Ultimate Comics Captain America #2

Issue Details

Synopsis

ULTIMATE CAPTAIN AMERICA PART 2 Steve Rogers dreams of a nightmare, in which he is wearing the American flag and stands among countless corpses. He is then confronted by Frank Simpson in Vietnam War-era fatigues, recalling his words he had said to Rogers: "I'll show you what America really stands for." Rogers wakes up and find himself in a infirmary with Carol Danvers. She informs him that they are in Paris and that it has been two days after the North Korean mission became a disaster; they had to scorched the entire facility and escape to avoid an international crisis. In response to Rogers' inquiry on Simpson, Danvers reveals to him about the man.  In the years since Rogers' disappearance, the U.S. government had restarted Project Rebirth and tried to recreate the Super-Soldier serum. Simpson became their successful candidate. The restarted Project Rebirth, however, didn't fully replicate the results they had seen in Rogers. Instead, Simpson was augmented with cybernetic implants and steroid supplements. The procedure was long and painful for Simpson to bear which could possibly have caused him to snap. Due to the dim highlight of the Vietnam War, Simpson was quickly deployed into the conflict and fought through the most hard fought theatres of the war for five years.   As a result of this, Simpson's mentality gradually worsened which became obvious when he had his face tattooed; his handlers carelessly didn't take any consideration of his development as they believed he could turn the tide of the war. Ultimately, Simpson simply disappeared into the jungles in 1972. Although there were rumors of his sightings thereafter that suggest he just switched sides. But, after the war ended, Simpson was never seen again until now.   Danvers further explains that the deceased super-soldier in North Korea that Simpson tried to incinerate contained a strain developed from Simpson's own blood. It is guessed that Simpson has remained under the radar for all those years trying to reverse-engineer the Super-Soldier serum and has been selling it to rival nations and enemies of America.   After hearing this, Rogers is intent on hunting down Simpson as he sees him as a traitor to their country; however, Danvers denies him of this in fear of another incident and plans to turn the matter over to Nick Fury's black ops. But Rogers then already realizes that Danvers doesn't have a clue of Simpson's whereabouts and that she is actually trying to have Rogers to go "rogue" to find Simpson. She then admits she has smuggled his costume and shield for him. Rogers then escapes the hospital after punching out Danvers to make his actions look legitimate.   A week later, Rogers is in Cambodia where Simpson was last seen. After beating several men who had been following him, Rogers interrogates one of them who directs him to Simpson's whereabouts in Saloth, a hidden village inhabited by soldiers. As Rogers journeys there, he wonders Simpson's mentality during his war as being not too different from Rogers' experience in World War II, and of what he told him of what America really stands for. Rogers shrugs off the latter statement, and has faith in his own belief that fighting for America has always been worthy.   He then arrives in the outskirts of Saloth and observes that the village consists of just women, children and the elderly, but no able-bodied men in sight; he believes that the villagers are prisoners beings use as human shields. Rogers then disrobes into his costume and bluntly marches into the village, demanding the villagers about Simpson's whereabouts by promising to free them. An elderly man speaks out to Rogers, stating to him that he and the villagers are the soldiers, and tells him that there were others like him that came to Saloth; strongly implying that they have been killed.   The old man then recounts to Rogers of his experiences in the Vietnam War and his fear of the Americans as he saw his family killed and subjected to Agent Orange. But now he confesses that he isn't afraid of America and can only pity it and Rogers. Rogers remains unfazed from hearing the man's story.   Suddenly, the man firmly grabs Rogers' arm and punches him, knocking him to the ground. Then, he is literally throttled away by an elderly woman. The villagers are revealed to be possessing Simpson's Super-Soldier serum. Rogers is mobbed and severely beaten. After the villagers are done with Rogers, Frank Simpson then finally appears before him and plans to "teach" him.