Obsessively putting our comics in chronological order since 1985.
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Captain America #258
Issue(s): Captain America #258
Cover Date: Jun 81
Title: "Blockbuster!"
Credits:
Chris Claremont - Plot
Chris Claremont & David Michelinie - Script
Michael Zeck - Penciler
Michael Zeck - Inker
Review/plot:
Claremont scripted the first half of the book, Michelinie the second.
After going out on a date with Bernie, she and Steve head back to her apartment. But an explosion across the street forces Steve to leave and change into Captain America to rescue people from the fire. It's part of an arson ring, and Cap eventually hunts down a low tier villain named Blockbuster who was responsible.
The events really shake up Cap's building-mate Mike Farrel, a fireman.
It doesn't help when, after Blockbuster is brought to justice, a police lieutenant, reveals that Blockbuster probably won't do much time if he testifies against the people who hired him.
It's an interesting scenario in light of the fact that Farrel will much later become a member of the right-wing vigilante group the Watchdogs.
The Blockbuster in this story later changed his name to the equally generic "Heat-Ray".
Quite a lot of character development for what is essentially a fill-in, but it's a quality creative team.
Quality Rating: B-
Historical Significance Rating: 2 - motive established for Mike Farrel to become a vigilante.
Chronological Placement Considerations: Pushing this slightly back in publication time to allow Captain America to appear in Marvel Team-Up #106 between Captain America #259-260. The MCP place Cap here between Avengers #208-210.
References:
- Commiserating with Farrel, Steve mentions that his girlfriend Sharon Carter burned to death in Captain America #237.
- Blockbuster got his armor souped up by Justin Hammer. Hammer's MO was shown in Iron Man #127.
Crossover: N/A
Continuity Insert? N
My Reprint: N/A
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Comments
Marvel's Blockbuster had to change his name because of DC's Silver Age Batman villain Blockbuster. If that wasn't enough, the first issue of DC's historic "Showcase" title had a Fireman Farrell as well.
This was originally announced as a fill-in written strictly by Claremont, with art by Sienkiewicz & Sinnott.
It's very clear that Claremont wrote the first half of the story, while Michelinie wrote the second half. The first half could practically be a sequel to Marvel Team-Up #75, right down to being about the blue-collar nobility of firefighters. The second half has a crook buy an armored suit from Justin Hammer.
A good little tale with some nice attention to real world dangers (like fire).
