The Ameridroid has, somehow, turned up on occasion since; but with his look updated to a more modern Cap. Nuts to that, he should've always looked like Sal Buscema drew him! From 1978, Captain America and the Falcon #221, "Cul-De-Sac!" Written by Steve Gerber, with "co-scenarist" David Kraft, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by Mike Esposito.
Former Nazi spy-slash-movie special effects artist Lyle Dekker has just transferred his mind to his greatest creation, the Ameridroid, a twelve-foot replica of Captain America. He's on the rampage, intent on creating a new world order, starting in a little village in Newfoundfand. He even has some goons as seen here--who disappear from the story entirely, as Dekker has something like the opposite of a psychotic break, a moment of clarity. Now that he had achieved his goal, he suddenly wondered why he thought living in a massive copy of Captain America was a good idea: tough to make friends, get dates, or go to the movies; just for starters. Cap, for his part, is remarkably understanding, and seemingly forgiving of multiple crimes Dekker had committed, as he lets the Ameridroid wander off into the woods, in search of "pennance." The extra 'n' is for 'not giving a crap what happens to a Nazi, former or otherwise.'
Returning to his apartment in New York City, Cap discovers the milk in the fridge has gone bad and the power's been disconnected; since he's hard-pressed to recall the last time he had been Steve Rogers. (Still, I think he wasn't quite done with that place yet, and I don't think he was going to get the deposit back for it...) This isn't a fondly remembered stretch for Captain America, and this issue really feels like something was changed mid-stream. The GCD mentions Don Glut plotted the first few pages, so maybe.
Also this issue: "The Coming of Captain Avenger!" Written by Scott Edelman, pencils by Steve Leialoha, inks by Al Gordon. It's a brief fantasy set back in early Avengers days, where Rick Jones gets electrocuted and imagines himself as a superhero. He laments he'll never be a superhero, even as Captain Marvel seemingly watches. Why this story was here, I don't know.
Gerber's points about the ultimate fates of Germany and the US after the war sadly aren't that too far off the mark, especially America as is being proven up today with Trump.
ReplyDeleteWhy Gerber either wanted or was chosen to write Cap I don't know. It's not that he wasn't a good writer, just doesn't seem like something that would fit his unique sensibilities.
Plus I have a hard time seeing Cap just letting that guy go after all the trouble he caused. He he never called SHIELD to pick him up after this I'll never know.