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Captain America #24

Dec 1999
Tom DeFalco, Ron Frenz

Story Name:

The Difference!


Synopsis

Captain America #24 synopsis by Peter Silvestro
Rating: 4 stars
Image from Captain America #24

Captain America on a motorcycle crashes into a Hydra hideout where they are holding SHIELD Agent Whedon prisoner. Cap defeats the Hydra Agents and learns from Whedon that they were planning to bomb the UN Peace Initiative. Dum Dum Dugan and more SHIELD Agents arrive to clean up matters, the Initiative having been canceled and the delegates sent back to Embassy Row. From the baddies' confidence, Cap suspects that Embassy Row was the target all along and departs....

Reaching a rooftop where he can keep watch over Embassy Row, Cap encounters Crossbones, hired by Hydra to bomb the neighborhood. Crossbones also introduces his assistant—Crusher Creel, the Absorbing Man, disguised as a brick chimney. 'Bones leaves Cap in Creel's hands and goes to set the bomb. Cap dodges and dances around his foe and manages to wreck his wrecking ball; Creel responds by turning to steel and doubling his efforts to kill the hero. Cap topples him with judo and holds his shield to the villain's throat; Creel grabs hold of some wires and becomes a being of electricity. Cap topples a water tank on him which takes a lot of fight out of Creel. He tries to absorb Cap's shield but Cap turns in time for the baddie to touch his bare shoulder, turning the Absorbing Man into a normal human who can be flattened with a punch from Cap....

Cap catches up to where Crossbones is priming the bomb to go off and they spar with 'Bones explaining how he is an artist of murder and terror. Cap also learns that the bomb, once primed, cannot be defused—and that Creel doesn't know he is a party to mass murder, thinking this is all for a heist. As the bomb is nearing detonation, Crossbones escapes as the angry Crusher Creel returns to battle Captain America. Cap tries to explain about the bomb but doesn't know if he is getting through to Creel—until Creel touches Cap's shield. Having absorbed the unique alloy of Vibranium, he enfolds the bomb in a bear hug and it explodes harmlessly. Creel, unharmed, turns into vapor and blows away, intending to avenge himself against Crossbones and Hydra. And Cap realizes that one man can always make a difference.


 

Review / Commentaries


Captain America #24 Review by (February 13, 2018)

Comments: The issue is dedicated to Stan Lee and Jack Kirby “whose work together made a significant difference.” Issue features a gatefold cover. Is Agent Whedon named after Joss Whedon? At this time, Whedon was known only as the creator/writer of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER; he would not be associated with the Marvel Cinematic Universe for years to come, since the MCU wouldn't exist for nearly another decade. The plot is credited to Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz.

Review: One man can make a difference! Retro story from guest creators Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz features a nearly full-issue fight scene, characters exchanging snappy one-liners, a campy edge, and an obvious moral. Cap defines himself as a “simple man who's trying to make a difference,” a phrase which pops up more than a few times and occupies the last panel to underscore the lesson. Enjoyable throwback issue was good as a change-of-pace but wouldn't want to see it a regular thing. So I hope Mark Waid/Chris Samnee's new series (2017) doesn't end up being a self-consciously “classic” series.



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Preview Pages




Ron Frenz
Jesse Delperdang
Marie Javins
Ron Frenz (Cover Penciler)
Jesse Delperdang (Cover Inker)
? (Cover Colorist)


Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Absorbing Man
Absorbing Man

(Crusher Creel)
Captain America
Captain America

(Steven Rogers)
Crossbones
Crossbones

(Brock Rumlow)
Dum Dum Dugan
Dum Dum Dugan

(Timothy Aloysius Dugan)