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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

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Basic Training
The archive room, inside the Special Powers Compound, Fort George G Meade, in Maryland, where the new Captain America - John Walker - sits at a desk and watches footage of his predecessor, Steve Rogers, battling Nazis, the Red Skull and other criminals. ‘He was pretty good in his prime. Till I began studying him, I had no idea how good. But I’m Captain America now - and he’s not. No matter how good he was, I’m going to be better!’ John tells himself. ‘Ha! Me, John Walker, the former Super-Patriot - Captain America! I still can’t get over it!’ John reminds himself that when the original Captain America resigned, the Commission had to get somebody. ‘And I am the best man for the job’ he boasts, but admits that learning another man’s moves has not been the piece of cake he thought it would be.
John picks up a remote and pauses the monitor. ‘Right here. The bit with the shield. I’ve replayed this twice now and I still can’t figure out how he did it.’ John watches it in slow motion, and observes that the previous Captain America tosses the shield, imparting some sort of spin to it as he lets go, and watches as it hit’s the first thug in the mouth, and rolls across another two guys’ chests, hitting the fourth guy square, before the previous Captain America catches it. ’God and country! How do they expect me to learn that wrist-flick of his watching grainy old videos? I need a coach to teach me that’ John tells himself, while deciding that there is not anybody here who can teach him anything. ’I wonder if the guy who taught the original Cap how to use that thing is still alive. Doubt it’.
John tells himself to face facts - that the old Cap is probably the only guy in the world who knows the fine art of shield-throwing.  John continues to watch the video, and wonders why the previous Cap really quit. ‘I may have razzed him for not being as patriotic as me - but a man doesn’t convince people he’s a symbol of liberty for a couple of decades by faking it. John realizes that he may never know the answer to that question. ‘Oh well, I’m the new Symbol of Liberty now and that’s that’.
Elsewhere in the facility, Dr Valerie Cooper watches a monitor and sees that Walker is still watching the tapes, even though archive study period was over a half hour ago, and he is supposed to be on his break. Suddenly, ‘Ms Cooper?’ a voice calls out. Valerie spins around and sees General Haywerth and Douglas Rockwell, and asks them to enter. ‘How’s our boy coming along?’ General Hayweth asks. ‘Quite well’ Valerie replies, explaining that Walker is conscientious and shows just the right amount of respect for his predecessor’s work and confidence that he is up to the task of replacing him.
Rockwell asks if it appears Walker will be ready for duty by the projected date, to which Valerie replies that he is very capable, but they are yet to find anyone qualified to teach him anything he doesn’t already know. ‘the Freedom Force makes adequate sparring partners, but as instructors…’ Val’s voice trails off while Rockwell and the General turn to leave, and Rockwell announces that they may have found someone who can provide Walker with the tutoring he needs. ‘We’ll let you know more about him as soon as we clear the red tape’ he announces, before asking Valerie to carry on.
Val wonders who they could have gotten that is capable of tutoring him. ‘The original Captain -? Impossible, he shook our agents weeks ago and we haven’t heard from him since’. Suddenly, the phone rings. ‘Now who?’ Valerie wonders, before an assistant informs Valerie that Ethan Thurm is on line three again. The assistant begins to ask if Val would like him to get rid of Ethan, but Valerie exclaims ‘No, put him through. I want to learn how that little creep got my private number’.
Elsewhere, Walker strides down a corridor in the Captain America costume, carrying the shield, he tells himself that here is where he finds out if all that extra cramming in the archives makes any difference, as it is time for shield practice. Suddenly, a voice calls out ‘He-hey, Johnny!’ John turns around: ‘What? Lemar?’ he exclaims as he sees his friend Lemar Hoskins wearing a familiar costume. ‘Not in these threads, pal. Call me Bucky!’ Lemar declares, standing in the blue and red costume, he asks Walker ‘How do I look?’ John points out that no one will ever mistake him for the original, but he looks pretty snazzy.
A woman approaches the new Bucky and looking at her watch exclaims ‘Mr Hoskins, might I remind you -’ but Lemar tells Walker that he has to run otherwise he will be late for remedial English. ‘See ya at combat sim!’ he calls out. John continues on, entering a large training room, an elderly soldier looks at his watch and exclaims ‘Yer a minute late, soldier. That’ll be an extra 600 squat thrusts at the end of the session!’ Walker apologizes, but the soldier tells him that he is not interested in his excuses. ‘I wasn’t going to give you any, sir’ Walker replies.
‘Oh, shut up. Atten-hutt!’ the soldier barks, causing Walker to stand stiff and salute him. The soldier tells him to stand at ease, before pointing out that they have been going over this same exercise all week. ‘Do I gotta explain it to ya?’ he asks. ‘No, sir’ Walker replies, to which the soldier tells him to get out there, as he wants to see him work. John stands in the middle of a circle, outlined by a few make-shift walls, each with a robotic “person” behind them. The elderly soldier stands behind a control booth, and tells Walker to go easy on the dummies this time, as it took maintenance al night to repair yesterday’s slip-ups. ‘Yer job is to disarm them - not to send ‘em to dummy heaven!’ he shouts.
Walker replies that he understands, while in the control booth, the officer mutters ‘Understand my foot…’ before pressing a button. Walker spins around, and blocks the gunfire of the first dummy, while telling himself that Sgt Simmons is getting a bit predictable, as he always starts with the dummy behind him. Simmons presses another button, and Walker throws the shield at another dummy. ‘Blast! I got it to spin off upon impact, but the ricochet’s going wild. I’ve got to shag after it!’ John tells himself. He leaps after the shield, though another dummy fires at him. ‘Ulp! I felt those!’ John tells himself as the weapons fire skim him.
Johnny grabs the shield, and tells himself to get out of the firing line. He tosses the shield at one of the gun-wielding dummies, tearing its arm off, though he didn’t mean to. John tells himself to throw the shield with less force, realizing that it does not need all of his augmented strength behind it - he throws it at another dummy, and this time, it just knocks the weapon from the dummy’s hand. ‘There! I did it! That throw was just right!’ he tells himself. Suddenly, one of the dummy’s fires at Walker - striking him in the back. ‘Blast! I hate getting nailed - even by rubber bullets!’ Walker exclaims as he spins around and slices off the dummy’s head with the shield.
Fifteen minutes later, Sgt Simmons emerges from the control booth and calling Walker a “big blue bozo” he tells him that playtime is over, seeing as how he dismantled all of his playmates yet again. ‘Uh, sorry, sir’ Walker replies. Sgt Simmons tells Walker that if this training session was real, he would have killed or grievously injured 17 people, and died three times himself. ‘Yes, sir’ Walker replies. Sgt Simmons remarks that at least John is improving, as yesterday he killed 23 people and died five times. ‘You gotta learn to watch that strength of yours, kid. You keep throwing the shield harder than you have to’ Sgt Simmons declares. ‘Yes, sir’ Walker replies, before Simmons dismisses him. John grabs the shield and tries to press it together, telling himself that he wishes he could crunch it into a paperweight!
Later, during lunch hour, members of Freedom Force are sitting at a table in the cafeteria. Blob, Avalanche and Pyro sit together, while Mystique and Destiny sit at the other end of the table from them. As Walker makes his way to his own table, the Blob suddenly calls out to him: ‘Yoo-hoo, Captain…someone stuck a serving tray on your back!’ Blob jokes, referring to the shield, causing Pyro to laugh. ‘Cute, Blob, real cute’ Walker replies as he carries on to his table.
Blob sees Lemar, and calls out to him, doing a mock-whistle, ‘Get a load o’ them red tights!’ Blob exclaims. ‘Buck-buck-buck-Bucky has chicken legs!’ Pyro jokes. ‘Why, you stinkin -’ Lemar exclaims as he spins around, but Walker tells him to cool it, as Freedom Force are just trying to get a rise out of him. Lemar sits down across from Walker and asks ‘What’s those creeps’ problem, anyway?’ Walker supposes that they probably feel threatened with the two of them around, and figure that if they can provoke them, it will make them look bad. ‘Can’t believe the feds would have anything to do with those mutie crooks’ Lemar exclaims.
‘Ex-crooks, they say. Well, maybe once we get combat-worthy, they’ll be sent on a suicide mission’ Walker remarks. ‘Yeah. Once we’re set to boogie, those guys’ll be fifth wheels’ Lemar declares, eating his food. Suddenly, Valerie approaches the men. ‘Captain, a word with you’ she remarks to Walker. ‘Yes, Miss Cooper?’ Walker asks. ‘Your former…associate, Mr Thurm, has been harassing my office with phone calls, demanding to see you’ Valerie reveals, adding that she can only assume he got her number from him. Valerie announces that she told Thurm that in no uncertain terms that if he calls one more time he will be up to his neck in government heat, and warns Walker to be more careful in the future. ‘Yes, Ma’am’ Walker replies as Valerie leaves.
‘Blast that Ethan! I never gave him her number. He must have copied it from where I had it written down’ Walker exclaims. Lemar supposes that Ethan and the others are still mad with them for leaving them to enlist here. Walker agrees, and declares that if he knows Ethan, then Ethan will keep up the calls, just to make the two of them look bad.
That afternoon, in another training room, Sgt Simmons stands in a control booth up above the room, while Walker and Lemar are on the training room floor, along with four men clad in green costumes. ‘Okay, “heroes”, listen up. We got ya some new sparring partners, and a new training exercise for ya to amuse yourselves with’ Simmons shouts, explaining that their four opponents are the Guardsmen cadets that they may have seen being trained elsewhere in the compound. Sgt Simmons explains that the exercise is called “capture the flag” and that they have to get through the Guardsman, nab the flag and get back to the safety zone.
Sgt Simmons asks if there are any questions, so Walker asks what exactly the Guardsman’s body armor does. ‘You’ll find out soon enough. You don’t expect your enemies to brief you before you tackle ‘em, do ya?’ Sgt Simmons replies. He tells Walker and Hoskins that he doesn’t expect them to win this one, just to stay alert and come out in one piece. ‘Uh-oh’ Lemar mutters to John. ‘The Sarge really inspires confidence, doesn’t he’ Walker jokes, to which Lemar exclaims ‘We’ll show him. Let’s whup ‘em, John - I mean, Cap!’
‘Let’s go!’ Johnny exclaims as he rushes forward. The Guardsmen run to him, and one of them lashes out with some sort of ray-blast, but John ducks behind his shield for cover. ‘Whoa, nelly!’ Bucky exclaims as he leaps over a blast from another of the Guardsmen, and Johnny ducks as one attempts to punch him. Without looking, John reaches up and smashes his shield into another of the Guardsmen whom he heard approaching thanks to the boot-jets the Guardsmen wear.
‘No fair! I got two of ‘em on my tail - and I don’t even have a shield!’ Bucky thinks to himself as two of the Guardsmen fire at him. He tells himself to try something, and leaps onto one of the beams set up in the training room - and then leaps onto the Guardsman, where he begins to thump on the Guardsman’s helmet. John calls out to Bucky, telling him to hang on and he will get him down. Johnny throws his shield, which smacks into the Guardsman’s stomach, and Lemar is thrown from the Guardsman, although another of the Guardsman lashes out with an energy beam, attacking Lemar. Walker takes cover behind a makeshift wall, ‘Blast! Nailed him, but I can’t recover my shield’. Suddenly, Walker is overwhelmed by a burst of energy from one of the Guardsmen.
Soon, the Guardsmen trainer tells them that it took them twelve minutes to neutralize Captain America and Bucky, and that they have a lot of work ahead of them if they are hoping to graduate. Sgt Simmons approaches Walker and Hoskins and exclaims ‘Not too bad, boys. You lasted a whole twelve minutes against US regulation armor!’ ‘Yeah’ mutters Lemar, clutching his arm.
Soon, walking into the locker room, Walker exclaims that they were pathetic, and that Sgt Simmons pats them on the head. But Lemar tells his friend that he is too hard on himself. ‘I doubt the original Cap and Bucky could do much better’ he points out. ‘Then you haven’t seen the training films. We’ve really got to get it together, Lem. Or we’re not going to last one minute out in the real world!’ Walker exclaims, before announcing that he is going to make a phone call.
Standing at the phone, Johnny tells Ethan that he cannot come and talk to him in person, explaining that he is not allowed off base - ‘You’ll do what? Ethan, you’ll be in more trouble than you can imagine if you so much as open your mouth to the press’ Walker warns his former manager, before telling him that he will meet him at midnight at the Sand Bar, exit 22 off Interstate 95.
At eleven PM that night, in the barracks, John is getting dressed, when Lemar gets out of his bed and exclaims ‘Hey, look, Johnny - if you’re really gonna go through with this, I’m going with you’. But John tells his friend that there is no need for both of them to risk getting booted out of boot camp for going absent without leave. Lemar sits on the side of his bed and exclaims ‘Come on, man! They boot you out, think I’d hang around? We’re a team, man! We stick together!’ John agrees and tells Lemar to hurry up, as they have a big run ahead of them.
An hour and five minutes later, inside the Sand Bar, Ethan Thurm tells Walker and Lemar that he is disappointed in them, taking off like they did, leaving him high and dry. The three are sitting in a booth with Hector Lennox. ‘And when I think od all the money and time and yes - love, that I invested in you, I just have to ask myself “Do I deserve the shaft I got”?’ Ethan exclaims. But Walker tells him that there was nothing he could do about it. ‘Your own dubious background made it impossible for the government to hire you as a consultant’ Walker explains. ‘So you told me’ Ethan mutters.
Thurm tips his hat and declares that he had a thought - and wonders what it is worth to the feds to keep him silent about who Walker is. ‘Do they want the public to know you’re not the real McCap? I think not’ Ethan exclaims, announcing that it would not take much to keep him from calling the National Inquirer. ‘Say a million bucks…’. This causes Johnny to lean over the table and grab Ethan by his tie, pulling Ethan towards him, John shakes his fist and exclaims ‘You’d dare blackmail Uncle Sam?’ before Lemar tells his friend to chill out.
Thurm declares that a million is chicken-feed for the Defense Department, and exclaims that they probably pay more for toilet paper ever year. Walker and Lemar get up out of the booth as Ethan tells Walker that he owes him. ‘I found you. I would have made a nice chunk of change as your manager. I can’t take that loss lightly’ he declares, before suggesting that Walker tell whoever he needs to tell to get back to him by noon Friday, otherwise his secret identity will be in the Sunday papers. ‘Let’s go, John. The stink in here’s getting to me’ Lemar exclaims.
Walking away from the Sand Bar, Lemar asks John if he thinks the feds would really care if Ethan blabbed about him to the press. ‘Yes!’ Johnny exclaims. ‘They’ve gone to a great deal of effort to teach me to act, move and talk like the original Cap. They don’t want the public to know I’m a replacement until after I’ve proven myself’ Walker explains, before regretting that he ever told Ethan anything. ‘I should’ve just up and vanished one day’ he realizes, before announcing that the thought of having to tell Valerie about this really galls him.
Lemar stops John and tells him to wait a minute. ‘You don’t have to tell her. Why don’t we just go stomp Ethan good, and make sure he can’t squeal?’ Lemar suggests. ‘You mean -?’ Johnny gasps, before telling Lemar that they cannot, for if they did that, they would have to lean on Ethan’s bodyguards, Jerome and Hector, and those guys are their friends. ‘Besides, we don’t dare do anything that might jeopardize our careers…’ he exclaims. ‘Okay, John. You’re the boss’ Lemar replies.
The next day, John and Lemar are in their costumes and walk down a corridor, with Lemar remarking that John seems kinda stony this morning, and asks him if he is worrying about Ethan. ‘Yes…’ Walker replies, explaining that he was up all night going over their options. ‘I finally came to the conclusion. You were right’ John announces. ‘I was?’ Ethan asks, surprised. Passing the armory, John declares that they will have to do something about Ethan themselves.
Inside the armory, they see several Guardsmen suiting up, and John turns back to Ethan, telling him that it comes down to this: ‘Is Captain America the kind of hero who would foist his problems off onto someone else to solve? No, he’s not. He’d handle his own problems himself - as a point of honor’ John declares. Johnny continues, ‘Well, I’m Captain America now, and I’ve got to live up to the highest code of honor that I can’ he exclaims. ‘Sure, whatever you say’ Lemar replies, telling John that he will talk to him later, as he has a civics class now. As he turns to leave, Lemar thinks to himself ‘Wow, he’s really getting into this role deep’.
Soon, Walker salutes Sgt Simmons in the training room. ‘At ease, chowder-head. I got some good news for ya today. We found someone to tutor ya on tossing that oversized Frisbee of yours’ Sgt Simmons announces. ‘Sir?’ Walker asks. John asks. Sgt Simmons moves into the control booth, and another figure steps forward. ‘Captain, this refugee from a Halloween party calls himself the Taskmaster. You probably ain’t heard of him, but he made himself a rep teaching dumb crooks the tricks of the trade’. Simmons explains that the FBI caught up with the Taskmaster a few months back, and he is getting a few years lopped off his sentence if he helps Walker get up to sped.
‘What a garish outfit. Who’s this guy think he is?’ John wonders, before exclaiming ‘If you don’t mind my asking, Taskmaster, what are your qualifications for teaching?’ The Taskmaster turns to Walker and replies that he was born with a skill he calls “photographic reflexes” - meaning any physical feat he sees, even once, his body automatically knows how to do it. ‘But other than that, you’re just an athlete with normal human strength?’ Johnny asks. ‘Yeah. What’s it to ya?’ Taskmaster retorts.
John asks the Taskmaster if he would mind giving him a demonstration, to which the Taskmaster exclaims ‘Thought ya’d never ask, Flagman’ and tears off his cloak, throwing it at John, which covers him. ‘Hit it, sarge’ the Taskmaster calls out to Simmons. The dummies come to life, and the Taskmaster begins to demonstrate how easily he can take them out, while throwing his own shield and displaying his acrobatic skills. ‘Not bad for “normal human strength”, huh?’ the Taskmaster asks Walker.
Sgt Simmons walks out of the control booth: ‘Will ya look at that! All six dummies disarmed without breaking a single one! And he did it in twenty seconds!’ Walker looks pensive and decides that the Taskmaster is good, and that he moved a lot like the old Cap did in those old films. He tells himself that the question is, considering his background, will he try to “mis-train” him to make him easy prey to criminals. ‘I’ll have to watch out for that’ Walker tells himself, while Sgt Simmons barks ‘Don’t just stand there - get to it!’ ‘Yes sir!’ Walker exclaims as he approaches the Taskmaster.
The Taskmaster tells Walker that he has identified and isolated eighteen katas - practiced series of movements - that Cap does with his shield. ‘Let’s start with the first movement of his easiest one’ he begins. ‘You heard him, Winghead - get moving!’ Sgt Simmons barks. Walker begins copying the movements that Taskmaster demonstrates, and for the next two hours, the Taskmaster makes the new Captain America repeat the twelve individual movements of the first kata over and over, correcting his stance, his shift of weight, his range of motion.
Finally, at the sessions end, the student has mastered the first and easiest of eighteen lessons. A soldier enters the training room and tells the Taskmaster that it is time to return to the lock-up. The Taskmaster is placed in clamps as he tells Walker that he better practice, as the next kata makes this one look like a cakewalk. ‘He really taught me something! I can’t get over it!’ Walker thinks to himself, before asking Sgt Simmons if it is really necessary to manacle the Taskmaster like that. ‘Don’t fool yerself, Cappy. Te man’s dangerous. We were lucky to nab him once’ Simmons replies, while Johnny wonders why a man as gifted as the Taskmaster would want to squander his talent in crime.
Later, Walker approaches Bucky in the cafeteria. ‘There you are J - Cap. Thought they put you on some weird diet and you weren’t gonna show’ Lemar exclaims, while Walker announces that he called Ethan and set up another meeting for tonight. ‘Oh, yeah -?’ Lemar asks. Walker clenches his fist and tells his friend that he came up with a plan to shut Ethan up for good, without him or anyone else knowing it was them. ‘Let’s hear it, pal!’ Lemar exclaims.
Later that night, wearing plan black spandex, Walker and Lemar enter the armory. ‘See if you can find one of these suits in your size’ Walker exclaims as they begin to put on the Guardsmen armor. Soon, ‘Coast clear?’ Walker asks as Lemar peers around the corner. ‘Clear’ Lemar replies. ‘Let’s roll!’ Walker exclaims as he leads the way out of the armory. Lemar tells himself that it is hard to believe that it is Johnny inside the armor, the way the helmet-speakers sound. They make their way out of the compound, while one of them thinks that they are not sure how to make the most of the gizmos, and supposes that they better not mess with the boot-jets until they get off base and can practice.
Later, at the Sand Bar, Ethan sits in a booth with Hector Lennox and Jerome Johnson and remarks that when “Honest John” lays the million on them, they will pay off a few debts, and have more than enough to - he doesn’t get to finish announcing what he wants to do with the money, as Jerome asks ‘Hey, where is dat bum, anyway? Didn’t he say he’d be here by - now?’ he exclaims as John and Lemar, in the Guardsmen armor, crash into the Sand Bar. ‘Holee!’ one of the Sand Bar patrons gasps.
Johnny goes up behind Lemar and grabs him from behind, pulling him from the booth, he exclaims ‘Ethan Thurm, I am Guardsman XL5 of the US Armor Corp. I wish to have words with you’. ‘HALLLP!’ Ethan shrieks, calling to Hector and Jerome, asking them to save him. Lemar approaches them and tells them not to try anything if they know what is good for them. ‘Oh, I won’t try nothing…’ Jerome begins - ‘Like fun I won’t!’ he exclaims as he lunges at Lemar in the Guardsman armor, punching his helmet. Jerome tells himself that his augmented strength outghta make scrap metal out of this third-rate Iron Man.
Lemar tells himself that he must hold back as much as he can, as he punches Jerome in the face - before throwing him into Hector, knocking both of them back. ‘Let me outta here!’ a patron exclaims, rushing for safety. Lemar reminds himself that Hector and Jerry are his friends, that he does not want to hurt them, just keep them out of the way. Outside the Sand Bar, people are running for their lives. ‘Who in blazes are those armored dudes?’ someone asks. ‘Thought I heard ‘em say army’ another exclaims. ‘Help!’ someone shouts.
Walker grabs Ethan by his tie and pushes him up against a wall. ‘I’m only going to tell you this once, Mr Thurm. The identity of the new Captain America is a matter of national security. If word leaks out, we’ll know it’s your fault - and there’ll be nowhere on Earth to hide from us. Do you know how long we put people away for treason?’ Thurm looks very worried, and sweat begins to drip down his face.
Suddenly, ‘Yeooow!’ Hector shouts as he is thrown through the outer wall of the Sand Bar. Walker turns and sees him, and realizes that Lemar must have had to get rough with them. He tells Thurm not to go away, and looks through the gaping hole in the wall, where he sees that Lemar is in trouble, as Jerome is beating him badly. ‘These suits may enhance our strength, but fighting in them takes some getting used to’ Walker tells himself as he sees that Jerome is really letting Lemar have it. ‘I’m not worried about Lem - I know he can take the punishment - but if we bring this armor back damaged, we’ll have really blown it’ Walker tells himself, before deciding that he better pull Jerome off.
But as Walker moves towards Jerome, he fires a blast at him, sending Jerome careening across the room. ‘Oh, no! I must have accidentally activated the hand-blaster!’ Jerome comes to a stop, slumped over the bar. ‘Jerome -?’ Walker calls out. ‘Gee, you didn’t have to do that’ Lemar exclaims. ‘I know! I didn’t mean to’ Walker replies, before they both exit the Sand Bar. ‘Should we haul him to a hospital or something?’ Lemar asks. But Walker replies that is too risky, and that there are enough eyewitnesses as it is. ‘Ethan and Hector can help him. We’d better get back to the base before the police show up!’ he exclaims
The next morning, John sits in a room, and tells himself that he feels terrible. ‘Why oh why didn’t we take a few nights to familiarize ourselves with the armor before taking off with it?’ he wonders, reminding himself that he wanted to handle the problem by himself, just like the original Captain America would, only he blew it. ‘Would Cap really have disguised himself as someone else? Maybe. Would he have made threats? Destroyed property? Probably not. Injured a civilian? Definitely not. Well, if I’m lucky Jerome will be okay and Ethan will lay off’ Johnny tells himself.
Suddenly, Valerie enters, wearing a slinky purple dress, she informs Walker that she would like to talk to him about some incidents that occurred last night - namely a break-in at the armory, and a fight at an area tavern. Walker looks at Valerie, and thinks to himself ‘She suspects me! What do I do now? If I own up to what I did, she may boot me out of the program. Maybe…she doesn’t suspect me. If I were to lie…no! I must think…what could Cap do in this situation?’ he wonders, before gritting his teeth and looking Valerie in the eye, he declares ‘Er, Ma’am…I took that armor and wrecked that tavern…’.


[User]
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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Baptism of Fire
Fort George G Meade, in Maryland, ‘How you doing Bucky?’ John Walker a.k.a. the new Captain America calls out to his friend Lemar Hoskins a.k.a. the new Bucky as they race through a training room, while jets of fire rush out at them, and spiked metal balls are thrown towards them. Bucky replies that he hasn’t been nailed yet, but that he wished he had a shield to take some of the heat off him. ‘Whoa! Watch it pal!’ Walker calls out as Bucky ducks some fire, landing close to a spinning blade. ‘I’m watching! I’m watching!’ Bucky exclaims, when suddenly, droids with guns pop up from the floor and begin firing at the duo. Walker tells Lemar to stay behind him, as his shield can handle this - and the handsome hero lunges at the droids, destroying them all with the force of his shield.
‘Nice going’ Bucky congratulates John, before exclaiming ‘Front flip, quick!’ and the two men flip forward as a large mallet descends down upon them. Bars suddenly emerge from both walls, closing together - but Walker pushes through them with his shield, shattering them all. ‘All right - there’s the finish line! Just one more obstacle to go!’ John calls out, while up in the observation booth, Dr Valerie Cooper asks her fellows in the Commission on Superhuman Activity ‘How do they look to you, gentlemen?’ ‘Pretty darned good, Ms Cooper. Their teamwork is exemplary considering the relatively short time they’ve been training together’ one of the men replies.
Down below, Johnny rushes to the finish line - when jets of flame emerge from the floor - but using his shield to protect himself, he simply leaps through the flame, and flips over. ‘Got it!’ he exclaims as he grabs the flag, completing the exercise. Bucky clutches his back and complains that it aches, while asking John if he wants to bet whether they set a new record for running that obstacle course. ‘I just hope we don’t get points off for demolishing so much hardware’ John replies as he leans over, catching his breath.
‘Bravo!’ Valerie calls out as she the rest of the Commission on Superhuman Activity go down to the training room floor. ‘Sounds like we didn’t do too shabby, Cap’ Bucky smiles. Walker points out that the entire Commission on Superhuman Activities seems to be smiling. ‘Most of them anyway’ he adds as the Commission approaches him and Bucky. ‘Let’s just hope he proves more cooperative than the original’ General Haywerth exclaims. ‘We have ourselves a good soldier this time, General. I know it!’ one of the exclaims. Henry Peter Gyrich remains to the back of the group, while Sgt Simmons, one of the officers stationed at Fort Meade stands with his hands on his hips and thinks to himself ‘Glory-boating so-and-so’s’. ‘Looking good, son’ someone remarks as they shake Bucky’s hand, and the head of the Commision, Douglas Rockwell shakes John’s hand, exclaiming ‘Quite a good show, gentlemen. You’ve come a remarkable way in a mere eight weeks’.
Walker asks if they are ready for a field assignment yet, to which Rockwell asks him if he is anxious. ‘I am eager to get going on the job you chose me for’ Walker replies. ‘You are a go-getter, aren’t you? Well, there’s one important thing you must do first’ Rockwell replies, before holding out a Bible. He and Walker both raise their right hands, and Rockwell asks him to repeat ‘I solemnly swear to obey the laws of the nation…to uphold the constitution…and to defend liberty, justice and the American way…’. ‘I shall carry out the directives of the Commission…to the best of my ability…in or out of uniform…in perpetuity…so help me God’ Walker concludes.
And soon, after Bucky has repeated the oath, Rockwell tells John and Lemar that they are dismissed and to report to the briefing room at 1300 hours tomorrow for their first field assignment. ‘Yes, Sir!’ Walker exclaims as he and Bucky take their leave. Valerie tells Rockwell that she was not aware they Commission had determined what their first assignment would be, to which Rockwell tells Valerie that she has done such a splendid job overseeing their basic training program, that he would like her to continue in that capacity with Walker and Hoskins’ further education. Rockwell turns to Adrian Sammish and announces that he will co-ordinate their field activities. ‘How’s it shaping?’ Douglas asks him. ‘I’ve set up one doozy of a mission for them’ Adrian replies.
Elsewhere in the training complex, Walker and Hoskins enter the locker room, with Lemar asking John what he thinks their first mission will be. ‘Something tough like stomping some super-dude?’ he asks. John replies that he doubts it will be anything too strenuous, as the Commission does not want them to fail. The men begin getting out of their uniforms as John tells Lemar to think of all the time and money the Commission would have wasted if the two of them struck out on their fist mission. ‘They’d be back to square-one - with no super soldier’. Lemar supposes that John is right. The two men enter the shower room, and Lemar asks if the Commission still intends to pass John off as the original Cap, pointing out that he doesn’t look or sound like the old guy. ‘Fortunately, there aren’t that many people out there who are experts on how Cap is supposed to look and sound’ Walker replies.
As the hot water pours down on their bodies and steam rises in the shower room, John soaps his muscular body up and explains that he thinks the plan is for him to make a few small public appearances, do some good deeds and establish a good track record. He rinses his hair under the water and adds that once he has won public acclaim, they will hold a press conference and announce that he is the new improved 1987 Captain America! Bucky declares that sounds like a good plan.
John wraps a towel around his wait and goes back into the locker room, with Bucky following him, exclaiming ‘Unless the real Cap tries to scorch it somehow. Wonder whatever happened to the old coot, anyway? We ain’t - uh - haven’t heard anything about him in the past eight weeks’, and he asks John if he thinks the Commission is withholding info on them. John begins to dry himself and replies ‘Maybe. Or maybe the old Cap has hone into hiding out of shame’. They get dressed into suits as John points out that the old Cap really shirked his duties to the country by refusing to go along with the Commission’s plan to co-ordinate his official activities.
John puts his shirt on and remarks that he still cannot figure out what motivated the original Cap to toss in the towel. ‘Ego, I guess…couldn’t handle taking orders’. He adjusts his tie and exclaims ‘Well, enough of him. He’s the past and we’re the future!’ Bucky smiles as he exclaims that tonight, after two months of mess hall chow, they are going out to dinner!
That night, somewhere in the south-eastern United States, several men clad in matching purple and orange uniforms run from an adult book and toy store. ‘Move it, Willie! We got enough TNT to blow that joint to kingdom come and back!’ one of them shouts, while another tells his comrades not to look, as it will blind them. An instant later, the adult store goes up in flames. ‘Yee-hah!’ one of the men shouts. ‘Filth and perversion are a blight that can only be cleansed by fire!’ one of the men shouts. ‘Amen to that!’ another exclaims as they stand over the remains of the adult store.
Suddenly, one of the men is shot by a rifle, and cries out in agony. The other men spin around and see a short tubby man approaching them. ‘You gol-danged arsonists! I sunk every cent I had into that store! It was my only way of making a living!’ the man exclaims. ‘What gives you suckahs the right to -’ he begins, before the leader of the group exclaims ‘Watchdogs! Firing positions!’ Instantly ten of the Watchdogs get into their firing positions - while one of them thinks to himself ‘Oh, man…blowing up a building is one thing…but gunning down a man in cold blood? What am I gonna do?’
An instant later, the Watchdogs all fire - and countless bullets strike the man, knocking him to the ground, where he lay in a pool of his own blood. ‘Deader than a doornail, Watchdog One!’ a member of the Watchdogs calls out as their leader approaches them. ‘Hope nobody noticed I aimed high when we all shot! Not that it makes a difference to this poor geek…’ the Watchdog thinks to himself. ‘Let me see him’ the head Watchdog exclaims as he kicks the limp body of the man.
‘Satisfied now, smut merchant? When you offend the morals of this nation you must face the wrath of the Watchdogs!’ The head Watchdog tells his dog-brothers to toss the carcass of the filth monger into the fire. He kneels down beside the Watchdog who was shot and asks him if he is unhurt. The Watchdog replies that his vest stopped the bullet, but he had the wind knocked out of him, while another Watchdog watches and thinks that if Monty had been killed, Head Dog would have tossed him into the fire as well. As the fire burns, the Watchdogs all turn and run back to their vehicles. ‘Man-o-man I didn’t think it’d be like this when I joined’ one of them thinks to himself. ‘Excellent work. Another resounding blow has been struck against the forces of indecency’ the head Watchdog booms.
1300 hours, the next day, Walker and Bucky sit at a table, opposite Adrian Sammish and some administrative staff. An recording of fire-fighters putting out the fire at the adult book store plays on a screen behind them as Mr Sammish announces that the latest incident brings the total number of acts of vandalism and arson to twenty. He adds that last night’s burning of the adult book store 25 miles outside of Huntsville, Alabama was the first such incident with a casualty - the store’s proprietor.
Mr Sammish tells everyone that the local police have been little help, leading some ot believe that the Watchdogs have some friends in high places, and reveals that the FBI has been on their trail for the past three months. Mr Sammish declares that the Watchdogs believe themselves to be arbiters of the public good, that they are against pornography, sex education, abortion, the teaching of evolution - anything they believe to be immoral. ‘Hmmm…I’m against those things too!’ a pensive Walker thinks to himself.
Mr Sammish remarks that every citizen or group of citizens has the right to their opinions, of course, no one is entitled to commit vandalism, arson or murder. ‘So Bucky and I are supposed to go out and stop these guys somehow, right?’ Walker asks. Mr Sammish explains that they want Walker to infiltrate one of the local chapters of the group, learn who its ringleaders and financial backers are, then arrange to catch them in the act. ‘Whew!’ Johnny gasps, reading a large set of papers. Mr Sammish tells Walker that if he examines the dossier in front of him he will see all the intelligence they have on the Watchdogs to date.
Concerned, Walker announces that some of the Watchdogs’ activities are in the vicinity of where he grew up. ‘Precisely. That should give you an advantage. Being familiar with the area and the people should enable you to infiltrate relatively easily, right?’ Mr Sammish asks. ‘Uh…yes, sir!’ Walker exclaims. Walker and Bucky prepare to leave as Mr Sammish tells them that how they proceed is entirely up to them, and that if they need any special materials - like false credentials, they know how to reach him. ‘Good luck, boys. Make America proud of you!’ Mr Sammish exclaims. ‘Yes, Sir!’ Walker and Bucky exclaim in unison.
Walking down a corridor, Bucky tells John that he thought he figured they would give them something easy for their first mission, as this looks tricky. John replies that he figured wrong. Bucky smiles and pats Walker on the back as he exclaims ‘Well, what they hey? Buck up, pal. It won’t be that tough. I’d rather fight a bunch of nuts with guns than one guy like Doctor Doom or the Red Skull! How about you?’ Frowning, Johnny replies that he just wished it didn’t have to be his old stomping grounds, as there is a much greater chance he will be recognized. ‘…or be forced to turn in somebody I know!’ John thinks to himself.
The next day, in Custer’s Grove, Georgia, ‘So this is where you grew up, Johnny?’ Lemar asks as he drives down a street. John replies that he grew up on a farm fifteen miles from here, and that this was the nearest city. “City” mocks Lemar. ‘I had more people living in my building than live here!’ he exclaims. They pull up outside a barber, and John gets out of the car. ‘Well, here’s where we split up. You go to the newspaper and palce the ad. I’m going to renew some old acquaintances…do some snooping’ John announces.
He enters the barber shop, thinking that it is so weird being here on a mission, before calling out ‘Hey! What’s a guy got to do to get a hair cut around here?’ A barber steps forward: ‘John Walker! What’re yew doin’ back in the Grove? I heard yew was in California!’ the barber exclaims. John shakes the barber’s hand, before hanging his jacket up and replies that he was in California, but did not fit in out there. ‘Man, the service sure made a he-man outta yew! Look at them arms!’ the barber exclaims as he admires Johnny’s arms.
After John sits down in the barber chair, the barber begins cutting his hair, and asks him what really brought him back to the Grove. John addresses the barber as Harold and informs him that he was thinking of settling back down in these parts - get a job and find a wife. ‘Far as I’m concerned, the rest of the country just isn’t a fit place to raise a family. Down here folks aren’t afraid to make a stand for decency’ John exclaims, to which Harold asks John if he heard about the Watchdogs. ‘Yeah. Aren’t they something to be proud of?’ John replies.
Soon, sporting a staunch crew-cut, John leaves the barber shop, and tells himself that he is not very proud of himself for fibbing to an old friend hoping to get information. ‘Didn’t even get a lead. So much for beginners’ luck. Now where should I try next?’ John wonders.
That night, in a hotel room, Lemar reclines on his bed as John stands in a doorway. ‘I gotta tell you, John. The people here don’t take too kindly to fellows of my persuasion. I thought the lady who took my newspaper ad was going to call a lynch mob!’ he tells his friend. Walker replies that they are good people, only just a bit provincial in some ways. John tells Lemar that he checked with most everybody he knows, including his sister and her no-account husband. ‘Talked up the Watchdogs…but so far no one admits to knowing anything about the Watchdogs. It’s possible the group hasn’t recruited in real small towns yet’ John exclaims.
Johnny removes his shirt and tosses it onto a chair, while Lemar announces that if the scam they have planned doesn’t bring the Watchdogs out of the woodwork, he doesn’t know what will. ‘Me neither’ John remarks, before announcing that he has to shower and chance, as his sister is having him over for dinner.
Three days later, at a hotel room outside Rome, Georgia. The corridor is lined with several young women. ‘Golly, I’d do anything to be one of those fancy-dressed models!’ one of them thinks to herself. ‘Two hundred bucks if I’m picked - oh please!’ another tells herself. ‘Wonder if he makes us show what we got?’ another wonders, ‘Your name, missy?’ Lemar, dressed in a white suit and wearing sun glasses, asks. ‘JoBeth Tucker’ a woman replies inside the room.
Several women later, Lemar asks a young woman called Tammy why she wants to pose for Looker Magazine’s “Chicks of the South” photo-spread. ‘Wahl, my Daddy always said, if you got it, flaunt it!’ Tammy exclaims. Soon, Lemar asks a young woman called Mary-Lynn if she has had any modeling experience. The young woman replies that she hasn’t, but that she is sure she could hold any pose anybody else can. ‘You sure you wouldn’t mind men drooling over your picture?’ Lemar asks. ‘I - I don’t think so…’ Mary-Lynn replies.
Suddenly, the door to the corridor slams open, ‘All right! Where’s that scuzz-bag trying to corrupt you fine women?’ John asks angrily. ‘Ohh’ ‘Ahh! ‘Who’s the hunk?’ the women exclaim. Lemar spins around: ‘Hey! What’s your problem, dude? I rented this room and I -’ he begins, while Mary-Lynn thinks to herself ‘John -? John Walker?’ ‘You dirty -’ John begins, before he sees Mary-Lynn, and recognizes her. ‘Mary-Lynn Norfolk! I took her to the senior prom! She’d fall for this?’ he thinks to himself. ‘Oh, I’m so embarrassed. What must he think of me?’ Mary-Lynn wonders.
‘Filth peddler! Get your black butt out of here - NOW!’ Walker exclaims, shaking his fist. But Lemar exclaims ‘Hold on, Mr Mouth! I know my rights! Now get lost before I call the cops!’ But Walker lunges at Lemar, and pushes him back so that they break the coffee table. ‘The only thing you’re going to be calling for is your mama!’ Johnny shouts, while whispering to Lemar ‘Let’s make this look good, pal!’ ‘He’s crazy!’ one of the women in the corridor shouts.
‘Insult my mama, will you?’ Lemar asks, smashing a chair over Walker’s back. Walker gets up and tosses Lemar across the room: ‘Here’s one man who won’t let you make harlots out of decent women!’ John shouts. ‘Ever hear of free will, blondie? No one forced them to show up here!’ Lemar replies as he dodges a punch, before picking up a sofa and slamming it down on John, who shouts ‘You’re a tempter! A corrupter! An agent of Satan!’ John moves out from under the couch and punches Lemar in the face, while Lemar tells him not to get carried away.
Lemar falls over the broken sofa, and rubbing his jaw, asks how long they have to keep up the horseplay. ‘Till the police arrive!’ John smiles. ‘Hope they get here soon. Even with augmented strength, a fella could get hurt around here!’ Lemar exclaims.
An hour later, John and Lemar are in the local police station, standing in opposite cells. ‘Why do I get the feeling that the first Cap and Bucky didn’t get themselves thrown in the slammer on their very first case’ Lemar mutters. Walker replies that he hopes this gambit pays off, and he doesn’t get a criminal record in his home town for nothing. ‘Shh! I hear someone!’ Lemar exclaims, as a police officer enters the cell area, accompanied by Harold the barber. ‘Heya, Johnny-boy. Back in town less than a week an yer already in the hoosegow! Ain’t yew a fine piece of work!’ Harold exclaims, before announcing that he paid the two hundred bucks bail. The police officer opens the cell, telling John to get out.
Soon, walking down a sidewalk, John tells Harold that he really appreciates this, and assures him that he will pay him back as soon as he is on his feet, before asking ‘How’d you hear I was arrested?’ Harold reminds Johnny that word travels fast in these parts, before informing him that he has some friends who really stand behind what he did. ‘They’re the ones who got yer bail money up. They’d like to met with yew, if you’ve a mind to’ Harold declares. ‘Oh, yeah?’ John replies, while thinking to himself ‘This could be it. Harold must be talking about the Watchdogs!’
That night, in the basement of the local chapter of a nationwide men’s club. John sits inside the sparse room, at a table, while the head Watchdog sits at the other end of the table, accompanied by two other Watchdogs. ‘It’s them! I’ve lucked out!’ Walker tells himself. The head Watchdog states ‘You seem like our kind of man, Mr Walker. Not many people would make a stand for decency the way you did. We were planning to take care of that miscreant ourselves once night fell’. He then asks John if he is interested in joining their fraternal; order to rid the community and eventually the nation of the elements that would corrupt them. ‘You bet!’ John exclaims. ‘Our next initiation assembly will be held this Thursday night’ the head dog reveals, handing John a card.
Thursday night, A fire burns in a field, and the Watchdogs are lined up in two rows. The head Watchdog stands at the top of the group, with John blindfolded at his side. ‘Dog-brothers, we are gathered here tonight to admit new blood into our ranks. Standing before us is a man who like each of us has had all he can stand of the filth and decay and depravity of our modern society…a man who wants to join the crusade for decency and righteousness! Brothers! I present to you…John Walker!’ the head Watchdog announces, as Walker’s blindfold is removed.
As the fire blazes behind him, John wishes that they didn’t have to know who he really is. ‘If I make the slightest slip up they’ll all realize I’m Captain America’ he tells himself. Johnny wonders what choice he has, after all, he may not have been able to infiltrate so quickly without cashing in on his local reputation. ‘Let us all join together in our oath of allegiance’ the head Watchdog begins, as the others all raise their fists into the air. ‘I solemnly vow to walk the virtuous path…to safeguard society from the forces that would corrupt it…and to destroy the enemies of decency…of morality, and of the values upon which our country was founded!’
John takes in what is going on around him, and tells himself that this is weird, as he believes in the things their oath is about. The head dog holds out a Bible, ‘Okay, John Walker. Not it’s your turn. Repat after me: “I solemnly vow…”’. John raises his right hand and begins to repeat what the head dog has said, while thinking to himself ‘This is the second swearing-in ceremony I’ve been to in less than a week. I feel like…such a hypocrite!’
Shortly, John is handed his own Watchdog uniform, and the head dog tells him to put it on. As he suits up, the head dog tells John that tonight he will have his first opportunity to participate in their moral crusade. He reveals that their target is the county library which has refused to honor their petition to remove from its shelves 152 books unfit for reading. John smirks as he places the helmet and on his head, thinking to himself that he will then be able to catch them in the act tonight already. John knows that the only trick will be slipping away to change into his Cap uniform.
‘But before we go we have one other matter to attend to’ the head dog remarks, before shouting ‘Bring forth the pornographer!’ John looks shocked, ‘He couldn’t mean - he does! It’s Lemar! How did they get hold of him? Why didn’t he use his augmented strength to break free?’ John wonders as he sees his friend being dragged across the ground. John supposes that Lemar has been drugged, and wonders what the Watchdogs intend to do with him.
‘Dog-brothers, here is a man who entices good women to degrade themselves for the prurient interests of the morally bankrupt!’ the head dog exclaims as he holds a noose into the air, while Lemar is forced to his knees. ‘We can thank our newest member for his delivery into our hands!’ the head dog adds. ‘They…they mean to string him up!’ John realizes, while wondering if Lemar’s augmented neck muscles can stand up to the stress of strangulation. ‘What do I do?’ John asks himself as he watches as the noose is placed around Lemar’s neck, and the other end of the rope is thrown over a tree branch.
John looks worried, and tells himself that there is no way he can switch to Cap in time. He knows that if he raises his voice to protest, he will blow his credibility, and spoil his chance pf catching them in the act. John tells himself that this mission has been bad news from the start. ‘First it takes me to my own home town…then I’m forced to oppose guys whose moral stand I’m in basic agreement with! Then I find my high school sweetheart is ready to sell her propriety for a couple of bucks. After that I lean an old buddy of mine is in cohoots with the guys I’m gonna bust! And now I’m forced to do nothing as they lynch my friend! This couldn’t have been tougher for me if the Commission planned it!’
Suddenly, John wonders if the Commission did plan it. ‘Maybe they arranged for all this! Maybe this is a test! But if it is…what’s more important? Lemar’s life or the mission?’ But before John can act, one of the Watchdogs whispers something into the head dog’s ear. ‘Eh? Yes. Of course!’ the head dog exclaims, before telling his dog-brothers that he has been reminded that some of them have to get up for work in the morning. ‘If we want to torch the library, we’d better leave at once’ He the announces that he will see to the lynching.
John looks on as the Watchdogs all turn and leave for the library. He wonders whether to stay here and try and save Lemar. ‘It’s like the Commission wants to know if I’m willing to risk a friend’s life for the sake of a mission! Those blasted -’ he is interrupted by another of the Watchdogs, who calls out to John and tells him that he will have time to watch plenty of lynchings in the months ahead. John realizes that is Harold. ‘Then he is one of the Watchdog’s I’ll have to bust!’ John tells himself, before praying that Lemar can handle this, as the preparations for the lynching begin behind him.
Half an hour later, the Watchdogs carry flaming sticks towards the library, when one of them asks ‘Hey, where’d the new guy go?’ ‘He said he had to answer the call of nature’ someone replies. ‘Excitement musta got to him!’ the first replies. But, just then, the Watchdogs turn their attention to the top of the library, ‘Look - up there!’ one of them shouts. ‘It’s that sooper- heero, Captain America!’ another exclaims. ‘What’s he doing here?’ another asks. ‘Evildoers beware!’ Johnny shouts as he lunges down at the Watchdogs.
‘Yeesh - that was corny! What is Captain America’s battle cry anyway?’ John tells himself, before deciding to keep his mouth shut if he cannot think of anything appropriate to say, less anyone will recognize him by voice that way. ‘He’s jumping! Get him! Get him!’ one of the Watchdogs shouts. ‘Relax! One goofball in tights can’t stop us all!’ another exclaims. ‘We’ll see about that’ Walker shouts, as he smacks several of the Watchdogs back with his shield. But John tells himself to be careful, for although the Watchdogs outnumber him sixteen to one, none of them has his augmented strength. But John tells himself not to get overconfident his first time out, as he punches another in the face.
John throws his shield - it smacks into the hands of several of the Watchdogs, knocking the torches out of their hands. ‘Ahgk! My hand!’ one of them cries, while the shield rebounds against a wall - and John catches it. ‘All right! It worked! I’m right in position to catch!’ he exclaims, while punching one of the Watchdogs in the face, before using his shield to knock four of the Watchdogs over. ‘All those hours of shield practice the past couple of months really paid off’ John thinks to himself.
Suddenly, ‘What’s wrong with you guys? Pile on him! Don’t give him room to do circus tricks!’ one of the Watchdogs shouts. ‘Smash him, or we’ll be behind bars!’ another exclaims. ‘We’re taking you down, traitor!’ another declares as several of the Watchdogs lunge at him, forcing him to the ground. John tenses as he tries to force them off. ‘Yeah - you boys took me down all right - but keeping me down is another story!’ he tells himself as he manages to rise, knocking all of the Watchdogs from him.
Minutes later, all of the Watchdogs lie at the new Captain America’s feet, as police cars screech down the street. ‘Finally - the police! I was beginning to wonder if I was going to have to lug all sixteen of those jokers to the station myself!’ Walker thinks to himself. As the officers run towards him, Walker informs them that the Watchdogs were trying to set the library on fire, and asks the police to take them into custody, he informs them that he will be down to the station to make a statement later on. ‘Hey - wait!’ one of the officers calls out, but John has already started to run off.
Fifteen minutes later, John is running back to the meeting site from earlier, ‘I’ve got t find - LEMAR!’ he exclaims as he sees Lemar, with the broken noose around his neck, standing before him, holding onto the head dog and the other Watchdog that were attempting to lynch him. ‘Me leave you stranded out here? Never!’ Walker replies. Lemar carries the unconscious men and Walker tells him that he knew he could handle the situation himself. But to himself, Walker thinks ‘Like blazes I did! I was gambling with Lem’s life! I just hope he understands!’
Lemar tells Walker that it was scary for a moment, but he snapped his cuffs and tore himself down. John tells Lemar that he thinks this whole thing was a set up by the Commission. He tells Lemar that the Commission didn’t invent the Watchdogs, but they infiltrated the group and placed key people in it to make it as difficult a test as they could for him. John and Lemar get into a car, and put the Watchdogs in the back seat, as John declares that it really rankles him that the Commission would go to such elaborate lengths to test him.
‘I’d really like to tell them how much it stinks!’ John exclaims, while thinking to himself that if the Commission knew he figured it out, that would probably invalidate the whole thing, and he will always have to wonder whether they would spring another on him. ‘I wonder if this is why the original Cap quit on them…he just couldn’t trust them…’.


[User]
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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
America the Scorched!
The Mid-West, where a hideous creature soars the daylight sky. Rising a metallic beast, her shriek is the sound of glass shards scraping brittle bone. Her eyes are shallow pools of slugs feasting on their own entrails. Her flesh is pallid parchment stretched across atrophied muscle and protruding skeleton. Her steed is a stainless steel monstrosity, born of locusts and dentists’ drills. Her hands are sickles cultivating blight. Her name is Famine and she has come to destroy America!
Evil power flows from her hands as she destroys everything beneath her - farmland withers away to nothing, cows collapse turned to dessicated husks. The horrid sight fills her with a grim glee - surely this is the purpose she was born for. Famine has galloped the Mid-Western skies for almost a day now, gouging her initials into the fertile fields of the Earth.
Suddenly, a farmer down below on a tractor notices her, ‘What in tarnation!’ he gasps while corn crumbles, wheat withers and barely blackens at her onslaught. And flesh - flesh shrivels, decays, erodes, as this farmer falls under the power of Famine. He is not the first farmer whose life Famine has harvested. He will not be the last. His name was Winslow Ferguson, and as he tumbles to the land he has worked for the last twenty-five years, he dies with its taste in his mouth.
Famine does not look back. Her mutant body nourished by unfathomable furies, she tramples on. She has acres and acres and acres to devastate. And each Horseman of Apocalypse, once loosed, must ride!
Meanwhile…Steve Rogers, formerly America’s finest hero, Captain America, now known as the Captain, is in the throes of a nightmare:
(In The Captain’s nightmare)
The chamber the Captain is in is cavernous and dark, full of dancing shadows and hollow echoes. The foe he fights is a giant in an immaculate grey three-piece-suit. The audience who watches is as still and silent as statuary on a tomb. The Captain is dressed as Captain America, and as he battles the giant bureaucrat, revisiting the scene of his greatest loss. A loss that gnaws at the center of his being.
‘That shield does not belong to you!’ the hollow-eyed bureaucrat exclaims as Cap holds it high. ’What!?’ Cap gasps, as it vanishes from where it is attached to his glove. ’I don’t know how you did that, Mister. But if you think stealing my shield makes me helpless - think again!’ cries Cap as he lunges at the bureaucrat, who suddenly declares ‘That uniform does not belong to you!’ Cap suddenly finds himself wearing nothing but star-spangled boxers, as, distracted, the bureaucrat swats him aside, telling him that he is a ridiculous posturing fool. ‘An embarrassment to your government and its ideals!’.
Cap lands hard against the side of the large desk where his audience sits, and the head statue speaks to him in measure whispers, ‘He’s right, Rogers…you can’t cut it anymore! You are washed up…a relic! Why don’t you just lie down and DIE?’ he exclaims. ‘No! I can still -’ begins Walker until he sees something lying on the floor beside him. ‘What’s this?’ he asks, realizing that it is another uniform. While Rogers tries to put the new, black uniform on, the bureaucrat warns him that he cannot disguise his disobedience.
Steve nearly has the new costume on, but the bureaucrat begins tangling him up in red tape while telling him that his battle has ended and that he cannot start over, and that his every move for the rest of his life will be snarled in red tape. Rogers cannot get the rest of his new uniform on and tells himself that the red tape feels like steel as he tries to escape from it. ‘Do your worst bureaucrat! Nothing is going to stop me from peeling off your mask, finding out who you really are!’ Rogers exclaims.
But as Steve begins pulling at the bureaucrat’s face, that of the President is revealed underneath. ‘What? Mr. President!’ a shocked Rogers exclaims. ‘Well…were you expecting maybe the Red Skull?’ the President asks, referring to Cap’s nemesis. But Steve believes it to be another mask, and begins tearing at the face again - which reveals his own face! ‘You can’t fight it, pal. You’re the one who got you into this mess!’ Steve tells himself. ‘And you’re the one foe you can’t beat!’ he adds, before Cap is fully covered in red tape, mummified, he falls to the ground. ‘Fellow Commissioners, there are no more loose ends to tie up!’.
(Reality)
‘A dream - !’ The Captain thinks to himself as he wakes aboard a small charter plane. Single seats line the edge of the cabin, and adjacent to Steve sits his ally Dennis Dunphy a.k.a. Demolition Man, or “D-Man” for short, who asks Steve if he is okay. ‘The way you were gasping and groaning, I thought…’ Dennis’ voice trails off. Cap replies that he was just having a bad dream, explaining that, since the Presidential Commission forced him to resign as Captain America, he has been having the same dream over and over. ‘Everything’s stripped away from me, and I cant get myself together again’ Steve explains.
D-Man smiles and replies that, although this is no consolation, as he is the newest super hero on the block, it is reassuring to know even living legends have nightmares and self-doubts. Steve smiles, and assures Dennis that behind the legend is a man just like anybody else. Steve adds that now he is starting all over, he realizes just how valuable his legend and reputation was to carrying out his mission. Dennis points out that if Steve had been able to tell the Las Vegas police who he really was, then they would have never have thrown them all in the slammer for helping nail those Serpent crooks. Steve agrees, and remarks that the authorities used to give him a lot of latitude in which to work.
Suddenly, Sam Wilson a.k.a. the Falcon, one of Steve’s dearest friends and staunchest allies, gets up from his seat and walks past the sleeping Jack Munroe and Priscilla Lyons a.k.a. Nomad and Vagabond, respectively, and asks Cap if that means he is thinking of standing up to the Commission for the crud they stuck him with and getting back what rightfully belongs to him? Steve apologizes to Sam and points out that the Commission has made their decision. ‘Let them live with. I know I can’ he assures his friend.
The Falcon rubs his head and wonders how he is ever going to be able to convince his friend how wrong-headed his attitude is. Sam knows that he only has a few more weeks to do so, because then he has to head back to his home turf. D-Man asks Cap if he wants to follow up on these Serpent guys, to which Steve replies that he does, as they have managed to elude him too many times now, so it is time for a reckoning. Cap tells his friends that if any of them want to get back to their own lives then feel free to, as he can take it from here.
The Falcon replies that he doesn’t, after all, what better way is there for as city slicker like him to spend his vacation than traipsing all around the country. Demolition Man assures Cap that there is nothing in the world he would rather do than hang around with him, and he believes that if Vagabond and Nomad were awake, that they would agree. ‘Okay then, after we recover our wheels -’ begins Cap, until he is interrupted by the pilot, who calls out to D-Man, informing him that something is coming in over the radio which might be of interest to him.
Steve and Dennis enter the cockpit and Steve takes the radio, listening, he then informs his associates that the transmission was something about someone poisoning farmland in the Mid-West. Cap turns to the pilot and asks him to plot a course to Kansas, to which the pilot replies that, for what D-Man is paying, he will fly them all to Timbuktu!
Meanwhile, at Fort George in Maryland, far beneath the innocuous Barracks #17. Powerful costumed agents of the United States government walk the corridors - in particular, the newly commissioned Captain America a.k.a. John Walker and his sidekick the new Bucky a.k.a. Lemar Hoskins. ‘What did I tell ya, Johnny? The man didn’t care how we handled that crackpot Professor Power, as long as we got the job done!’ Lemar exclaims. Johnny is about to say something in reply, when he wonders what all the racket is that he can hear.
Rounding the corner, Walker and Lemar almost bump into three members of Freedom Force. ‘I should’ve guessed the Blob and his cronies’ Walker remarks, before the new Bucky asks ‘What’s so funny, tubs?’ to the Blob. ‘Ain’t ya heard?’ the obese mutant replies, while his friends and long-time teammates Pyro and Avalanche grin beside him. ‘My old-time sparing partners, the excruciating X-Men, went off and got themselves killed! And I was there when it happened!’ the Blob begins laughing loudly once more. ‘This calls for a twenty keg salute!’ he boasts.
Lemar asks Johnny why he is so glum, ‘The X-Men were baddies, weren’t they?’ he remarks. ‘Anybody the Freedom Force hates must’ve had something going for them’ Walker replies, before he starts to say something else, an announcement comes over the loudspeaker, asking he and Bucky to report to the briefing room.
Shortly, Walker and Hoskins stand in front of an official and some soldiers, while an image of Famine can be seen on a monitor behind them. The official informs the heroes that he has another super-nut for them to take down, and motions to the monitor, informing them that as they speak, the suspected mutant is defoliating farmland across the Mid-West using technology or powers not yet identified. The official informs them that they will be briefed further en route and dismisses them. Walker and Lemar give each other a smile.
Meanwhile, hours pass as the skeletal Horseman tirelessly ravages the land. She has ridden alone, and no one has pursued or tried to stop her. Until now that is, as a couple of choppers arrive alongside her. The pilots radio to each other to match their speeds, before releasing heat seeker missiles. Famine however laughs at the attack, and halts mid-air, causing the choppers to fly past her, she eludes them with demonic ease, before following one of the choppers and using her steed to bite into its tail.
The pilot radios to his colleague, exclaiming that they have been hit, but it’s too late, as the chopper plummets to the ground, at the same time as the steed bites into the second chopper, which follows suit and also plunges to the ground. Famine’s bloodless lips twist themselves into a grimace as her pursuers impact with the molten earth below - the choppers were flying too low for their occupants to escape.
Suddenly though, a bird - not just any bird, the Falcon’s, err, falcon - Red-Wing squawks as it swoops down and begins clawing at Famine, while the Falcon himself soon drops down beside her, ‘End of the ride, psycho!’ he exclaims.
Two thousand feet above, the Captain, Demolition-Man and Nomad drop down from the plane with parachutes attached, and Steve points out that it looks like Sam has made contact, so with any luck, he can ground the maniac. An anxious D-Man remarks that he wishes they had time to land, as he has never skydived before! Nomad points out that if the Falcon cannot bring their foe down to the ground, then the rest of them are going to look pretty useless standing around like scarecrows in some farmer’s burnt-out cornfield. Steve replies that he has perfect confidence in the Falcon, to which D-Man asks if it isn’t time to pull their ripcords yet.
The Falcon grapples with Famine and remarks that she is a wiry one, before asking her to relax and let him to the driving as he tries to take the steed’s controls. The squeal which escapes Famine’s gritted teeth while struggling with the Falcon is that of a dog being run over by a car. But Sam Wilson does not flinch, instead, he feels Famine’s shriveling touch as she smacks his hand, unleashing her power upon him. ‘YEOW!’ and asks her what she did to him as he looks at his weakened hand.
Famine doesn’t answer, she just laughs - a laugh which is like the bite of a hacksaw. Determined, the Falcon wraps his hands around the back of Famine’s neck and in the process, prevents Famine from touching him with her deadly hands again. Activating his auxiliary jets, the Flacon soars upwards, brining Famine with him as he tells her to stop wiggling. ‘You break loose and you got a long way to fall!’ he points out.
The Captain, Nomad and Demolition Man safely land on the ground, and Cap motions up to the Falcon, exclaiming that he has got the enemy, unsure if it is a man or a woman. ‘Ground at last’ D-Man thinks to himself, while Nomad congratulates the Falcon. Discarding their parachutes, the trio rush to where it looks like the Falcon will land, and Nomad remarks that they might be able to rap this up quickly so he can get back to his chick, to which Demolition Man hopes his ally is right. ‘You saw what happened to those two choppers didn’t you?’ he exclaims, while Cap tells him to keep an eye on that flying horse, and asks Nomad to come with him to help give Sam some back-up.
As they approach the ground, Famine, who has been dangling limp thus far, suddenly twists, and smacks Sam in the face, causing him to drop her. The Horseman lands on the ground with a sharp slap, and before the Falcon can apprehend her again, she uses her powers on him once more, causing him to fall over with his stomach doubled up in knots as if he is hungry. Famine continues to bombard the Falcon with her evil energies while he lies there, moaning softly. The grass around him also falls to Famine’s vicious attack, until suddenly, a five pound steel alloy disc hurled with bone-breaking speed shatters Famine’s right ulna.
The horrid woman gulps down the pain and turns in the direction of the disc, just in time to evade a second projectile. Nomad tells his friends to look out, as their foe shoots some kind of energy out of her hands. The Captain points out that the Falcon is down, and announces that he will tend to him, while D-Man has his eyes firmly fixed on the metal steed above them which he knows is circling for a landing.
The Captain and Nomad both dodge the deadly woman’s blast, while the midafternoon air crackles with a blistering cascade of energy. Despite the pain, Famine is enjoying this. However, as Famine prepares to mount her metal steed again, she finds the Demolition Man has got there first. ‘Sorry, punker - the only place this refuge from a carousel is going is a junkyard!’ D-Man exclaims as he kicks Famine hard in the stomach. However, the metal horse seeks to do the same to Demolition Man, as they take to the air, the crazed steed begins bucking furiously, though the durable D-Man maintains a firm grasp.
Famine then returns her attention to the other men, confident that her steed will take care of itself, she fires a deadly blast at Nomad, who dodges it quickly, while the Captain picks up Sam, who wearily whispers that he is so weak, famished. Cap tells Sam to take it easy, and as Red-Wing hovers over head, rushes to safety.
Nomad tells himself that this skinny broad really toasted the Falcon with that hand-juice of hers, whatever it is, and continues to dodge her powerful attack. Nomad realizes that he has to keep his foe from blasting for a second so he can move in an retrieve his stun-discs. ‘Here’s you-know-what in you-know-where!’ Nomad exclaims as he picks up some dirt and throws it into Famine’s eyes, confusing the Horseman long enough for him to get in close, ‘Look you hungry bag-o-bones - have a knuckle sandwich!’ Nomad shouts as he punches Famine hard in the face, loosening two her teeth, thick coppery blood begins to ooze down Famine’s through, she gags as she wants to purge herself. Famine hit’s the ground and Nomad is able to retrieve his disc.
Above, Demolition Man tells himself that so long as he manages to hold on, the horse will not be able to sink its teeth into him, although he is not sure how long he can hang on for. Suddenly, Dennis gets an idea, and puts his augmented strength to good use by smashing his fists into the steed’s neck.
Down below, The Captain places the Flacon by a tractor, and Sam assures Steve that he will be okay, and urges Steve to go after that loony and stop her destruction, as that is more important. Steve realizes that Sam has lost about ten pounds and knows he needs urgent medical assistance, before telling Sam that he will be back as soon as he can. Cap knows that if this madwoman is not stopped, then she will cause a nation-wide food shortage, potentially affecting millions. He rips a piece of metal from the tractor, and knows that it is a poor substitute for his shield, but that it will have to do. He rushes back into battle, leaving the Falcon alone, Sam thinking to himself that his guts feels like it is on fire - and he wishes he was dead.
Nomad is knocked over by Famine when he is momentarily distracted, and he comments on how strong she is for her size. ‘Hold it there, lady!’ demands the Captain, his voice riveting, as it is the voice of one who is used to taking command. Famine pauses without meaning to - not even her dark master has such a compelling voice. While she engulfs Nomad in her evil power, The Captain asks her what she thinks she is accomplishing by despoiling the land robbing hard-working farmers of their livelihood, not to mention starving a nation.
Famine almost begins to answer the Captain, almost telling him how she abhors food and cannot swallow a single morsel without immediately regurgitating it. How her master - Apocalypse - found her and made her one of his four Horseman and bid her to destroy that which makes her stomach sick to her. But Famine doesn’t believe that the Captain would understand - only her master understands, and thus, she decides that the man with the commanding voice must wither, and blasts the Captain with her evil power. Steve holds up his makeshift shield, thinking to himself that for a moment he thought he had gotten through to her - no such luck though.
Cap decides that, when reason fails, there is always strength and force, and after he continues to block Famine’s attack, he lunges at her, ‘Okay, miss - your madness stops here!’ he commands, while, nearby, D-Man and the steed come crashing down to the ground. The Captain forces Famine to the ground and holds her hands out at either side of her body, while thinking to himself that it felt great to have a shield - any shield - as he hadn’t realized how empty he felt without one.
Suddenly, Famine speaks! ‘Get off me you bloated bag of flesh! The world is a mean, ugly place with nothing fit to eat! I must reap the rot men consume - I must cleanse the Earth of its foul vegetation and putrid meat!’ her horrid voice shrieks. ‘Talk about saddle sores’ D-Man thinks to himself as he stumbles about near the fallen steed. The Captain tells Famine that she must see a psychiatrist, when suddenly, she screams, ‘MASTER!’ and in a flash of green light, both she and her metal steed are teleported away.
The Captain frowns and tells Demolition Man that this is infuriating. ‘First the Serpents, now this woman. It seems everyone I fight these days uses teleportation!’ Steve then tells Dennis to fetch the Falcon, while he sees to Nomad. Rushing towards his friend, Cap remarks that he has confidence that both Falcon and Nomad will recover - but what about America he wonders. ‘Who can bind the wounds of the land? Feed her famished people now? What can I do - I who once styled myself a symbol of this land and people?’. Steve declares that the kinship he feels with America has not diminished in the least with his change in uniform.
Three hours later, Walker and Hoskins arrive in the area. Walker points out that the swath of destruction ends at this point, but that there is no sign of the person who caused it. ‘I just can’t figure it!’ he exclaims. His friend points out that you cannot win them all - and sometimes you can’t even fight them all, before suggesting they get out of here.
Two weeks later, Nomad and the Falcon are in Kansas City being treated for malnutrition, while D-Man has gone to Washington State to claim vehicles they left there. And, in the Los Angeles headquarters of Stark Enterprises, Steve Rogers has come to see one of his oldest colleagues and friends - Tony Stark a.k.a. Iron Man. The founding Avengers shake hands and Tony tells Steve that it is good to see him looking healthy. ‘The message you sent…it sounded so grim!’ Tony remarks, before repeating the message: ‘”Need help - and shield. Can you supply”?’.
Steven tells Tony that it is good to see him too, and apologizes for the mystery, before pointing out that things have been rather strange for him lately. Tony replies that he had heard from the Avengers that he was forced to give up being Captain America. ‘That’s right’ Steve replies, before assuring Tony that it is not going to stop him from fighting for his country, which is why he needs a new shield. ‘Can you help?’ he asks. Tony replies that he is always happy to help a friend, and suggests that go look at his new shield.
Steve informs Tony that he read in Newsweek that he had fired Iron Man as his corporate symbol, and asks what the story is there. ‘How can you fire your own alter ego?’ Cap asks. Tony apologizes to Steve and states that he cannot share that secret with anyone now. ‘But -!’ Steve begins to protest, to which Tony interrupts and suggests again that they go look at the new shield he made for him.
Soon, in a large chamber, Tony pulls a plane shield from a bag and explains that he uses this chamber to test out certain weapon systems of his armor, as the walls are made out of adamantium - as is Steve’s new shield. ‘It feels so good!’ Steve exclaims, smiling as he looks at his new shield, thinking to himself that nothing has the feel of his original shield, but that this is very close to it. Tony smiles and suggests Steve try it out, he goes to turn on the training dummies.
‘Ahhh…that reassuring weight against my forearm!’ Steve thinks to himself as he places the shield on his arm and takes off his trench coat, revealing his Captain costume underneath, deciding that, of all the things the Commission took from him, he misses his shield the most. Steve tosses the shield at one of the training dummies and tells himself that he suddenly feels whole again. The shield bounces onto another dummy, before heading back to Steve, who catches it with ease, while knowing that he will have the strength to beat all the odds against him. ‘I don’t think the nightmare I’ve been having will be back!’ Steve decides.
Tony approaches Steve and tells him to keep the shield on a sort-of permanent trial basis, with no charge. ‘But I couldn’t!’ Steve replies. ‘Nonsense’ Tony exclaims, pointing out that once word gets around that the shield was made here at Stark Enterprises,  it will be the best publicity for his company in months. Steve smiles and holds his shield up, while Tony thinks to himself that he is now sure Steve will not interfere in his activities - even though his next mission will pit him against the U.S government!.