Issue(s): Captain America #101, Captain America #102
Cover Date: May-Jun 68
Title: "When wakes the Sleeper!" / "The Sleeper strikes!"
Credits:
Stan Lee - Writer
Jack Kirby - Penciler
Syd Shores - Inker

Review/plot:
Captain America catches a Nazi war criminal but Nick Fury lets him go. Cap is outraged until he learns that SHIELD is tracking the Nazi so that he can lead them to even bigger game. The big game turns out to be the Red Skull, living on an island with a number of other Nazi refugees and a new breed of soldiers that were raised on the island to believe in the Nazi cause. They are referred to as the Exiles, but that term will soon be reserved for the Red Skull's Nazi lieutenants starting next issue. The Skull managed to escape the exploding nuclear sub he was last seen on by taking refuge in a radiation-proof escape capsule.

Cap follows the Nazi to the island and, after using some crazy SHIELD tech to land, beats up on everybody, including the Skull, but not before another Sleeper robot is activated.

Cap is unable to destroy the Sleeper, but he is able to acquire the crystal key that is supposed to control it. Fury lies to Sharon, telling her that Cap is dead. Cap seems to approve. "At least she'll be safe." Yeah, except for the Sleeper robot that's going to destroy the planet! But then a few panels into the next issue, she shows up to help Cap fight some Nazi assassins. "I forced the Colonel to tell me the truth!". Good.

Cap and Sharon fight the Sleeper...

...but in the end it is Sharon's shrill womanly shrieking that activates the key and causes the Sleeper's atoms to dissipate.

The Red Skull isn't too upset over the defeat because now he sees that the way to hurt Captain America is through Sharon.

By the way, Sharon is still only referred to as Agent 13 at this point.

Quality Rating: C+

Historical Significance Rating: 2 - first Exiles

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References:

• Special Note For Marvel Newcomers: A few short years ago, in Tales Of Suspense #72, #73, & #74, we saw the three sleepers, which the Red Skull had hidden at the end of World War Two, come to life again and threaten the security of all mankind -- until Captain America found a way to destroy them! See? We tried to explain it for you as painlessly as possible! - Sympathetic Stan
  
• But now, there are no doubt some of you amongst us who will say "Marvel goofed again! We saw the Red Skull die in Tales Of Suspense #91. Well, for the benefit of ye scoffers, we suggest that those of little faith read on..."

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: Marvel Super Action #2, Marvel Super Action #3

The comics code demanded that Kirby's Red Skull on the cover of #101 be redrawn to make him less ugly(unknown who redrew it, not Kirby), but when this story was reprinted in Marvel Super-Action #2 in 1977, the unaltered cover was used without complaint.

Doug Moench has a letter in #102.

Good stuff. I still think the Exiles are the allies of the evil Dr. Strange from TOS#41. The CCA got absurd at times.

Cap shoots one of the flying Exiles in #102, and it's implied the others were killed in the battle. Sharon shoots one of the Exiles who attack him in the street. Cap also uses a gun in #100 when the heroes escapes through the duct.