"Mad-Flight!" (1975/12/01) from Captain America 192 (December 1975)

Reader Rating: Above average; Thunderbolts Interest: High

Summary: Captain America finds himself aboard a plane populated by Dr. Faustus and a dozen gang leaders. Faustus has a plan to use his hypnotic powers and stolen weapons to blackmail New York City, and Cap is the only one who can stop him.

Continuity: The first published appearance of Karla Sofen, here playing Dr. Faustus' dumb-blond gun moll as a smokescreen. Karla eludes capture by hiding in the aircraft’s overhead bins.

Although her mentor is behind bars, Karla still has underworld contacts through whom she learns of Lloyd Bloch, the original Moonstone. She uses her credentials to gain access to Bloch’s cell, where she uses a hypnotic gas and her own powers of persuasion to trick Bloch into surrendering the moonstone that gives him his powers. The moment that Karla clutches the stone, its power and armor are absorbed into her own body. Her powers manifest somewhat differently than Bloch’s: In addition to great strength and flight, she can phase through solid objects, and fire blasts of "coherent light." Moonstone is hired by a branch of The Corporation. Source: Flashback from "The Moonstone is a Harsh Mistress", Incredible Hulk 229 (Soften/Next).

Comments: Cap gets on a plane full of criminals by the most outrageous of coincidences. The crooks look like they stepped out of "Guys ‘n’ Dolls." Why has Faustus even bothered to bring the hoodlums onto the plane? The plot is the sheerest nonsense and Frank Robbins’ art is an acquired taste – but I guess I’ve acquired it because I love this comic! The icing on the cake is the debut of Karla, play acting as Faustus’ moll. She’s drawn nearly naked, but colored as if she were wearing a body stocking. {Sigh}

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This page was revised on December 26, 2001