u/KaraAliasRaidra

There are people who point out a few of the portrayals of Captain America from World War 2 are problematic, so I thought, “All right, let’s address that and reflect on how people can change for the better.”

Scene 1

*(John Walker alias Jack Daniels, alias the U.S.Agent, is visiting the apartment of Steve Rogers, alias Captain America. He’s picking up some old papers that Steve had among his things from World War II)

*Steve: (retrieving papers from a folder and handing them to John) Here they are!

*John: I figured you were the right man to go to!

Scene 2

*John: (playfully teasing as he puts papers in folder for safekeeping) I mean, since you were born in 1811 and all!

*Steve: (amused) So now I’m older than the War of 1812?!

Scene 3

*Steve: (starting to close folder) Well, I guess it beats-

Scene 4

*(He stops suddenly as something catches his eye)

Scene 5

*(It’s part of an old, crumpled, weathered piece of paper that’s visible behind some notes and cards in the folder)

Scene 6

*(John, seeing Steve’s sudden shift, becomes concerned.)

*John: (thinking) He’s seen something from the War that’s triggered him!

Scene 7

*(He tests the waters to see if he should give Steve his privacy or be a sympathetic ear.)

*John: So, I’ll go ahead and deliver these, unless you want to rap a little.

Steve: Um…

Scene 8

*Steve: Yeah, stay a little.

*John: Okay.

*Steve: Thank you.

Scene 9

*Steve: (shakily takes out paper) Maybe you should see this. It’s a drawing I made during the War, and one of my great shames.

*John: Hmm!?

Scene 10

*Steve: (hands over paper weakly, shamefully) You…You’re not going to be prepared for this.

*John: (thinking in confusion) What, did you go the wartime Dr. Seuss route?! [This is a reference to Dr. Seuss, now noted for his positive work, making some vicious anti-Japanese cartoons during the Second World War. It’s an odd dichotomy because he made cartoons attacking Nazi Germany and their sympathizers for their anti-Semitism while letting his anger over Pearl Harbor take over and making some very offensive & unfair remarks against the Japanese as a whole]

Scene 11

*(John unfolds the paper, looks at the cartoon, and is immediately shocked)

*John: OHHHH, WOWWWW…! (thinking) He really did go the wartime Dr. Seuss route!

Scene 12

*Steve: (ashamed) You’re shocked to see something like that from me.

*John: Darn straight! You could knock me over with a feather right now!

Scene 13

*John: (jokingly) I mean, if you did do that, I’d bounce back up and smack you for it…

*Steve: (snorts in amusement)

John: …but yeah, this is…wow!

Scene 14

*John: (folds paper again) It’s remarkably well drawn, but that just makes it worse!

*Steve: You don’t have to tell me!

Scene 15

*Steve: I could go the “It was a different time back then” route, but I’m not going to make excuses! Besides, I knew soon after I did it that it was wrong!

*John: That’s why it’s crumpled. You felt bad for drawing it and almost threw it away.

*Steve: Mmm-hmm!

Scene 16

*Steve: It was after a battle. Some losses had been suffered, both soldiers and civilians. Some of the boys and I were understandably angry, and…I let my anger lead me to a very dark and terrible place.

Scene 17

*Steve: I made that drawing that night. It was satisfying at the time, but when I looked at it the next day…the satisfaction was already fading. Some of the boys wanted to know what I’d been drawing, but I told them it was nothing and stowed it away.

Scene 18

*Steve: Every time I looked at that drawing, I felt worse and worse for ever having made it. 

*John: (understanding because of his own history of rash decisions) Making a hateful drawing didn’t bring anyone back or help anything.

*Steve: It certainly didn’t! 

Scene 19

*Steve: Sometimes I said or did things in the heat of the moment that weren’t the real me, and that I regretted after the anger faded.

John: I know what that’s like!

Scene 20

*John: Does Sam [Sam Wilson, formerly The Falcon and now a Captain America in his own right] know about this?

*Steve: Yes, I thought I should share it with him too.

*John: That makes sense.

Scene 21

*Steve: I feel sick looking at that drawing now, but I kept it as a reminder of how hatred can twist somebody. See, that’s why I’m always warning others to be on guard against hatred! I’ve seen what it can do!

Scene 22

*Steve: Othering people only makes you cruel! If you let yourself think, “Those people are nothing but monsters!” you become a monster hurting innocent people as well as yourself!

*John: (quoting a public service announcement) Hate hurts you.

*Steve: Mmm-hmm! It’ll eat you alive, eat everything you are, if you let it, and you’ll hurt so many others as it does! It’s like a cancer that infects everyone around you.

Scene 23

*John: (solemnly) I remember one time, when I was just a kid and Mikey [Michael Walker, John’s beloved older brother who died in the Vietnam War] was on leave, I…made a comment I shouldn’t have.

Scene 24

*John: Mikey reamed me out, saying I shouldn’t say things like that no matter how upset I was. 

*Steve: He was a good man.

*John: The best! He and Ma & Pa…they tried to steer me right.

Scene 25

*John: I did some things as Super-Patriot that I’m not proud of, but I’m glad there were some things I never said or did.

*Steve: That’s good!

Scene 26

*John: You said you kept that as a reminder of how hatred can warp a person.

*Steve: Yes.

*John: Do you really need a reminder?

Scene 27

*John: It sounds like you learned your lesson a long time ago, and you’ve been teaching it ever since then.

*Steve: I get what you’re saying, but…I just can’t throw it out or destroy it. Something stops me every time I try. I don’t…

Scene 28

*(Steve stops to think)

Scene 29

*Steve: You think you could stay a little longer?

*John: (joking, but reassuring) Hey, beats hanging around the office, right?

*Steve: Thanks.

Scene 30

*Steve: I’m going to call Sam and Bucky if they’re available. I want all your thoughts on what to do about this.

*John: I’ll call Lemar too. [Lemar Hoskins alias Battlestar, John’s friend and former sidekick]

*Steve: Good thinking!

Scene 31

*(Weeks later, Steve Rogers is visiting a museum)

Scene 32

*(He stops at a specific exhibit piece showing two drawings from “an anonymous U.S. soldier who served during World War II”.)

Scene 33

*(A sign explains that this anonymous soldier made the drawing with offensive caricatures during the War, but went on to regret it and later made the other drawing, which portrayed the same figures as human beings with dignity)

Scene 34

*(The sign notes that the soldier changed instead of letting hate consume him, so other people can change as well.)

Scene 35

*(Steve feels a mixture of shame that he was able to make the first drawing and relief that he was able to make the second)

*Steve: (thinking) My hatred is immortalized here, but so is my choice to cast it aside and work to be something better.

Scene 36

*(He walks away hopefully)

This fan-fiction involves characters from Marvel Comics.  I noticed that most of my stories were emotional rather than action-packed, so this is my attempt at writing an action scene.

Scene 1

*(At Avengers headquarters, Captain America Sam Wilson and Hawkeye Clint Barton are being visited by Captain America Steve Rogers and Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes.  Things are casual and they’re chatting & joking around like friends or family.)

Scene 2

*(Suddenly, however, there’s a trouble alert.)

Scene 3

*Cap-Sam: (checking alert) Someone’s in trouble…and they’re about to be on our front lawn!

Scene 4

*(Cap-Sam, Cap-Steve, and Bucky go out to investigate while Hawkeye monitors the situation from inside)

Scene 5

*(The visitor is revealed to be U.S.Agent John Walker alias Jack Daniels, who lands his skycycle…)

Scene 6

*(…and dismounts.  He seems unwell, like his system is strained, and he’s clutching the arm his shield is on.)

*Cap-Steve: U.S.Agent!  Are you okay?

*Agent: N-No…

Scene 7

*Hawkeye: (chilling as he recalls Avengers: Disassembled and speaking over communicator) I’ve got a bad feeling about this…

Scene 8

*Agent: Hawkeye’s right!

*Hawkeye: (concerned) Frick, now I know things have gone south!

Scene 9

*Agent: (struggles to hold himself back) They took control of me…sent me to be their dang super-solider!

*Cap-Steve: Who?!

*Agent: You have to stop me!

Scene 10

*Agent: No matter what…you have to stop me!

*(Cap-Steve is silent as he absorbs Agent’s full meaning.)

Scene 11

*Cap-Steve: (raising shield) Don’t worry, we’ll stop you!

Scene 12

*Cap-Steve: Then after we’ve stopped you, you can tell us who did this! (Letting Agent know they can stop him without killing him)

*Agent: …

Scene 13

*Agent: (lowering his head and smiling in relief despite himself) Thank you!

Scene 14

*(The two shield-slinging super-soldiers look stern & take stances…)

Scene 15

*(…and then charge into battle.)

Scene 16

*(Cap-Sam takes to the air to gain an advantage and wait for the right opportunity while Bucky stands by.)

Scene 17

*(Hawkeye grabs some more trick arrows from his stash as well as some heavy-duty shackles.)

Scene 18

*(Cap-Steve and Agent brawl with a mixture of strength, skill, confidence, and caution that makes it seem effortless.  Agent has the power and fighting instinct, but Cap-Steve has the skill and tactical ability.  They’re each aware of how capable the other is.)

Scene 19

*Cap-Steve: (thinking) Walker…I don’t take anything for granted!  I know what a dangerous fighter you are!

Scene 20

*Agent: (thinking) Rogers…you’re a masterful fighter to stand up to me the way you do!  I was wrong to ever think you were some washed-up old man!

Scene 21

*(Hawkeye rushes outside and joins Bucky.)

Scene 22

*(He draws his bow to fire a knock-gas arrow, but is interrupted before he can fire.)

*Agent: That’s not gonna work!

*Hawkeye: ?!

Scene 23

*Agent: I have augmented lung capacity, remember!?  If I were in control enough to breathe in that stuff willingly, or if you were able to catch me off guard, it might work, but not like this!  Even if C.A. got the chance to mask up, I’d hold my breath long enough to rip his mask off, make him inhale the sleeping gas, and make him pass out before masking up myself, so that’s out!

Scene 24

*Agent: If he passes out, our fight is over!

*Cap-Steve: …

Scene 25

*(Cap-Steve and Cap-Sam, having the same idea, look at each other.)

Scene 26

*(They smile and nod.)

Scene 27

*(The others notice)

*Bucky: (thinking) I think I get it!

*Hawkeye: (thinking) They’ve figured out something!

*Agent: (thinking) Well, let’s see what you’ve got!

Scene 28

*Cap-Steve: (reaching for buckle of utility belt) I can guarantee you won’t be ripping off any of my gear…

*Agent: ?!?

Scene 29

*Cap-Steve: (smirking as he removes utility belt and tosses it aside) …because I won’t be using any!

*Agent: (smirking as well as he thinks) He’s trying to appeal to my ego to get me to toss aside my own gear!

Scene 30

*Agent: (removes utility belt and tosses it aside as well) Well, it’s working! (out loud) If you don’t need your equipment, then neither do I!

Scene 31

*(They prepare to fight again, their faces reflecting in each other’s shields)

Scene 32

*(As the two resume fighting, Bucky looks back toward Hawkeye and reaches behind himself.)

*Bucky: Hand me those shackles!

*Hawkeye: Hmm?  Sure!

Scene 33

*(Bucky takes the shackles, but loops the chain over his fingers and keeps his hand behind his back.)

Scene 34

*(He makes four gestures as best as he can.  The first is holding up the index, middle, and ring fingers while touching the thumb and pinkie finger together.  The second is similar to a fist, but the fingers are bent instead of completely curled and the thumb is held upright at the side.  The third has the pinkie finger upright while the thumb is curled over the other bent curled fingers.  Finally the fourth resembles a fist, but the fingers are bent instead of completely curled and the thumb is between the index and middle fingers.)

Scene 35

*(While Bucky’s hand is at a 90-degree angle, Hawkeye is still able to recognize the gestures as American Sign Language)

*Hawkeye: (thinking) “W-A-I-T”!  Got it!

Scene 36

*Hawkeye: (subtly letting Bucky know he understands) This is a hard situation, yeah!

*Bucky: Yeah!

Scene 37

*(As Cap-Steve and Agent are fighting intensely, they flashback to fighting before.)

Scene 38

*(They remember fighting as Captain America and Super-Patriot,…)

Scene 39

*(…then as The Captain and Captain America,…)

Scene 40

*(…then as Captain America and U.S.Agent during the second U.S.Agent series before realizing they’re on the same side and teaming up,…)

Scene 41

*(…and then finally during Devil’s Reign when Captain America tried to help U.S.Agent break free from The Kingpin’s Purple Man-powered mind control.)

Scene 42

*Cap-Steve: (thinking) John…you’re remembering too, aren’t you?  We’ve come so far, going from bitter rivals to allies!

Scene 43

*Cap-Steve: (thinking) Now the others and I are going to do what it takes to stop you and bring you back!

Scene 44

*Agent: (thinking) Steve…you know it’s all coming back to me!  It might not seem it, but everything is starting to affect me…the real me that’s trying to get out from this dang mind control!

Scene 45

*Agent: (thinking) I thank G-d it was the four of you here to stop me, even that a-hole archer!

Scene 46

*(Speaking of the a-hole archer, Bucky signals Hawkeye.  He makes a gesture that resembles a fist, but with the bent fingers resting on the bent thumb.)

Hawkeye: (thinking) “E!”

Scene 47

*Hawkeye: (understanding and drawing a couple arrows from quiver) (thinking) Time for the explosive arrows!

Scene 48

*(He fires the explosive arrows at the two fighters.)

Scene 49

*(The arrows explode upon hitting the ground, knocking the combatants off balance and almost causing them to fall.)

Scene 50

*(Agent manages to throw his shield toward Hawkeye.)

Scene 51

*(Bucky is able to intercept it, though the force knocks him back several feet and causes damage to his bionic arm.)

Scene 52

*Bucky: (dryly) There’s, like, a thirty percent chance that him throwing that at you was not for tactical reasons.

*Hawkeye: Tell me something I don’t know!

Scene 53

*Hawkeye: (pointing at U.S.Agent’s shield and calling to the star-spangled fighters) Hey, did one of you two want this?!

*Agent: We can’t hear you, mofo! 

*Hawkeye: (thinking) Good!

*Agent: Next time say something before your dang exploding arrows wreck our hearing!

Scene 54

*(Agent is at a disadvantage without his shield, but he manages to hold his own.)

Scene 55

*(Eventually Bucky tosses his shield back at him…)

Scene 56

*(…but he’s able to catch it and return it to his arm.)

Scene 57

*(He uses it to counter Cap-Steve.)

*Agent: (to Bucky) You didn’t think it would be that easy, did you?!

Scene 58

*Agent: (realizing) (thinking) He…He wouldn’t expect it to be that easy!

Scene 59

*(While trying to fend off Cap-Steve’s blows, he examines his shield…)

Scene 60

*(…and sees that Bucky had taken the knock-out gas capsule from one of Hawkeye’s arrows and attached it underneath the shield with a timer set to detonate it.)

Scene 61

*Bucky: Well, there aren’t any flies on that guy! [“There are no flies on me,” is an old expression saying someone is sharp or alert.]

Scene 62

*(Agent holds his breath, and as the gas capsule detonates, he forcefully strikes the shield down on a certain part of Cap-Steve’s torso.  This forces Cap-Steve’s diaphragm to expand, forcing him to inhale and thus breathe in the cloud of sleeping gas.)

Scene 63

*(Cap-Steve coughs as the gas fills his lungs, but he gathers himself enough to strike a pressure point on the wrist of Agent’s non-shield wielding hand, filling it with pain and paralyzing it.  He then grabs Agent’s wrist as if trying to prevent his escape.)

Scene 64

*(As the gas clears, Agent’s body shakes uncontrollably from a flood of different emotions, and he doesn’t know whether he feels like laughing or crying.)

Scene 65

*(Before he can do anything, however, he feels pain in his wrist followed by a lifting sensation.)

Scene 66

*(Cap-Sam, wearing an oxygen mask, has grabbed Cap-Steve’s wrist and is flying up with him.  Since Cap-Steve is holding onto Agent’s wrist, Agent is now flying upward as well.)

Scene 67

*Agent: (thinking) So that’s it!  Their plan was to distract me, then fly up with me so high I pass out from lack of oxygen!

Scene 68

*Agent: (thinking as he raises shield to strike Cap-Sam) Unfortunately, it might not work!

Scene 69

*(Before he can attack, however, he feels more pain in his wrist followed by a slipping sensation.)

Scene 70

*(He looks to see Cap-Steve’s body becoming limp and his head nodding with eyes closed.  He’s passing out from the gas…)

Scene 71

*(…which means that he can no longer maintain his hold on Agent’s wrist.)

Scene 72

*(Agent’s wrist slips free from his grip, causing him to start plummeting down to the ground.  He looks shocked at first…)

Scene 73

*(…but then looks relieved and even amused.)

*Agent: (thinking) “If he passes out, our fight is over!”  Heh!

Scene 74

*(He positions his shield to help cushion his fall…)

Scene 75

*(…and then hits the ground with great force.)

Scene 76

*(Cap-Sam, holding Steve securely, observes.)

Scene 77

*(After a pause, Agent groans…)

Scene 78

*(…and manages to sit up.)

Scene 79

*(He tries to stand…)

Scene 80

*(…but is hit with a knock-out gas arrow fired by Hawkeye.)

Scene 81

*(As Agent coughs, two more sleeping gas arrows hit him.)

Scene 82

*(By the time the clouds clear, Agent is lying motionlessly.)

Scene 83

*(Bucky, holding another gas arrow, approaches cautiously.)

Scene 84

*(Cap-Sam lands, sets down Cap-Steve carefully, and observes.)

Scene 85

*(Bucky carefully reaches for Agent’s neck)

Scene 86

*(With no response, he feels Agent’s neck pulse.)

Scene 87

*(He then pries open Agent’s eyes.  The patriot is alive, but completely unconscious.)

Scene 88

*(Bucky shackles Agent’s wrists and ankles)

Scene 89

*Bucky: (relieved) He’s knocked out!

Scene 90

*Cap-Sam: Good!

Scene 91

*Cap-Sam: (taking out communicator) Stark should have a way of freeing him!  I’ll call him and tell him to be ready with some gallons of sedative and all that good stuff!

Scene 92

*Hawkeye: (making joking observation) Out of context, saying you’ll ask Stark to have gallons of stuff for you sounds terrible.

*Bucky: It really does!

*Cap-Sam: I knew as soon as I said it!

Scene 93

*(After a couple days of deprogramming and recovery, Agent receives some visitors in the Avengers clinic/sick bay.)

*Cap-Sam: How are you feeling?

*Agent: Great!  I’m in control again, and I’ve recovered enough I should be discharged soon!

Scene 94

*Cap-Sam: Great!

*Agent: I…I’m thankful for what you all did!  I owe all of you one!

Scene 95

*Agent: (jokingly) Um…Hawkeye doesn’t have to know I appreciate him too, right?

*Cap-Steve: (jokingly) Nope!

*Agent: Okay, good!

Scene 96

*Cap-Steve: During your deprogramming, you revealed that it was Hydra that had taken control of you.

*Agent: Mmm-hmm!

*Cap-Steve: No wonder you wanted us to stop you no matter what!

Scene 97

*Cap-Sam: We know you’d rather die than be involved with Nazis of any kind!

*Agent: Darn straight!

Scene 98

*Agent: They took control of me and ordered me to go out and cause destruction!

Scene 99

*Agent: (smirks) They didn’t say where to go, though, so I made a beeline to Avengers headquarters since I figured somebody there could stop me!

*Cap-Steve: We’re glad you did!

Scene 100

*(The heroes put their hands together.)

*Cap-Sam: We’ll stop those mofos together!

*Agent: Yeah!  They’ll be sorry they ever started!

*Cap-Steve: Let’s do this!

Thus begins an epic tale.  Will I ever write that epic tale?  Probably not, but at least I made something resembling an action scene!

Panel one

*(A wounded soldier is recuperating in a military hospital)

Panel two

*(A military liaison enters)

*Liaison- Lieutenant Green, you have a special visitor today!

Panel three

*(Standing with the liaison is Captain America alias Steve Rogers)

Panel four

*Green- (quiet yet deflated) Oh…

Panel five

*Liaison- “Oh”?! This is a living legend coming to visit you! You should-

Panel six

*(Captain America holds up his hand for silence, immediately stifling him)

Panel seven

*Captain America- I’m sure he has his reasons. For one thing, he was probably hoping it was family or friends visiting.

Panel eight

*Cap- Getting a visit from loved ones is better than getting a visit from anyone else. It’s refreshing to see a familiar face.

Panel nine        

*Cap- Personally I’d prefer a visit from the Captain America who was formerly my sidekick, The Falcon.

*Green- Yeah.

Panel ten

*Cap- (lightheartedly) It could be that he [referring to Green again] was hoping for a visit from Captain Marvel or Spectrum or Rogue.

*Green- (gives amused snort)

Panel eleven

*Green- I…please don’t think I have anything against you. I know it’s a huge honor for a living legend like you to visit someone like me.

*Cap- Don’t worry about it, son. Don’t think anything of it.

Panel twelve

*Cap- If you’d prefer I’d leave…

*Green- No! Stay here a while.

*Cap- Okay.

Panel thirteen

*(The liaison steps out and Cap takes a seat)

*Green- I’m sorry.

*Cap- Son, you haven’t done anything wrong. Like I said, don’t worry about it.

*Green- Thanks.

Panel fourteen

*Cap- I hear this isn’t your first rodeo.

*Green- Mmm-hmm.

Panel fifteen

*Green- Thankfully I’m not as badly injured as I was the first time, but…it all adds up. I have some decisions I’ll have to make.

*Cap- Well, as long as your decisions are yours.

Panel sixteen

*Cap- Whether you’re in the military or not, you can still do great things.

*Green- Yeah.

*Cap- It’s a big decision, but you shouldn’t be judged for whatever you decide.

Panel seventeen

*Green- (jokingly) What if I decide to join Hydra?

*Cap- That you should be judged for!

Panel eighteen

*Cap- You know what I meant. Just don’t rush into anything.

*Green- Yeah. Thanks.

Panel nineteen

*Green- It’s nice of you to come check on us. I mean…

Panel twenty

*Green- …you don’t have reason to come to places like this otherwise, unless it’s for a check-up, or part of a cover story.

*Cap- (thinking) Is that why he was disappointed? He didn’t think I could sympathize with him?

Panel twenty-one

*Cap- (out loud) You’re right about cover stories. Almost no one in my squadron knew I was Captain America, so there were times I had to play hurt to protect my identity. I-

Panel twenty-two

*Green- Why have a double identity? Why not just be Captain America all the time?

*Cap- Part of it was my mental and physical health, but there were other reasons too.

Panel twenty-three

*Cap narration- If it were known which specific regiment Captain America was in, we would have had an even bigger target on our backs.

*(Show a scenario in which Cap and the others are ambushed, mown down, and bombed by superior forces)

Panel twenty-four

*Cap narration- It might have made the other troops reckless, either out of overconfidence, thinking, “I can just charge right in because Captain America will save me!” or jealousy, thinking, “I’ll prove Captain America isn’t so special!” Other units might have felt the same pressure and become reckless as well.

*(Show a scenario in which troops have been maimed or killed due to recklessness)

Panel twenty-five

*Cap narration- Speaking of other divisions, if it were known which unit Captain America was in, they might have gotten short-changed. My squadron might have gotten extra supplies while they went without.

*(Show a scenario in which Cap’s battalion has a glut of supplies while others have scraps and are neglected)

Panel twenty-six

*Green- (thinking) He feels the weight! I can tell. (Out loud) I see. A large part of it was protecting others.

*Cap- Mmm-hmm!

*Green- That makes sense.

Panel twenty-seven

*Cap- I think about my former squad mates a lot, like my friend, Clarence “Biz” Duckett, who passed several years back. He was a great man. You should look him up. [He appeared in a backup story in Captain America Annual Vol. I number 13. He learned Cap’s secret identity, but refused to divulge it to the enemy]

*Green- I will. I’m sorry for your loss.

*Cap- Thank you.

Panel twenty-eight

*Cap- I’ve lost a lot of people over the years, but I’ve found a lot too.

*Green- That’s good!

Panel twenty-nine

*Cap- May I share something?

*Green- (surprised) Hmph?! Frick, if Captain America can’t say something, who can?

*Cap- Thank you.

Panel thirty

*Cap- For years I had anxiousness whenever I visited a veterans hospital. I used to think, “What if I visit one and there’s Bucky, alive but injured?” It was always this strange mixture of hope and anxiety. [This is a reference to a rejected plot from the 1970s. Someone thought of a story in which Cap visited a veterans hospital and a quadriplegic soldier came out of a coma, revealing himself to be a severely injured Bucky. The writer rejected it because he realized someone else would undo it. It wasn’t until the 2000s that Bucky returned as The Winter Soldier]

Panel thirty-one

*Green- You kept visiting despite being disappointed each time.

*Cap- I wouldn’t put it that way. There were bad visits, but good ones too.

Panel thirty-two

*Cap- Visiting is just part of my service. It’s an honor to do it.

*Green- (thinking) That’s the same thing he said!

Part thirty-three

*Cap- As you know, I eventually found Bucky. I know I’m blessed. I wish everyone would have that same blessing.

*Green- Me too.

Panel thirty-four

*Cap- I’ve been talking your ear off. Is there anything you’d like to talk about?

*Green- (thinking)

Panel thirty-five

*Green- Do you want to know why I was disappointed it was you?

*Cap- Only if you’re willing to tell me.

*Green- I was hoping it would be the superhero who helped me before.

Panel thirty-six

*Cap- The superhero who helped you before?

*Green- Mmm-hmm! It was in the battle where I got injured before.

Panel thirty-seven

*Green- When I was injured, he risked his life to protect me from getting hurt worse or killed, and then he made sure I got to safety. When I awoke from surgery, he was in my hospital room, talking to a nurse.

Panel thirty-eight

*Green- He claimed he had just popped in, but I learned later he had been repeatedly checking on me and my less injured buddies before getting some sleep and starting again.

Panel thirty-nine

*Green- He paid me a lot of visits during my recovery. He joked with me and helped prevent me from pushing myself too hard.

Panel forty

*Green narration- One day, early on, I got frustrated. He was trying to convince me to settle down when I saw him wince.

*Green in flashback- I saw you wince! You’re hurt too!

Panel forty-one

*Green in flashback- (He covers his face as tears of sheer frustration start to stream down it) Why it is okay for you to do whatever you want and not me!? Because you’re some big, tough hero!? You’re not better than me!

Panel forty-two

*Green- He could have reprimanded me and gotten me in trouble, but instead he told me, “You’re right.” He called the nurse and told her he needed her to check him out.

Panel forty-three

*Green- He had the nurse tend to him in front of me to show it was okay. I settled down and let her help me too. Afterward I apologized, and just like you, he shrugged it off.

Panel forty-four

*Green- Before he left, he threatened to mess with anyone who mistreated me. He…He did so much for me.

*Cap- It’s no wonder you would have preferred him over me!

Panel forty-five

*Cap- While we don’t do things for praise, I’m sure he’d appreciate hearing all this.

*Green- Yeah.

Panel forty-six

*Green- Could…Could you do me a favor?

*Cap- Hmm?

*Green- I know you have your rounds to make here.

Panel forty-seven

*Green- If I’m done writing a letter when you’re done, could you please deliver it?

*Cap- I’ll sure try!

*Green- Thank you!

Panel forty-eight

*Narration- After Captain America is done visiting the other troops…

*(Show Cap tired, but satisfied)

*Liaison- Thank you, Captain! It’s time for a break.

*Cap- Just one more thing, sir.

Panel forty-nine

*(He returns to Green’s room to pick up the letter. He sees him still writing, so he waits until he’s finished before entering)

*Green- Right on time! Give him this half a candy bar too if you can. It should remind him of when we’d split these.

*Cap- Got it!

*Green- Take these candy bars for yourself, Captain America [Sam Wilson], and Bucky, and tell them I said hello!

*Cap- Thank you!

Panel fifty

*(They shake hands)

*Green- I sure appreciate this!

*Cap- Happy to help!

Panel fifty-one

*Cap- (tucks away candy bars and looks at envelope as he leaves) (thinking) Let’s see who-

Panel fifty-two

*Cap- (smiling as he thinks) Heh! Why am I not surprised?

Panel fifty-three

*(A couple days later, Steve is drawing in a park)

Panel fifty-four

*(He smiles and stops as he hears a voice behind him)

*Voice- Here I am, old timer.

Panel fifty-five

*(It’s John Walker alias Jack Daniels, the U.S.Agent, playfully smirking)

*John- You’re lucky I was able to fit you in my busy schedule.

*Steve- I appreciate it!

*John- So, what’s this about?

Panel fifty-six

*Steve- First, here’s this ticket for you. [I imagine the Avengers get frequent flier miles and other perks they can cash in]

*John- Hmm?

Panel fifty-seven

*John- (jokingly) Ah, so you heard Dancing with the Stars is casting, and you’re trying to get me out of the way because you know they’d prefer a muscular firecracker like me over you!

*Steve- (playing along) Aw, darn, you’re onto me!

Panel fifty-eight

*Steve- (presents letter with half a candy bar) Then there are these.

*John- (surprised) What?

Panel fifty-nine

*John- (recognizes candy bar) From Lieutenant Green!

*Steve- He figured you’d remember!

Panel sixty

*(John steps aside and eats the candy bar while reading the letter. He chuckles a couple times due to jokes Green made, and at one point he appears to be brushing his eyes)

Panel sixty-one

*(As he turns back to Steve, he smiles and puts away the letter & now-empty wrapper for safekeeping)

*John- Thank you.

*Steve- I know you have a busy schedule, but if you’d like to visit him…

Panel sixty-two

*John- (smirks as he takes ticket) Who says my schedule’s busy?

*Steve- Hmph! (Thinking) Same old John!

Panel sixty-three

*(They shake hands)

*John- I’ll tell Green you said hey!

*Steve- Thanks for being there!

*John- You too!