Story by Danny Fingeroth and Art by Gary Hartle and Tony DeZuniga.
CBR runs an
occasional series “Foundationed Deep” which talks about connections between
characters so stuff like Bruce Wayne was the first Robin, Wolverine knew Captain
America in World War 2 and had helped Peter Parker’s parents on a mission.
This is a story
about how Dominic Fortune had met Captain America and how their lives
interacted. It’s a nice story and given
that it doesn’t have a connection to the Steele saga it appeared 3 months
before the final Web of Spiderman stories I decided to talk about it after that
two parter.
The story opens
with Captain America foiling truck hijacking and getting assistance from
Dominic Fortune. Both Cap and Old Man Dom recognise each other having met a
couple of times.
And we flashback
to the early 1930s and a gang of bullies are picking on scrawny Stevie Rogers
and Davey Fortunov rescues him. The
bullies are scared of Davey and run off.
We then jump forward
to 1940 and Stevie is watching newsreel footage of Dominic Fortune and
recognises Davey Fortunov. At the same
time Fortune is being recruited by Phillips (who I presume was played by Tommy
Lee Jones in Captain America: The First Avenger) for Project Rebirth.
As Fortune is
tested, there is a discussion about his suitability as a candidate for the
project. One thing discussed here is
the fact that he is Jewish and how that would be a big propaganda win against
Hitler, but that America might not be ready for a Jewish hero, not that anyone
was prejudiced you know. But ultimately
his moral character is lacking, he gambles and is living in sin with Sabbath
Raven, so we head to the next candidate.
Wouldn’t you
know it Stephen Rogers gets the call up. As Steve is being tested, Dom is
showing Sabbath where he was staying and wouldn’t you know it Nazi saboteurs
try to kill young Rogers and Fortune comes to the rescue. One of the soldiers commandeers Sabbath’s car
(Sabbath is depicted with red hair rather than her usual black hair).
Sabbath goes to
help Dom and after another Nazi attack Rogers goes back to help Dom and
Sabbath. The cavalry arrives and Rogers
takes the supersoldier serum and becomes Captain America.
We then see
Sabbath and Dom watching a newsreel of Captain America and recognising Steven
Rogers.
The story ends
with Fortune chasing off another gang of bullies and Captain America finding
him – the pair then catch up over a malted milk.
This is a nice
little story that adds Dominic Fortune into the history of Captain America.
(I consider
this the second story in the Secret History of Captain America Trilogy – the
other 2 being Doc Savage/The Shadow – The Case of the Shrieking Skeletons and
The Sting of the Green Hornet)
