As the newly-created Ameridroid terrorizes the Newfoundland seaport, Captain America struggles to escape from the mind-transfer device which gave his power to the giant monster. Cap manages to kick his shield so that it damages the machine’s power source, unlocking the clamps confining him. Outside Lyle Dekker, in his new android body, is announcing to the stunned populace that he is making this village the capital of his new nation which he will rule with the iron hand of reason. Cap attacks him and during the fight mocks his pretensions of superiority; the villain clobbers Cap explaining that his vision is greater than the chaos democracy has brought to the world. This vision requires a ruler of mythic proportion, free from the weaknesses of ordinary humans….suddenly the significance of what he is saying strikes him. He realizes he is now a freak who can no longer live like a real human being; he has cut himself off from comradeship, the love of a woman, even a seat at the movies. In a sudden outburst of anger he scoops up the dead Dekker body and hurls it against a wall, then dissolves in hysterical laughter. Captain America confronts him but the Ameridroid tells him he has defeated himself though his own insane ambition. Cap, looking for a bright side, informs his foe that he is now free from his obsession and can start anew. Dekker/Ameridroid makes the decision to vanish into the lonely wilderness to seek his soul and find his true destiny….
Epilogue: Cap returns to his apartment in New York, realizing his search for his own identity has reached a dead end, and like Dekker, he must begin anew, after a night’s sleep….
Story #2The Coming of Captain Avenger!
Writer: Scott Edelman. Penciler: Steve Leialoha. Inker: Al Gordon. Colorist: Irene Vartanoff.
Synopsis
Rick Jones, responding to a high-priority summons to a meeting, rushes into the
Avengers’ conference room. He trips over some cables and is thrown headfirst into the viewscreen. Breaking free of the electrical field, he realizes he has been endowed with super-powers, and has also generated a costume, which is a combination of the outfits of
Captain America,
Thor, and
Iron Man. He declares himself
Captain Avenger. Suddenly,
Baron Zemo bursts into the room, leading an army. The villain fires a ray paralyzing the Avengers but leaving the newly minted hero unharmed. Rick crashes through the minions to destroy Zemo’s weapon and he seizes the baddie by the throat. Zemo laughs—Rick has destroyed the ray gun which is the only means of restoring the Avengers to their natural state. As Rick stands horrified, he realizes it was all a hallucination, and resigns himself to never being a superhero—as the image of
Captain Mar-Vell hovers in the background.