Retro Comic Read Through: Team America #11

Team America #11
Cover date April 1983

It's taken them eleven issues and many misfires, but they've finally done it. With issue #11 we're finally given a Team America comic that looks both nifty and is fun to read. Unlike previous issues, especially that last one, this story couldn't be told with any other characters. It's a genuine Team America story. And it's pretty good! Shame it's only got one more issue before cancellation.

The cover shows us they've gone the guest star approach again. Which is a bit of a groan. However this time it's Ghost Rider, so at least they're keeping on theme. The blurb claims, 'At last! The most requested cycle battle of all!' Which seems to gloss over that this is also the very first cycle battle of the series. I don't think Cowboy's run around with some silly looking remote controlled faux Roman chariots really count. It might have been more honest if they had said, 'At last! A cycle battle!'

What's even more impressive is Marauder's motorbike on the cover actually looks like a motorbike. I know that shouldn't be note worthy when discussing a series about motorcyclists but sadly it's never seemed to be an editorial edict of this book that the bikes should ever be rendered either attractively or well. It's a good cover, that lets you know this is going to be an action issue.

The first page is of Wolf, tearing across the finish during an Unlimited Class Racing time trial in Oklahoma. What's nice about this is the artist has done away with the stretched out ribbon across the finish line and instead given us a fellow with a checkered flag. Though maybe the bloke really shouldn't be standing in the middle of the track.

The bike looks damn fine and quite sexy here, in fact all the bikes are rendered in a really sexy manner throughout this book. And that's because the artist inside is the same as the cover artist, Dave Simons (he who did those nice bikes back in a previous issue's Honcho's Riding Tips page). Simons art is a little rough in the line and lumpy in the composition in places, but it's filled with energy and life. He seems to be the first artist on this book to realise that if one of the only unique elements to Team America is it's motorbike racing, then you've simply got to make that look and feel as important as anyone of the main characters. He succeeds.

What's even more remarkable, is this issue is absent the inking efforts of Vince Colletta. And I don't believe it's mere coincidence that this is the first issue the book visually shines. Shooter is plotting again, with DeFalco on scripts. Shooter re-treads many elements from the first issue story, even the sillier ones. But this time he seems to get them right.

The story kicks off with a bit of dissent in the ranks (again). Wolf bragging about himself. Reddy being jealous. Honcho just getting upset that everyone just can't get along. And Wrench fuming that his girlfriend keeps finding reasons to rub herself on Cowboy.

Wolf heads off into town to celebrate his top pole position in the next day's race by himself. Y'know because Wolf is a loner. And because he's such a tough loner he decides to go to the circus, (where Ghost Rider's alter ego Johnny Blaze is performing). But first, because he's a loner, he decides he needs some company. So pulling up on his bike next to a car containing an aged couple and what looks, by the art, to be their much younger than nineteen year old daughter, he revs his engine and leers suggestively at the young girl. As the traffic lights go green, Wolf guns away with the young girl, Mary-Michelle, on the seat behind him. She's thinking, “I've never done anything remotely like this before! I don't know how I'll ever be able to face my parents again!” Asking Wolf where he's taking her, Mary-Michelle gets the reply, “To the carnival... after a while!”

When next we seem them a caption tells us it's been several hours. They're at the carnival watching Blaze's motorcycle stunt show and Mary-Michelle is dishevelled. Clothes askew, hair a mess and hanging off Wolf's arm adoringly. To all of that I can only say, oh my god! This is a Team America book? Where was this kind of strong characterising and sense of humour in the previous ten issues? If Shooter hadn't waited till this series was about to be cancelled and nobody was watching, before being adventurous with the stories, and using strong art, they might have had a hit on their hands. What a waste of a great comic book concept.

At the circus the rest of the team show up. Honcho gets immediately angry with Wolf that he has a slutty girl with him. “We're only guests in this town, Wolf! It isn't wise to get involved with the local chippies!” Wolf, wisely tells Honcho to take his disapproval (and dislike of women) and cram it.

However, maybe Honcho's warnings should have been heeded, as Mary-Michelle's parents turn out to be part-time Hydra agents. And they're spying on the team right there and then, and the father's not happy. Well would you be? It's Wolf after all! In the first of a few funny little insights, we learn what being a part-time Hydra agent entails. Mostly just monitoring government transmissions and smuggling the occasional bit of weaponary. But it earns some spending cash and you get good medical insurance benefits!

The upset Hydra parents pass along their info to the main base. Where we meet Madame Regional Director Elsie, and underling Hydra Agent Halston. Director Elsie is bringing Agent Halston up to speed on Team America, using a handy wall sized data bank she keeps hidden behind a sliding panel. On the screen is the entire team, including Georgianna for the first time. So we discover her full name, Georgianna Sue Castleberry. Which is interesting, as I wouldn't have believed they could top anything stupider than 'Georgianna'. Wolf's real name is still unknown. Which makes me think that Hydra hasn't thought to investigate just what name he's getting his prize money cheques made out to. More importantly, Director Elsie informs us that she's pretty sure she knows who Marauder really is. Which suggests she read the Team America letters pages when they were still being published.

In a continuation of the getting to know the softer, warmer side of Hydra, we discover that Director Elsie doesn't believe working for Hydra is any worse than working for an oil company. She makes $250,000 a year and supports her partially disabled hubby and two kids in comfort. You really begin to start liking this hard working Hydra lady, when the bald Supreme Hydra Commander appears on screen and says, “We have already wasted enough man-power and time on Team America! See that they are eliminated visibly and spectacularly! Hail Hydra!” Which might be a direct quote from Marvel's accountants when they saw the sales figures for this book. Though they probably left of the 'Hail Hydra!' bit... probably. So Director Elsie decides to get rid of Team America, “In my own fashion!” So you just know it's going to be extra Hydra-evil.

Back at the circus, the team meet up with Johnny Blaze and his off-sider Red. Who come to the conclusion that Team America are punks and creeps who are too full of themselves. Which they are! But admitting it within their own comic actually makes them more interesting characters. Once again, it's a shame they waited so long to bring the interesting ideas to the table. Honcho hits on Blaze and asks him to a party the next night, and Blaze feels the Ghost Rider demon within himself joining in the hating of Team America.

As the team heads off, Wolf tells the dishevelled Mary-Michelle to go away. Her reply is, “I know I'll never see you again Wolf... but that really doesn't matter! You've already opened my eyes (her eyes??) so much in such a short time! I'll do whatever you think is best!” Wolf's only response to this young girl finding the beauty of her inner-slut, is to grunt and walk away. This issue has Shooter seemingly going out of his way to make sure you can't like any of these characters. It's a strong choice to make and it works. It breaks them out of their vanilla wrappers and gives them a different dimension that at least entertains.

We then segue to late evening. It's dark around the motel Team America is lodging in, and Marauder is sneaking through the night (sorry, I mean 'stalks the night!') towards the team's campervan. He then opens a secret compartment in the van and pulls out his super black racing bike. Which really is a bit of a 'what the hell?' moment. I mean it's a campervan for god's sakes! Does anyone, would anyone, believe it possible to hide an entire motorcycle inside the same campervan as six other people were sleeping and living in? Nobody ever said, “Hey what's this giant motorcycle sized lump in the wall that's taking up a third of the available space back here?” This has to go down with the other great Marvel superhero conceits, such as Iron Man being able to fold his armour into a slim-line attaché case, and Captain America being able to hide his shield by strapping it to his back and wearing a sports coat over it.

Anyway, ignoring where Marauder was hiding his bike, he rides it out of town and into the desert. Where he's confronted by Ghost Rider, the demon biker with a flaming skull for a head. Before they can fight, however, Johnny Blaze reasserts his control and transforms back from being Ghost Rider. Telling Marauder to run away while he's able. Which he does.

Not a very spectacular meeting. Much like the Iron Man appearance. Luckily there's a bigger confrontation than this coming up in the last few pages. Which leaves me wondering why they chose to burn three pages on this non-event. Surely those pages could have been put to better use?

All of which gets us to the day of the big race. In this leg of Unlimited Class Racing we learn the outline for this race is a hundred laps in which the vehicles aren't restricted in engine size, power or levels in technology. Which would make for a wildly uneven field, a winner that was obvious from mechanical specs alone and probably a very dull race to watch. But let's be excited by it anyway. The comic characters are. Including Johnny Blaze who has come along to watch.

And wouldn't you know it, on lap ninety-six, the Ghost Rider bursts forth from Johnny and hits the track. Blowing up competitors bikes while screaming for the Marauder. Who finally makes an appearance. And while Team America continues to race, the Marauder and Ghost Rider battle it out. Finally ramming their bikes together at 350 miles per hour. Causing an explosion big enough to send a fireball shooting up into the sky.

During the confusion Team America wins the race. Woo! That's two Unlimited Class Races out of five they've won. Which was pretty much Penelope Pittstop's track average on Wacky Races, if I recall (though she didn't need a demonic biker blowing-up the competition to help get the win). With all the excitement on the track, the hundreds of Hydra agents secreted into the crowd wearing their green and yellow trimmed uniforms, burst forth with a rousing chant of “Hail Hydra”, “Death to Team America” and “Destroy the enemies of Hydra!”, which, if I'm not mistaken, is just about everybody.

Also in the crowd is Mary-Michelle's parents. They've been calling in air strikes. Mother wants to leave, but dad has other ideas and pulls a sawn-off shotgun out of his jacket and goes looking for Wolf. Which seems a little unnecessary, as the next page shows us the Hydra-evil attack taking place. And like the same plot from the first issue, it's way over the top. Along with the hundred soldiers on the ground is twenty jet-pack clad troopers, two helicopter gun ships, three aircraft fighters and three giant tanks. Sadly though, no blimps in sight. Which makes this attack still very Hydra-evil, but with no blimps isn't really Hydra-evil enough for my tastes.

Two pages follow showing the carnage on the ground as Team America fight off Hydra agents and Ghost Rider and Marauder continue exchanging blows (apparently they survived the big explosion). Shotgun wielding dad draws a bead on Wolf's back, but just as he pulls the trigger Marauder knocks him down. Allowing Ghost Rider to wallop him into unconsciousness. Seeing that Marauder only dropped his guard to save another pisses ol' Ghost Rider off no end. Who then expends his frustrations on the remaining Hydra forces. Pushing them into a full retreat.

Hydra Regional Director Elsie sees all this on her television and knows that she'll have to pay the price of death for failing to be a successful amoral, murderess Hydra agent. In a quiet panel she calls her family with a resigned look upon her face to tell them she'll never be coming home again. They do a good job of conveying the resolute misery of this little scene, and manage to elicit some sympathy for villainous Elsie.

Back at the track, things have settled down and the entire Team America confronts the prone Marauder. Who, in silhouette, unmasks himself to cries of “No! It can't be you! Not you!” However we're going going to have to wait till next issue to find out what they've seen.

The next issue blurb promises, not only the secret origin of the Marauder but the end of Team America as well! And after this very good issue I actually find myself looking forward to the final issue with regret. If they maintain the inspiration and creativity of this issue onto the next, it's going to be a sad farewell. Oh, who am I kidding? Of course they're not going to be able to do two good issues in a row. This story was a fluke. It'll be back to crap next issue and good riddance to them!

YEAH... HEY-!