From the first box of text on the first page, I had concerns. Stan Lee kicks things off with:

Remember Ish #60 when cap thought he was giving a physical fitness demonstration and didn’t suspect he was really fighting a bunch of assassins?

Well some guys always learn the hard way! Here he is again domonstrating his prowess to an official of state penitentiary… or, so he thinks!

Repeating themes is a common practice in comics, often without acknowledgment. But reusing the exact same trap just two stories later? And to have it pointed out to us on page one? Is this a problem, or does the self-awareness give the story a pass? That’s at least part of what we’re exploring in this review.

Originality & Continuity

This issue, like the last two, is mostly a standalone tale, as Marvel continues to find Captain America’s place in the Silver Age outside of his role on the Avengers. But as Stan points out, it’s retreading almost the same ground as Tales Of Suspense #60 —a story I didn’t rate highly in the originality department, either.

First off, falling for the same trick twice? For a guy they’re building up as a master tactician? That’s a problem. And how does Cap not notice the difference between real bullets and blanks? That feels like something he’d be attuned to.

Characters & Development

We get a decent cast of unimportant and unimpressive prisoners here, and they offer little growth for Captain America. Then there’s the real twist about how to open the door… Spoilers for the last page: all the prisoners had to say was “Captain America” in front of it to trigger it. Except… they did that back on page 5. Oops?

Story

The issues above are just a few of the cracks in the foundation of this story. I’m also left wondering:

How did Captain America even get into the prison if he wasn’t let in by a real official? Someone had to let him in, guide him to interact with the prisoners, and presumably through the same door that locks everyone else in, right? If there’s another door, shouldn’t that be the one people are using to enter and exit? The story seems built on this logistical flaw.

Same goes for the prisoners holding all the guards hostage. They have enough time to arrange Cap’s demonstration, and no one notices something’s off? C’mon…

Once these questions come to mind (and once they do, it’s hard to ignore them), the story really starts to fall apart.

That said, I did enjoy some of the dialogue from our hero, though it wasn’t enough to save the story. For example:

“Take it easy with that gun, fella! If you stole it from the weapons room it’s government property! You’re wasting the taxpayer’s bullets!

Its a great line, and there are a few of them in this issue, but I won’t point them all out.

Art

As for the art, Jack Kirby’s work isn’t lacking here. It’s got all the energy and dynamism we’ve come to expect from the King of Comics. Just check out the panels I’ve highlighted in this review!