Captain America #164: Review

Aug 1973

Steve Englehart, Alan Weiss

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Story Name:

Queen of the Werewolves

Review & Comments

Rating:

Captain America #164 Review by Peter Silvestro (February 15, 2010)

Co-plotted by Alan Weiss

First appearance of Nightshade (later Dr. Nightshade). First appearance of the Yellow Claw since his own title ended in 1957.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Captain America #164 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

In a dank dungeon, Captain America is being overwhelmed by an army of werewolves directed by a leather-clad woman called Nightshade. As the victim is carted off, we see that "Cap" is an impostor, a man dressed in the red-white-and-blue costume to provide practice for the monsters’ real mission…. The genuine Cap and the Falcon are on their way to Grimrock Prison in Maryland in response to a terrified letter from Sam’s childhood friend Mel, now a prisoner at this institution. Arriving at the prison, the heroes find the place apparently deserted so they split up to investigate. Cap enters by the back door and is beset by a herd of werewolves; exploding into action he drives the monsters off. Cap is met by Nightshade who takes him to the cell where Falcon is in chains. Cap watches in horror as the Falcon, injected with the villainess’ serum, transforms into a giant werewolf and bursts its bonds. As Nightshade watches via scanner, Cap withstands his mutated friend’s assault, finally tricking the beast into slamming him against the door, and breaking through to freedom. The Queen of the Werewolves is shocked by this development, all the moreso when her master, the Yellow Claw, appears and rebukes her for her failure. As the Asian mastermind vanishes though a secret exit, Nick Fury and the forces of SHIELD arrive on the front lawn. Cap manages finally to subdue the Falcon-werewolf and watches in horror as Nightshade leaps from the prison’s highest tower and all her werewolves follow her to their deaths. It takes all of Cap’s strength to restrain the Falcon from joining them, as he manages to hold on to his friend until sunrise breaks the spell, returning Sam to normal. Cap tells Sam that his friend Mel was the one used as the practice victim, and warns Fury that the Yellow Claw has returned.

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