Featuring: Captain America
Release: October 28, 1942
Cover: December 1942
10 cents
15 pages
I don’t see any credits. Except for the publisher and “editorial and art director”. The GCD credits the art to Al Avison and Syd Shores.
We continue our survey of early Captain America comics in preparation for Avengers #4. We started out with some significant milestones and will mostly focus on significant milestones. But I wanted to get a sense of who Captain America was in a run-of-the-mill story, not in any way a milestone. This story fit the bill for its insignificance.
It was chosen specifically because there is a connection to Medusa, which will also tie into Avengers #4.
Some weird happenings have been attributed to the ancient legend of Medusa. Captain America is skeptical. In fact, he spends the issue in full Scully-mode. Which is odd, given the number of weird creatures he has encountered. And that he himself is a scientific oddity.
Captain America’s skepticism is rewarded when Medusa is unmasked Scooby Doo-style. Not the real Medusa after all. Also, Nazis were involved.
The most significant thing about this issue is that Medusa places his prisoners in a cage with cats.
Also some funny graveyard humor.
Rating: ★★☆☆☆, 37/100
I read this story in Golden Age Marvel Masterworks: USA Comics vol. 2.
You can also find it on Kindle.
Characters:
- Captain America/Steve Rogers
- Bucky/Bucky Barnes
- Medusa/Professor Anton Harvey
- Medusa
- Perseus
Story notes:
- Table of contents refers to story as, “The Murdering Medusa”.
- SS Brittany sunk.
- Anton Harvey, Professor of Greek at Carson University.
- Professor notes Medusa has appeared in every century in different places on Earth.
- Steve and Bucky hear the news at Camp Lehigh.
- Steve relates story of Medusa and Perseus to Bucky.
- Captain America notes it’s 1942.
- This Medusa seems to be male.
- Medusa’s gaze renders Captain America unconscious, but doesn’t kill him. Cap was foolish to look at all.
- Medusa places victims in glass cage filled with starved cats.
Next post: Captain America Comics #59
Next in order: Avengers #4
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