Obsessively putting our comics in chronological order since 1985.
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Captain America Comics #16
Issue(s): Captain America Comics #16
Cover Date: Jul 42
Title: "Red Skull's deadly revenge!"
Credits:
Stan Lee - Writer
Al Avison - Penciler
George Klein & Syd Shores - Inker
Review/plot:
OK, the Red Skull was pretty dangerous before, but now he's learned archery.
Click for the full double-page terror.
He really gets into the role, too. Here he is practicing in full Errol Flynn gear. Love the short shorts.
The first person to feel the bite of the Skull's arrow is one of his own minions...
...but later Bucky gets shot as well. Nice little action sequence with Cap jumping.
The Red Skull's shirt emblem must be an electronic image display or something. You'll note in the shots above it's a version of the Japanese flag, albeit one that changes a bit from panel to panel.
And yet the shirt later reverts back to the traditional swastika.
Cap is defeated and captured at one point during this story, and the Skull learns his secret ID.
It's meant to be rendered moot by the fact that the Skull is killed at the end of this story (because he "didn't have the nerve to shoot").
I actually enjoyed Al Avison's art in this story. It's pretty faithful to the Simon/Kirby look but does a great job of making the Skull a terrifying menace.
He's especially terrifying when he's got Cap prisoner and steals his costume.
I wonder if this "OK Red Skull! Here we come!" inspired Roy Thomas' (really weak) battle cry for the Invaders of "OK Axis! Here we come!". (Probably not, according to this article by Alan Kupperberg).
Quality Rating: C+
Historical Significance Rating: 2
Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A
References: N/A
Crossover: N/A
Continuity Insert? N
My Reprint: Captain America #600
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Comments
I like how the Skull wears his mask under Cap's mask and nobody notices.
I think thr Marvel Golden Age Handbook explained away this Red Skull as one of many wartime imposters.
@Michael: Ah, but he cleverly hides his face with his shield, which isn't AT ALL suspicious!
Mark, i've been trying to work out the fake Red Skull situation. I know of George Maxon but not sure which appearances are definitely his vs. the real Red Skull. And of course there's the communist era version. But it sounds like you're saying there were other imposters too!?! I guess i'll have to seek out that handbook.
I do recommend the Golden Age Handbook; it does make a valiant attempt at getting continuities straight and pointing out erroneous things(such as wildly opposing event histories for the Angel and Sun Girl).
Ok, but this is going to result in me picking up more Golden Age stories, i just know it.
Too bad it was published before Marvels Project; i would love to see how that got sorted out.
According to these guys, this is the "real" red skull, Johann Schmitt.
http://marvel.wikia.com/Captain_America_Comics_Vol_1_16
The first appearance of the "real skull" was that one where he's playing the kazoo (although the text in that one makes it clear they have met before.)
there is a skull that turned up in 1947 that no one has yet explained (after the original was on ice, before the commie debuted)
Thanks Kveto.
There have been too many people in Red Skull and Captain America costumes!
The Red Skull's next appearance (in YOUNG ALLIES, I believe) reveals that he killed a farmer and exchanged clothes with him before Cap and Bucky landed and looked for the body.
As for the 1947 Skull, he was killed fighting Captain America in his first appearance. After that he showed up in Hell, where he forged some Satanic paperwork and had Cap brought to the underworld so he could battle him one final time. Cap beat him and then woke up in his own bed, still clutching a piece of the Skull's shirt. Later retcons make this Captain America the Jeff Mace version. The Skull in these stories could easily be John George Maxon, and I think it's best to presume it is. It gives us one less Red Skull running around, it gives Maxon, the "original Red Skull", some closure, and it even gives Jeff Mace his own arch enemy of sorts. Win, win, win.
For some reason I can't see Cap carrying his wallet, complete with his drivers license, while he's in his Captain America uniform. I mean, just asking for trouble...
Re: "which skull is this?" I WAS wondering if this is one of the only times the Skull's real face is shown in Golden Age comics. The post-archer sequence makes it clear he's putting a mask on, but he does looks rather Maxonesque.
