Captain America
Tales of Suspense # 59-70



November 1964
Tales of Suspense # 59: "Captain America"
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Jack Kirby
Inker: Chic Stone
Jay's Rating: JJJJ1/2
Synopsis: (10 pages)
Cap is alone at Avengers' mansion on monitor duty as a group of well-organized thugs decide to make a name for themselves taking out the "weakest" Avenger. Cap welcomes them appropriately and quickly shows them the error of their way.


December 1964
Tales of Suspense # 60: "The Army of Assassins Strikes!"
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Jack Kirby
Inker: Chic Stone
Jay's Rating: JJJJ1/2
Synopsis: (10 pages)
Baron Zemo dispatches a group of his well-trained assassins to America to kill Captain America. They trick Cap, but he quickly catches on and takes great pleasure in defeating the assassins as well as gloating over Zemo's latest failure.


January 1965
Tales of Suspense # 61: "The Strength of the Sumo!"
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Jack Kirby
Inker: Chic Stone
Jay's Rating: JJJJ1/2
Synopsis: (10 pages)
Captain America goes behind Viet Cong lines in hopes of negotiating the release of a captured pilot. After a few tests of strength, Cap is finally led to the General who boldly announces that he has no time and commands Cap and the pilot executed. However, Cap battles his way out and escapes with the pilot.


February 1965
Tales of Suspense # 62: "Break-Out in Cell Block 10!"
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Jack Kirby
Inker: Chic Stone
Jay's Rating: JJJJ
Synopsis: (10 pages)
Cap is invited to a prison to give a physical fitness demonstration, and finds out a bit too late that the inmates have taken over. Cap battles his way back to freedom and single-handely restores order to the prison.

Jay's Notes:

  • Cap removes the magnetics that Iron Man had built into his shield since it was throwing off the shield's balance.


March 1965
Tales of Suspense: Captain America # 63: "The Origin of Captain America!"
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Jack Kirby
Inker: Frank Ray
Jay's Rating: JJJJ1/2
Synopsis: (10 pages)
Steve Rogers, physically unfit to enter into the US army, volunteers as a test case for operation rebirth. Dr. Erskine formula is a success and transforms Rogers into a powerhouse. Unfortunately, the secret formula dies with Erskine as he's gunned down by a nazi agent. Donning a patriotic costume, Rogers joins the fight against the Nazis as Captain America.

Jay's Notes:

  • This story is a retelling of Cap's origin from Captain America Comics #1 (1941).
  • Cap's part of Tales of Suspense begins to feature untold tales of his World War II days.
  • First Silver Age appearance of Bucky Barnes.


April 1965
Tales of Suspense # 64: "Among Us, Wreckers Dwell!"
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Jack Kirby
Inker: Frank Ray
Jay's Rating: JJJJ
Synopsis: (10 pages)
Cap and Bucky investigate the eerie duo of Sando and Omar who seem to have the uncanny talent of predicting Nazi terrorist attacks on the US. They discover, along with Agent Thirteen, that their act is just a cover for an operation meant to strike fear into the heart of Americans. However, Cap, Bucky, and Agent Thirteen quickly put an end to this Nazi operation.

Jay's Notes:

  • This story is a retelling of "Sando and Omar" from Captain America Comics #1 (1940).
  • First appearance of Agent Thirteen who is working for the Women's Army Corps.


May 1965
Tales of Suspense # 65: "The Red Skull Strikes!"
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Jack Kirby
Inker: Chic Stone
Jay's Rating: JJJJ
Synopsis: (10 pages)
The Red Skull strikes and deals a severe blow to the US special weapons research. Cap and Bucky are quickly on the Red Skull's trail, but he escapes while they deal with his hirelings. However, they do stop him as he attempts to kill a US army general, but it turns out that this Red Skull was just a Nazi agent.

Jay's Notes:

  • This story is a retelling of "The Riddle of the Red Skull" from Captain America Comics #1 (1940).


June 1965
Tales of Suspense # 66: "The Fantastic Origin of the Red Skull" 
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Jack Kirby
Inker: Chic Stone
Jay's Rating: JJJJ
Synopsis: (10 pages)
Cap and Bucky are captured by the Red Skull and while the Red Skull gloats over him he tells Cap his origin. The Red Skull was just bellboy when he was taken under Hitler's wing and transformed into a master Nazi agent. Cap makes a valiant attempt to escape, but he overcome by the effects of a brainwashing drug that has him obey the Red Skull.


July 1965
Tales of Suspense # 67: "Lest Tyranny Triumph!" 
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Jack Kirby
Inker: Chic Stone
Jay's Rating: JJJJ
Synopsis: (10 pages)
Bucky escapes from the Nazi prison and tries to reach Cap who's still under the effects of the Red Skull's brainwashing drug. Cap accompanies a group of Nazi commandos as they storm a British compound and attempt to kill an allied general. Bucky, who managed to tag along, does his best to snap Cap out of the brainwashing, but fails as Cap prepares to kill the allied general.


August 1965
Tales of Suspense # 68: "The Sentinel and the Spy!" 
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Jack Kirby
Inker: Chic Stone
Jay's Rating: JJJJ
Synopsis: (10 pages)
At the last second, Cap breaks out of his brainwashing and with Bucky's help they take down the rest of the Nazi commandos. Meanwhile, the Red Skull puts another plan into motion. One of his agents gets a hold of a secret American ray gun, but Cap is there to prevent him from escaping with it. The agent refuses to surrender and dies as the ray gun overloads and explodes.


September 1965
Tales of Suspense # 69: "Midnight in Greymoor Castle!" 
Writer: Stan Lee
Layouts: Jack Kirby
Finishes: Dick Ayers
Jay's Rating: JJJ
Synopsis: (10 pages)
Rogers' army unit, stationed in England, joins a European offensive, but Bucky is left behind. Bucky is kidnapped by Nazi agents and taken to Greymoor castle where he's held as bait for Captain America. Cap learns of Bucky's capture and is forced to leave his company to make his way back to England.


October 1965
Tales of Suspense # 70: "If This Be Treason!" 
Writer: Stan Lee
Layouts: Jack Kirby
Finishes: George Tuska
Jay's Rating: JJJ
Synopsis: (10 pages)
Cap reaches England in a stolen Nazi plane and manages to reach Greymoor castle. However, the Nazis expect him, and Cap assumes a trap. He does his best to
free his captured partner, but is captured himself. The Nazis are prepared
to unleash a V-2 rocket on London with Cap and Bucky on board!


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