CAPTAIN AMERICA AND BUCKY CREATED BY JOE SIMON AND JACK KIRBY

 

 

 

#495

“Return of the Ice God!”

Written by Jeff Melton

 

 

OCTOBER, YEAR 3

 

WHAT HAS COME BEFORE: Fighting side-by-side with Snow Wolf and his Eskimo tribe, Captain America and Nomad overcome the attacking tribe, following them to their lair, where they the Red Skull, who had been behind the attack, and also Bucky!

 

T

he Red Skull stands confident, in his smoking jacket, standing directly behind Bucky, who appears to be sluggish and barely awake. Surrounding the Red Skull are warriors from his Eskimo tribe, who are pledged to defend him with their lives. The Skull looks with satisfaction at Captain America and Nomad, his face contorting into something vaguely resembling a smile, as he draws his filter cigarette to his mouth, holding it for a moment between his crimson-hued teeth before he blows smoke out into the surrounding area.

 

“I must say that I’m pleased that you found your way to my humble abode,” the Red Skull offers, looking at Captain America, nodding his head, as he holds the cigarette in his hard fingers. “After all, I would surely hate to know that I spent so much time and effort for nothing.”

 

“I knew you’d be behind this!” Cap exclaims, looking first at Bucky, then at the Skull.

 

“Yes,” the Red Skull agrees. “After all, you may remember what I told you long ago—like a bad penny, I keep showing up.”* He then looks at Bucky, and back at Captain America. “But, I know what you are thinking. You have been deceived so many times in the past, with doubles, androids, and the like—all in the form of your one-time partner. You are wondering if, perhaps, this is just another trick. I assure you, it is not. This is not an android, like the one that Strucker deceived you with.** Nor is this a double, such as the one who stands beside you even as we speak, who was used by the second Captain America, tricking you before ultimately fighting you and that fool, the Falcon.”***

 

[*Way back in Captain America Comics #3 (1941)]

 

[**In Captain America #128]

 

[***The 50’s Cap and Bucky, who is now Nomad, as related in Captain America #153-156.]

 

As they continue to hold their discussion, Nomad notices that he and Cap are being encircled by the Red Skull’s warriors. He also notices that the Red Skull’s medicine man is standing close to Bucky.

 

“Bucky looks like he’s in a trance, probably caused by that crazy medicine man,” Nomad silently considers. “This all seems incredible to me. I think all of us have come to terms with the fact that Bucky is dead. Even though I never knew him, I feel like I did in many ways.” Keeping his eyes on the Skull’s warriors, Nomad lets Cap deal with the Red Skull—at least for right now. “No matter what we do, we’re going to have to do some serious fighting to get out of here alive. Finding Bucky alive, incredible as that is, won’t mean much if the Red Skull manages to kill us all.”

 

“Finding Bucky alive was really an amazing by-product of something I had been working on for some time,” the Red Skull relates, as he sends out the index finger on his left hand, scraping it across Bucky’s face. Bucky’s body starts to recoil at the touch, involuntarily, but he continues to stare ahead, and does not make any movement to get away. The Red Skull turns for a moment to his medicine man, nodding with approval at his work. Underneath the Red Skull’s smoking jacket, green army-style pants can be seen. On his feet are combat boots, which are well suited for the environment.

 

“I’m not interested in your mad schemes, Skull!” Cap exclaims. “You have wrought destruction to these innocent people, and I came here to put a stop to it!”

 

“Yes, yes, of course,” the Red Skull intones, annoyed at the interruption, and rolling his eyes, as if he fully expected to hear what Cap has to say, but has little appreciation for the sentiment behind it. “Your idealism grows tiresome at times. Of course, you came here to defend these people. I knew you would do so. You really are quite predictable.”

 

“Then you also knew that I wouldn’t let you run roughshod over innocent villagers,” Cap responds. His attention in now clearly drawn on the Red Skull, the object of his enmity and long-standing feud.

 

“Innocent?” the Red Skull responds, shaking his head. “You have used that term once again, but it is not accurate—at least not by my reckoning. I should think that you would have some memory of this place. This is where you landed, after Zemo’s aborted attempt to send you and young Bucky across the Atlantic.”*

 

[*As has been shown in Avengers #4, Avengers #56, and other places.]

 

“When I learned the account of your time here, ironically worshipped as an ice god, before the ever-hostile Sub-Mariner intervened in his amnesiatic state, freeing you from your ice prison and throwing you back into the water,** I knew that I had to find these people,” the Red Skull continues. “And, of course, crush them under my superior hand. If they worshipped you, and saved you from a watery grave, they are certainly not innocent. What a supreme victory over you to totally subvert the very people who once worshipped you, first taking over a neighboring village. This village. Then, moving on to crush the very village that had given you solace.”

 

[**As explained in Avengers #4 and Captain America #100.]

 

As Cap looks on with disgust at the Red Skull’s account of events, the Red Skull notices this, and becomes invigorated by the effect his words are having on Cap. “A village that gives you solace, and even worships you, is surely my enemy,” the Red Skull continues. “However, when I learned more of the quaint culture of these people, I learned something even more interesting—that, while you had drifted to the neighboring village, Bucky (also on ice) had drifted to the village of Snow Wolf and his tribe. Like you, Bucky was worshipped by Snow Wolf’s primitive people as another ice god. Rather intriguing.”

 

Captain America stares at Bucky for a moment, turning his attention momentarily away from the Skull. He had been duped so many times in the past by false accounts of his young partner’s return that he has grown somewhat hardened to the idea. This even led to his attack on Nomad when he returned from re-conditioning.*** However, this time, he realizes that the situation is different. This really is Bucky standing before him, and the Red Skull’s account—amazing though it is—all rings true.

 

[***After SHIELD had freed Jack from his brainwashing, and exposed him to the second treatment of the serum, as revealed in Captain America #281.]

 

“What have you done to him?” Cap asks, his eyes still on Bucky.

 

“I have freed him from his ice prison, much as the Sub-Mariner did with you,” Red Skull replies, “and even nursed him back to health. His body, like yours, went into a state of suspended animation, perhaps as a result of radiation from the explosion of Zemo’s rocket ship.”

 

“You know what I mean, Skull!” Cap exclaims, growing irritated with the Skull’s arrogance, and the fact that he knows the Skull is in control of this situation…at least for now.

 

“Ah, his current state?” the Red Skull asks, knowing full well that this is what Cap meant by his question. “He is merely in a trance. Remember when I brainwashed you to attack the allied commander? It is a spell of similar nature, except that Bucky is in a more tranquil state.”

 

“You brought me here to see Bucky?” Cap asks, annoyed.

 

“No,” the Red Skull responds simply, sneering. “While I wanted you to see how I had totally crushed your village, and how I had found Bucky—who you have sought in vain since your return, the reason I brought you here is to die. I will always know that you died only after you had been so thoroughly crushed by the events that I have put into place.”

 

With that, the Red Skull’s troops start to move in on Captain America and Nomad, as the Red Skull continues to stand in the center of the situation. Captain America and Nomad turn back-to-back, preparing to fight the enemy warriors.

 

“I don’t think you fully understand the situation,” the Red Skull remarks, watching Cap and Nomad preparing for action. “While it is true that you have to overcome my warriors, I know you have done this before. No, Nomad will have to fight the warriors alone, because you…” As the Red Skull continues, a large, towering Sleeper enters the room emerging from the darkness of the cave. He is huge, standing a full twelve feet tall. “…you will die at the hands of my latest, and most deadly Sleeper, RT-16!”

 

I

n the mountains outside the hidden corridor where Captain America and the Red Skull are now facing off, Snow Wolf is pursuing Black Wolf on horseback. As the horses gallop along, Show Wolf launches his spear, which strikes the side of Black Wolf’s ebony horse, injuring the horse, and causing it to throw Black Wolf from its back, where he lands hard on the ground, at the base of a mountain.

 

Snow Wolf dismounts, as Black Wolf starts to stir. His horse merely falls to the ground, mortally injured by the spear protruding out of its side. Snow Wolf walks over to his brother, carrying a dagger in his hand.

 

“We were once brothers, Black Wolf,” Snow Wolf says with disdain. “And yet, you have betrayed your own people to the great enemy, helping him carry raids against our people, and seeking to destroy us. The mantle has fallen on my shoulders to put a stop to your treachery.” As he leans forward, dagger in hand, Black Wolf turns around, and kicks him squarely in the mid-section, doubling him over.

 

“That mantle will cost you your own life,” Black Wolf responds. He rushes up the side of the mountain, while Snow Wolf recovers from his surprise attack. Black Wolf continues up the side of the mountain, making his way up over one hundred feet above the ground below, as Snow Wolf rushes after him.

 

When they are 125 feet above the ground, Snow Wolf lunges forward, tackling Black Wolf, and causing both of them to hit the ground hard. “You will not flee justice!” Snow Wolf calls out.

 

“What do you know of justice?” Black Wolf responds, kicking Snow Wolf in the face, driving him back, even as Black Wolf starts to get to his feet. “Do you not think it is better to be stronger—to be in a position of greater strength? Instead, our village chose to remain a weak village, preferring to trade with neighboring villages, when they could have risen up, become stronger, and led those same villages!”

 

Black Wolf grabs a large tree limb, rushing forward with it, swinging it at Snow Wolf, who ducks under the attack. As he does so, he sends out his right fist, slamming it into Black Wolf’s mid-section, doubling him over and causing him to drop his weapon.

 

“That was not your decision!” Snow Wolf returns. He gets to his feet, hitting his brother again in the stomach. “Our people have lived in peace with neighboring villages, but you chose to embrace the philosophy of the Red Demon, who sought to expand his power base!” He then delivers a left hook to his brother’s chin, jerking his head to the side. “You were a dupe of the Red Demon, just like those warriors who chose to follow along with you.”

 

“No, brother,” Black Wolf replies, blocking his brother’s next blow with a forearm. “It is you who is the dupe, choosing to submit to a leader who is weak, instead of joining a movement that is strong.” He slams his knee into Snow Wolf’s stomach, causing him to double over.  He then claps his hands together, and slams them into the back of Snow Wolf’s head, causing him to fall to his knees. “I had hoped you would join us, but it is obvious that you have chosen instead to perish.” So saying, Black Wolf pulls the dagger from his belt, and advances on his brother.

 

As Black Wolf rushes forward, Snow Wolf leans back, kicking his brother in the face, sending him flying through the air, over the side of the mountain. Alarmed, Snow Wolf rushes over to the ledge, looking over in time to see his brother plummeting downward, where he lands on an icy lake, smashing through the ice and disappearing into the sub-zero waters.

 

R

T-16, the mammoth Sleeper, lunges forward, smashing its fist out towards Captain America. However, the sentinel of liberty leaps back from the blow, which instead demolishes solid stone, as it crashes into the mountain wall, creating a path into the solid rock!

 

“This Sleeper is a powerhouse!” Cap thinks to himself, as he raises his shield, blocking the next blow by the Sleeper, but the impact of the punch causes Cap to take a few steps back. “I’ll have to keep ahead of him. One good punch and I’ll end up in worse shape than those rocks.”

 

The Sleeper stands erect, as Cap lowers his shield, preparing a plan of attack. On the Sleeper’s shoulders are two circular objects, metallic and connecting to the base of each of his arms. As Cap watches, these circles start to turn, revealing that they are actually turrets, as gunfire rains towards Cap, some of the gunfire striking warriors who are around Cap and the Sleeper. Cap instinctively puts up his shield, blocking the bullets.

 

Cap leaps forward, slamming his shield into the Sleeper’s face, driving it back slightly. He uses the shield as a battering ram, slamming it again and again into the Sleeper’s mid-section. The Sleeper looks down at Captain America. His eyes glow red, and twin beams of lasers shoot out of his eyes towards Cap. Cap leaps out of the way, leaping into a back flip, and ultimately landing on his feet five feet away from the Sleeper.

 

“I hit him with enough power to knock out Mr. Hyde,” Cap thinks to himself, while dodging additional laser fire, which carves holes in the rocky floor, “but he seems unaffected.”

 

As Cap continues his battle with the Sleeper, Nomad is battling alone against the Red Skull’s warriors. He leaps into the air, stretching out his legs and kicking two of the warriors in the face, knocking them unconscious! As he comes to the ground, he is swarmed by more warriors, soon disappearing under a pile of ten of the Red Skull’s elite guard.

 

Within seconds, however, the ten warriors seem to explode outward, as Nomad’s superior strength throws them away from him, causing them to land on the rocky floor, along the wall, or slamming against more advancing warriors.

 

Nomad continues to fight with ferocity, slamming his elbow into the chin of a warrior who was advancing on him with a sword. The warrior is unconscious before he hits the ground.

 

Nomad draws out two of his circular discs. He throws one of the disc at another advancing warrior, dropping him mere feet away. The second disc he throws at the medicine man, who is still behind Bucky. The disc strikes the medicine man just behind his right ear, and the medicine man falls to the ground, unconscious. Even as he does so, Bucky’s eyes become less glazed over, and he starts to stir.

 

“Hopefully,” Nomad thinks to himself, as he kicks an oncoming warrior in the stomach, driving him back into three other warriors, all carrying swords and spears, “I’ve just gotten us some much-needed help.”

 

The Red Skull watches with great interest the battle between Captain America and his newest Sleeper creation. One of his warriors approaches, and bows. The Red Skull turns, acknowledging him.

 

“The explosives have been planted, my chief,” the warrior offers.

 

“Excellent,” the Red Skull returns. “Have everything in readiness to depart to our new location. The warrior nods in understanding, turns, and walks away, disappearing soon into the darkness.

 

The Red Skull turns around just in time to see a booted foot slam into his face, driving him crashing back against the wall. As he looks up, from his place on the rocky cavern floor, he sees Bucky standing before him, his fists near his face, ready to fight.

 

“I don’t know where you brought me, Skull, or how I got here,” Bucky comments. “The last thing I remember is being on that rocket of Zemo’s. But, it doesn’t matter. If you’re here, I know you have to be taken down.”

 

“What?!” the Skull exclaims, looking over to where the medicine man has fallen to the ground. “I see.” He gets to his feet, as Bucky advances upon him, kicking him in the chest, and driving him back against the wall once again.

 

Bucky leans forward, striking the Skull in the face, causing the Skull to take a step back involuntarily. “Want to fill me in on what’s going on, Skull?” Bucky asks. “What new mad scheme have you and your Axis masters come up with now?”

 

“You could not begin to imagine just how far off you are,” the Red Skull replies, blocking Bucky’s next blow with his forearm, as he continues to get to his feet. As he does so, he throws off his smoking jacket, revealing the familiar green jumpsuit beneath the jacket. “In fact, you are several decades off.”

 

“What’s that supposed to mean, Skull?” Bucky asks, kicking the Red Skull in the side, causing him to move to his left. Bucky continues his assault with a jumpkick, which slams into the Skull’s chin, causing him to hit the ground again.

 

Captain America leaps up, dodging a series of optical laser blasts. As he leaps into the air, he leans forward, ramming his shield into the gun turret adjacent to the Sleeper’s right arm, causing sparks to fly, as Cap’s blow hits a raw nerve, slicing through not only a weak spot in the Sleeper armor, but also through some wiring.

 

As Cap returns to the ground, the Sleeper instinctively starts moving his right turret, which causes a series of backfires that light up its internal circuitry, causing sparks and mini-explosions to run throughout the Sleeper’s arm, shoulder, and into its neck. The mini-explosions cascade across the Sleeper’s neck, and sparks bounce off the floor beneath his feet, as he staggers backward, losing control of his movements.

 

Sensing his foe’s weakness, Cap throws his shield directly at the Sleeper’s head, striking it directly between its eyes, knocking it flying back into the darkness of the cave, flames breaking out along its shoulders and running down its arms, as it falls back with a tremendous impact!

 

The Red Skull, noticing that the Sleeper has fallen back into the darkness—and that it is literally on fire—kicks Bucky in the stomach, driving him back. “Away you fool!” the Red Skull exclaims, even as his warriors start to scatter, heading towards the cave’s exit.

 

The sounds of gunpowder rock the cave with small explosions, driving the Cap and Nomad across the cave with the explosions’ impact. The Sleeper gets to its feet, momentarily, before it is buffeted by explosions that rend it apart. The cave shakes with the impact of the explosions, and rocks start to litter the ground, falling from the cave’s ceiling.

 

As the Red Skull rushes towards the darkness, Bucky is in pursuit. “I was not ready for this yet,” the Red Skull utters, rushing into the darkness, past the staggering Sleeper, which is trying to stand again, but his body is filled with holes, and his circuitry shows through the holes, even as the explosions grow more intense. “However, if you die earlier than expected, all is certainly not lost!”

 

Bucky leaps into the air, kicking the Red Skull squarely in the back of his skull head, at the base of his neck, driving him flying forward, into the darkness—the very area from which the explosions are emanating. Bucky, wanting to finish his foe, starts to follow after him, but is stopped by an avalanche of falling rock, which knocks him out of the way. Rolling with the impact, Bucky rolls across the rocky floor, only turning back to look in time to see that the avalanche has left the Skull trapped behind a new wall of rocks.

 

“Bucky!” Cap calls out. “Nomad! We’ve got to get out of here!” As he speaks, however, the Sleeper leans forward, grabbing him by the arm. Cap tries to resist; but even weakened, the Sleeper is far too strong for Cap to break away from his grasp.

 

Bucky, seeing Cap’s peril, leaps through the air, kicking the Sleeper directly in the spot where Cap had thrown his shield earlier. The Sleeper’s head was only loosely connected with his shoulders, after the explosions and punishment he had received during the battle. As a result, Bucky’s kick knocks the Sleeper’s head completely off, and it rolls along the ground at their feet, eventually crashing against the cavern wall. The Sleeper falls forward, releasing Cap from its grasp, even as Cap and Bucky look at each other, following Nomad and the others out of the cave entrance.

 

Just in time they have departed the cave, which continues to shake from the explosions, growing in intensity. As they leave the cave, they both dive forward, rolling down a small pathway, even as the cave is completely closed up from the explosions. Then, with a final explosion, rocks and debris fly out of the cave entrance, even as the mountainside is literally blown out by the resulting explosion. Bucky, Nomad, and Cap have all taken cover behind a small group of rocks, which are soon pummeled by the exploding rocks.

 

Within seconds, it is over. Cap looks over at Bucky and Nomad, remembering again just how much they do look alike.

 

“Who’s this guy?” Bucky asks, motioning towards Nomad. “And why does he look so much like me?”

 

“It’s a long story,” Cap replies. “And I have a lot to get you caught up with. First though,” Cap continues, as he and Bucky both get to their feet. Cap leans over, hugging his former sidekick and partner. “It’s great to see you again.”

 

“You too, Cap,” Bucky returns, “but you act like you haven’t seen me in years.” With that, Cap and Nomad both laugh, and Bucky looks on, obviously not aware of the source of their laughter.

 

The laughter, however, is halted by the sound of approaching horses. “We have found them!” a voice calls out in native Eskimo.

 

Cap and Nomad look up, as Bucky stands behind them for a moment, taking in everything that is happening. “Snow Wolf’s chieftain!” Nomad calls out. “And some of his warriors.”

 

“Where is Snow Wolf?” Cap asks.

 

“I am here,” Snow Wolf replies, walking down the side of a mountain, carrying his spear in his hands. “I had one more enemy left to put down.”

 

As Bucky steps out into the open, the chieftain and the others disembark from their horses and immediately fall to their knees at the sight of Bucky. “The Ice God!” the chieftain calls out. “You have returned!”

 

Bucky looks over at Cap for answers to his unasked questions. Nomad merely smiles. “Your subjects,” he offers.

 

“We will have a great feast!” the chieftain calls out, as the others surround him. In the distance, young village women are starting to approach. He walks over, placing his hands on Cap and Nomad’s shoulders. “Thank you for everything! The Red Demon is dead, his armies are routed, and our Ice God has returned. We have much to celebrate.”

 

“Ice God?” Bucky asks. “Is he talking about me? Now, if you expect me to stick around in this cold place…!”

 

“Are you saying you must return…to the land of legends?” the chieftain asks.

 

“Uh...yeah, I think so.” Bucky responds. Then, noting that there are several village women, likewise bowing before him, Bucky smiles. “But I think I can wait until after this celebration you were talking about.” Bucky motions for the girls to rise, and they walk over to him, one on each arm, as everyone makes their way back to the village.

 

NEXT ISSUE: Cap and Bucky return to civilization in a special story!

 

 

 

 

˜˜Letters to the Living Legend˜˜

 

Welcome to Captain America #495, which is the 11th issue of my 12-issue run on this title. I’ve enjoyed writing the character, and hopefully telling interesting stories for those of you out there reading them. However, this issue does something that I think should have been done years ago. In bringing back Bucky, I think I am correcting Marvel’s first mistake, which was really brought on by the fact that Stan Lee simply didn’t like the character.

 

Throughout the 60’s, when Marvel was introducing new characters, they were also disrespecting their Golden Age characters. Roy Thomas alone was responsible for the deaths of more Golden Age characters than I could list here. His first story, for Charlton Comics, dealt with bringing back a Golden Age character, only to have him fight the hero of the story, and ultimately kill him in the same story. This is a formula that he used many times, with characters like the Toro, the Red Raven, and various others. However, it is a blight on Marvel continuity that I have sought to fix. This issue is an example of this effort. Certainly, I await your comments on this issue. They are always welcome at jx2melton@hotmail.com.

 

Captain America #490: Nice interplay between Cap and the young pilot. Great scene with 50’s Cap taking out a drunk driver. I liked the way Cap took out the armored AIM agents.

 

Nomad, eh? Brainwashed, perhaps? The faux Steve Rogers has a very attractive companion. Faustus always makes for interesting stories. You handle him well in your stories.

 

Rick Powell

 

I’m glad you like the way I handle Faustus. He’s a fun character to write. Glad you like the way I’m handling 50’s Cap here as well.

 

Captain America #491: A Nomad LMD? He’s certainly no weakling! 50’s Cap and Jennifer are in it deep if Faustus is involved. The battle with the Nomad LMD and Cap was very well-done. Cap was out-numbered, distracted, and sucker-punched.

 

50’s Cap senses Faustus is up to no good, but can’t quite place him because his memories are messed up. The scene where Faustus’ sarcasm was lost on buxom young Jennifer (on page 7) was amusing.

 

Cap and the real Nomad, together again…but in chains. Zola and drug money. I shudder to think what kind of drugs Zola could create! His version of crack might make you grow an extra head, and his pot might turn your brain into liquid and cause it to run out your nose.

 

Rick Powell

 

That certainly makes for an unusual visual image. At any rate, I felt the need to set things right with Nomad, given that Nicieza was clearly writing a totally different character. I’m glad you’re enjoying the series. Keep writing to let me know what you think.

 

NEXT ISSUE: The conclusion of my twelve-issue run on Captain America with a special story. Stay tuned…

 

Jeff Melton