (letters). (More details at Marvel Database.)

Collected in: Captain America by Dan Jurgens Omnibus.

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PREVIOUS ISSUES: Captain America #45-46 (September-October 2001)

ALSO THESE MONTHS: Fantastic Four: The World’s Greatest Comics Magazine #11 (December 2001), Avengers #46 and Thor: Godstorm #1 (November 2001), Avengers #47 (December 2001), Alias #1-2 (November-December 2001), Thunderbolts #57 (December 2001), and Amazing Spider-Man #36 (December 2001)

NEXT ISSUE: Captain America #49 (January 2002)