Issue(s): Power Man & Iron Fist #111
Cover Date: Nov 84
Title: "Who is Captain Hero...?"
Credits:
Christopher Priest - Writer
Greg LaRocque - Penciler
Jerry Acerno - Inker

Review/plot:
This is the beginning of Jim Owsley/Christopher Priest's run on Power Man & Iron Fist. And... it's good!

It starts off with Luke Cage getting attacked by a Superman-like character who also has phasing powers and is surprisingly immature and out to impress.

He wants to become Luke's new partner. When Luke repeatedly refuses, he gets stomped badly by this Captain Hero. Luckily, Danny shows up bearing gifts (personally, i would have preferred Chocodiles).

Failing with Luke, Hero goes after Iron Fist instead. Danny is at a hospital signing autographs for people injured during the Power Man/Captain Hero fight earlier.

Fist is equally unreceptive and this triggers a temper-tantrum.

Danny is able to knock Hero out by sneaking up behind him. It seems Hero's powers are only in effect when he's focused.

As Danny surmised, Hero is actually a 12 year old boy. We're told that he was abandoned by his teenage mother when he was less than six months old. Once, while he was running away from a state orphanage, he picked up a meteorite and was infected with an unknown alien spore that has altered his atomic structure forever. It gave him complete control of his molecular structure. The Captain Hero persona is inspired by comic books. His goal was to join Heroes For Hire so that he could convince them to look for his real mother.

At the end of the issue, as he's being shipped off to Project Pegasus, we also learn that the alien spore is rapidly killing him.

So the story is certainly unique, but it's the dialogue, the witty banter, the little quips, the fact that Danny shows up to console Luke with ding-dongs, that make this issue extra good.

Now i'll tell you something awful. You might be able to guess by looking at the Characters Appearing section. It will eventually be revealed in an issue of John Byrne's Namor that little Bobby Wright/Captain Hero is the Super-Skrull. YeahbuhWHAT? It's somewhat feasible based on the powers he has, except for the phasing ability, which i don't think Skrulls possess.

As for the merits of that particular retcon, we'll deal with it when we get there. For now, this was an enjoyable issue.

Quality Rating: B

Historical Significance Rating: 2 - first Captain Hero

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

Captain Hero was also the name of Jughead's superhero identity in 1966-67 Archie titles.

Owlsley/Priest is a mixed bag for me. On the one hand, he has an excellent sense of humor that shines in his writing, great characterization, and his writing is smart. On the other hand, I don't find his plots interesting at all. Even when he has an idea that sounds good, it's not implemented in a way that excited me. I wonder how I'd feel if he ever teamed up with someone who be his co-plotter. It's too bad, I WANT to like his work.

Another problem I have with this run is the same problem I have without almost all of PM&IF, it just seems very generic, and I don't feel the stories and themes of the book are unique to the characters and the concept of heroes for hire. Occasionally I'd see something with a hint of that, but it would not be developed well.

Great recap! I'm a fan of this series, so much so I decided to write a fan fic of what I would have done in a "Captain Hero" spin off. Mind if I link to this summary so people know wtf I'm writing ABOUT? ;)

Eddie, your comment went to spam, i think because you have a redirect in the URL you left, so sorry i didn't catch it until now. But you definitely don't need my permission to link to the site. :-)