Captain America #158: Review

Feb 1973

Steve Englehart, Sal Buscema

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Story Name:

The Crime Wave Breaks!

Review & Comments

Rating:

Captain America #158 Review by Peter Silvestro (March 15, 2010)

Part two of a three-part story. Cap gains temporary strength for several issues. That climactic rogues’ gallery is a bit underwhelming. I mean really, the Porcupine?

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Captain America #158 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

The poisoned Captain America struggles to get his hands on the antidote. With superhuman effort he manages to grasp the vial and swallow some of the contents. Recovering quickly he gives the rest to the Falcon. When the two heroes are well again, they split up, Falcon to track down Viper and Cap to pursue the investigation of the Cowled Commander. Cap visits Sgt. Muldoon, who reveals his suspicion that the masked villain is really Steve Rogers, unaware that Steve is Captain America. Falcon, meanwhile, invades the lair of gangster Morgan to demand to know where to find Viper. Morgan has all the answers, even claiming to know the identity of the Cowled Commander but refuses to say anything unless the hero agrees to join his team. A disgusted Falcon walks out. Elsewhere, Cap comes upon a bank robbery in progress and swings down to foil it. He dispatches the robbers but is surprised to find himself stronger than usual, critically injuring his foes. As the crooks are being taken away one of them says that Cap will never be able to stop the coming crime wave. When he returns to his apartment as Steve, first he is blackmailed by his nasty landlord who suspects Steve is involved in some racket. Then, when he goes out for some air, he is overpowered and carried off by Muldoon and Officer Bob Courtney, who are determined to get answers from him. Meanwhile, Falcon finds the Viper’s hideout by questioning chemists about sales of ingredients to create poisons. In a slugfest that trashes the apartment, Falcon captures his foe but the Viper reveals that the crime wave has heavier hitters than him: the Plantman, the Porcupine, the Eel and the Scarecrow!

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