BHOC: CAPTAIN AMERICA #230

It must be said, this is a really striking cover to this issue of CAPTAIN AMERICA. And it showed a sort of novelty of approach that just wouldn’t have been done only a few years earlier, not showing potentially sales-driving guest-star the Hulk clearly in the image (though his presence in the story is cover blurbed.) But by only showcasing the Green Goliath’s fist, he makes for a stronger impact, as Cap’s expression and the way he’s been driven into that wall by the sheer strength of his opponent communicates the steamroller nature of the Hulk emotionally, while still keeping the focus on the series’ titular star.

Roger Stern, who was then writing both CAPTAIN AMERICA and INCREDIBLE HULK, had been moving the pieces into position for this crossover between the two titles for a few issues now, which makes it all the more unfortunate that he got caught in a scheduling conflict and was forced to delegate some of the writing duties to others. In this instance, fellow Roger McKenzie wound up plotting this story, though Stern did script it. Artwork was provided on both parts by the ever-faithful Sal Buscema, a penciler whose work wasn’t always appreciated in its time, but who knew how to tell a story with that Marvel sense of bombastic action and flair. His character acting was always strong as well–while there may not have been a ton of subtlety, you knew what Sal’s characters were feeling at any given moment, such as Steve Rogers on this splash page.

This two-parter was designed to bring the background saga of the criminal Corporation to a boil. The Corporation had been created by Jack Kirby in his last days on MACHINE MAN and CAPTAIN AMERICA, and later writers, in particular Stern, had run with the idea. They were a modern criminal enterprise that, as the name implies, was set up like a big business venture. Stern and his predecessors had been using them as a recurring foil in both CAPTAIN AMERICA and INCREDIBLE HULK (as well as a few other places) for some time now, so it seemed a good moment to move the organization from the background behind-the-scenes and to make it the central threat of this big storyline.

As the issue opens, Captain America and his seeming allies Marvel Man and the Vamp are following a lead on the whereabouts of the Falcon, who was captured by the Corporation some time ago. I say seemingly because the Vamp is actually a traitor–she’s working for the Corporation, and has battled Cap in her other persona as the cavemanlike Animus. The trail has led them to the disused prison on Alcatraz, which the Corporation has repurposed for their own designs. Elsewhere, activist Fred Sloane and his passenger the Incredible Hulk are still being pursued by the police following the green guy’s destruction of a checkpoint intended to stop them. As a police cruiser closes in on Fred’s van, he’s surprised to see that his passenger has relaxed and transformed back into his Bruce Banner self. What’s more, that cruiser isn’t maned by regular cops, but rather agents of the Corporation. They’re able to tranquilize both Sloane and Banner and take them prisoner.

Meanwhile, Cap and his team infiltrate the corporation’s base, coming across the Falcon strapped to the far sea gate and threatened with drowning. Curtis Jackson, the West Coast head of Corporation activities asks for Cap’s surrender, or else he’ll flood the area and Sam Wilson will perish. Jackson’s objective for some time has been to get his hands on the Hulk’s friend Jim Wilson, who it turns out is of course the nephew of the Falcon, who shares the same last name. Comics, am I right? Jackson’s men have also captured the Hulk, and are keeping him docile in his Bruce Banner form. Anyway, before Jackson can conclude his business with Cap and company, another party enters the base with the much-in-demand Jim Wilson in tow. This is Kligger, who up until recently was also using the identity of Senator Eugene K. Stivak. Kligger works for the East Coast branch of the Corporation, and he and his associate Moonstone have been trying to kill Captain America for a number of issues. Kligger proposes a trade with his West Coast counterpart: Jim Wilson for Captain America.

The revelation that the Vamp has been working for Kligger all this time kicks off a melee between all concerned as Marvel Man, the only other remaining Super-Agent of SHIELD, has had enough and lashes out with his light-beams. Everybody is fighting everybody, and the ruckus stirs the unconscious Bruce Banner, who immediately transforms back into the Hulk and enters the fray in order to protect his buddy Jim. The Hulk doesn’t understand who is on what side, so he’s taking on all comers, and so it’s only a short while before he’s clobbered Marvel Man and attempts to do the same to Cap. The Super-Soldier, for his part, can dodge the Hulk’s blows, but nothing he can come up with even slows down his much more powerful opponent.

With his back to the wall, Jackson plays his last card: he opens the sea gate and lets the water rush in. At the same time, Kligger activates the Vamp, triggering the process that transforms her into the savage Animus. So the Hulk clobbers Captain America and then Animus strikes down the Hulk from behind. And that’s where this story is To Be Continued, but in the next issue of INCREDIBLE HULK rather than the following installment of this title. This manner of cross-pollination between books was something of a Marvel trademark in this period, and I’d encountered similar things before at DC, notably the intersection of SUPER-TEAM FAMILY and SECRET SOCIETY OF SUPER VILLAINS during the “Atom’s Quest” storyline. But this was, I believe, the first time I’d come across it in the Marvel line, which made it seem like more of a big deal. As I was already buying INCREDIBLE HULK, all I had to do at this pint was settle in and wait for a week or two to go by before I’d be able to read the conclusion.