Issue Description

Diamondback is put on trial by the Serpent Society and the verdict is death!

1st Story "With Friends Like These..." (Gruenwald/Lim)

2nd Story "The Unremembered Past" (Gruenwald/Bagley)

Synopsis

Diamondback wakes up in a cold, dark room, her arms and legs shackled together. Trying to calm herself, she recounts what had happened prior, such as receiving a letter saying she is being watched, and then walking down some side streets and being knocked out. She finds the door and searches herself for one of her diamonds, but they had been confiscated.

Suddenly, King Cobra appears and reveals the reason Diamondback is there is because she has been accused of treason against the Serpent Society. He doesn't want to harm Diamondback, as he likes her, but he needs to keep the other members in tow. Sidewinder gave him leadership after he had left, and Cobra had been trying to do the best he can since. He ends the conversation by telling her, "if you are innocent of the charges brought against you, you have nothing to fear." He leaves, and Anaconda and Puff Adder appear. Anaconda tells Diamondback to be good so they don't have to rough handle her.

At the Avengers H.Q., Captain America is training Peggy, John, and Mike in rope-climbing. Jarvis brings Fabian Stankowitz into the room, much to Cap's delight. Fabian reveals he finished his rehab program, and the others express how happy they are to see him again. Cap pulls Fabian to the side and tells him how he was exposed to ice in his blood, and how they had to filter it, along with his super-soldier serum, out of his body. He feels he no longer needs it to be Captain America any longer, and he asks that Fabian stays drug-free with him. Jarvis pops in and reminds Cap of his party at Brooklyn Heights he was supposed to attend.

Anaconda and Puff Adder bring Diamondback to her counselor, Black Mamba. Diamondback is thankful to see her friend, but Black Mamba tells her she is being charged with treason. She reveals that Boomslang was spying on her for surveillance, and how they now know she is dating Captain America. Diamondback admits it, but denies that she ever told Cap anything about the Serpent Society. Black Mamba is hurt that she didn't trust her to tell her, as her best friend. She asks how Diamondback got hooked up with "the biggest goody two-shoes in the known world." Diamondback tells her about the adventures she's had with Cap and the first meetings between the two. Black Mamba asks her more questions, not understanding why someone like Captain America would go after a criminal unless he had ulterior motives. Diamondback worries, and hopes that if they find her guilty, they'll just mindwipe and expel her like they did Princess Python. Black Mamba hopes so, as well.

Back in Brooklyn Heights, John drops Steve off. Steve walks inside, meeting Mrs. Kappelbaum at the door. After being greeted by the guests, Mrs. Kappelbaum points behind Steve, who turns around and finds Bernie Rosenthal.

Elsewhere, the trial of Diamondback is just beginning. Diamondback pleads not guilty. Puff Adder has her swear to tell the truth, though he can't remember the entire line. Coachwhip begins her examination on Diamondback, asking questions about her relationship with Captain America. Diamondback refuses to say anything about Cap, just as she refused to tell Cap anything about the Serpent Society. Coachwhip proceeds to say, "you want us to believe that the most strait-laced man in America began a relationship with a sleazy tramp, and he's got no ulterior motives?"

On the Brooklyn Bridge, Steve and Bernie are catching up, after having left the party. They talk, and Steve says he didn't think she'd be moving back after her law school graduation. Bernie says she missed the hustle and bustle of New York, and feels very awkward about the conversation. Steve asks if she enjoyed law school, to which she replies that some is boring but some of it is very fascinating. She then reveals she is going to focus on criminal law, and might be defending those Cap puts behind bars. At the trial, Black Mamba asks what attracted Diamondback to Captain America. She says that he helps her to want to be a better person. She then says the relationship is not very intimiate beyond a few dates. Black Mamba asks if she's ever done anything that would interfere with the goals of the Serpent Society, but Diamondback states that the Society's goals are self-gain and Captain America is out for the good of the people.

Meanwhile, Bernie comments how both she and Steve gave up their former jobs for full-fledged careers. Steve asks about Bernie's old flame, Paul, who she had been living with, but Bernie states they didn't want to get serious. Steve opts not to tell Bernie about Rachel, since he didn't know how he'd explain it to her.

Back at the trial, Coachwhip points out that Diamondback betrayed the Serpent Society on several occasions, giving the location of their headquarters to Captain America. She goes on to ask how they can be sure she won't talk in her sleep and reveal information to Cap that way. Black Mamba objects, stating her relationship with Captain America hasn't been proven to be intimate, but Cobra disregards her objection. Coachwhip concludes by saying Diamondback deserves to be found guilty, as she is a loose cannon that could put each of them behind bars. Black Mamba begins her ending speech, stating that Diamondback has saved several of the Serpent Society members' lives in the past, including her own. "Who she associates with when she's outside these walls is her own business, not ours," she finishes. Cobra has the Serpent Society vote on Diamondback's sentencing. Unfortunately, only Black Mamba, Asp, Bushmaster, and Rock Python vote innocent, the rest vote guilty. Cobra reveals Diamondback will die by lethal injection, to which Diamondback responds by cursing at him.

After the trial, Black Mamba and Asp walk in on Cobra and Coachwhip flirting. They say they need to talk to Cobra alone, so Coachwhip angrily leaves. Black Mamba and Asp are ready to quit if Diamondback is executed, but Cobra tries to calm them down by telling them an example needs to be made. He then warns them if they aid him in any way, they will face criminal charges, as well. In Black Mamba's room, Asp knows Diamondback won't betray Captain America, even if it means her death. Black Mamba decides to make a phone call.

Steve walks Bernie to her door and she asks if they're still friends. He says yes, so she invites him in for a "nightcap." He declines her offer and walks away, lamenting that it would've been simpler if he had just told Bernie about Rachel.

Cobra has Puff Adder prepare the venom dose for Diamondback, who is still refusing to speak. Just as Puff Adder goes to execute Diamondback, Sidewinder appears and teleports Diamondback away. King Cobra is enraged, screaming that Sidewinder will pay for his flagrant disregard of their law.

The Unremembered Past

U.S.Agent recounts his memories with Battlestar and his family.

Captain America (1968)

Publisher

Marvel

Volume Description

Captain America is on his own at last, in the comic that started it all, the Super Soldier's story begins.

Continued from Tales of Suspense issue 99. Tales of Suspense was one of several horror-like anthologies that Marvel was publishing in the early 1960's, but just like its counterpart Tales To Astonish, after nearly one hundred issues the series changed its name, after it already went a completely new route featuring characters such as Iron Man and Captain America instead of horror stories. So it was that in 1968, the series became Captain America Volume 1 with its hundredth issue. Captain America ran on for three more decades much like its Incredible Hulk counterpart. The series concluded with issue 454, when the series was relaunched as Captain America vol. 2. After issue number 50 of Captain America vol. 5, that series returned to its original numbering started here in Volume 1, celebrating it's 600th issue.

This is the first solo Captain America series published by Marvel Comics, the previous series, Captain America Comics, had been published by Marvel’s predecessors Atlas and Timely respectively.

Collected EditionsMarvel Masterworks: Captain America Vol. 2 (#100)Captain America Omnibus Volume 1 (#100-113)Marvel Masterworks: Captain America Vol. 3 (#101-113)Marvel Masterworks: Captain America Vol. 4 (#114-124)Captain America Omnibus Volume 2 (#114-148)Marvel's Captain America: The Winter Soldier Prelude (#117)Marvel Masterworks: Captain America Vol. 5 (#125-136)Marvel Masterworks: Captain America Vol. 6 (#137-148)Marvel Masterworks: Captain America Vol. 7 (#149-159)Marvel Masterworks: Captain America Vol. 8 (#160-175) Secret Empire (#169-176)Captain America: The 75th Anniversary Vibranium Collection Slipcase (#169-175, #255 and #445-448) Nomad (#177-186)Captain America: Peggy Carter, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. (#184-186) Madbomb (#193-200) Bicentennial Battles (#201-205) The Swine (#206-214, Annual #3, Annual #4) War and Remembrance (#247-255)Captain America Epic Collection: Dawn's Early Light (#247-266)Marvel Universe by John Byrne Omnibus (#247-255)All-New Captain America: Fear Him (#280)Deathlok The Demolisher: The Complete Collection (#286-288)Captain America Epic Collection: Society of Serpents (#302-317) Scourge of the Underworld (#318-320, #358-362) The Captain (#332-350) The Bloodstone Hunt (#357-364)Red Skull: Battleworld (#367) Streets of Poison (#372-378)Captain America Epic Collection: Streets of Poison (#372-386) Man and Wolf (#402-408) Fighting Chance - Denial (#425-430) Fighting Chance - Acceptance (#431-437) Operation Rebirth (#444-448, #450-454)Captain America Epic Collection: Man Without A Country (#444-454)

Captain America Omnibus-series:

Captain America omnibus (#100-113) Captain America omnibus by Jack Kirby (#193-214, Annuals 3 and 4 )

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