Captain America #247
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeCaptain America #247 marks the opening chapter of the celebrated Roger Stern/John Byrne collaboration on the title — a run that fundamentally reimagined Steve Rogers as a three-dimensional civilian, not just a patriotic symbol. The issue delivers the cameo debut of Bernie Rosenthal, who would grow into Rogers's most substantial love interest of the Bronze Age, and simultaneously begins unraveling a retcon of Steve Gerber's contested origin from issue #225, replacing implanted false memories with a more coherent wartime backstory. By revealing the Baron Strucker who has plagued S.H.I.E.L.D. to be a sophisticated Machinesmith android — and planting Machinesmith himself in the shadows — the issue also seeds a three-part arc that would establish that villain as a recurring thorn in Cap's side throughout the early 1980s.
In "By the Dawn's Early Light!", Captain America digs into his past at S.H.I.E.L.D., uncovering long-buried secrets when he finds his old WWII footlocker—and his iconic triangular shield—hidden away. With Baron Strucker on the loose and a shocking twist about his identity, Cap faces a foe who's more machine than man, testing his resolve in a mission that could change everything. Written by John Byrne and Roger Stern, with art by Byrne and inks by Josef Rubinstein, the cover by Byrne and Joe Rubinstein captures the intensity of the moment.
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The plot was co-conceived by writer Roger Stern and artist John Byrne, with Stern scripting and Byrne penciling over inks by Josef Rubinstein and colors by George Roussos, under editor Jim Salicrup and editor-in-chief Jim Shooter. Stern had previously served as an editor on the Captain America title before transitioning to the writer's chair, and he and Byrne set out from issue #247 to foreground the civilian life of Steve Rogers in a way earlier creative teams had largely neglected. Their run, covering issues #247–255, was eventually collected as the 'War and Remembrance' trade paperback and has been reprinted multiple times internationally. The run came to an abrupt end — reportedly tied to a dispute between Stern and the book's editor over editorial policy, after which Byrne declined to continue without his collaborator.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First (cameo) appearance of Bernie Rosenthal (Bernadette Rosenthal), who would become Steve Rogers's primary romantic partner and eventual fiancée throughout the Bronze Age, and later a prominent Marvel attorney.
- Cameo/behind-the-scenes appearance of Machinesmith (Samuel 'Starr' Saxon), who is revealed to be the puppeteer controlling a robotic Baron Strucker — part 1 of a 3-part arc titled 'By the Dawn's Early Light!'
- The Baron Strucker who appears, escapes S.H.I.E.L.D. custody, and is defeated by Captain America is revealed to be an android, not the real Strucker; the issue explicitly invalidates much of the Captain America origin story from #225 (Steve Gerber's run).
- Written by Roger Stern (script) and John Byrne (co-plot), with pencils by John Byrne, inks by Josef Rubinstein, colors by George Roussos, and letters by Jim Novak — the first issue of the acclaimed Stern-Byrne run (issues #247–255).
- Cover dated July 1980, with an on-sale/release date of April 8, 1980; edited by Jim Salicrup with Jim Shooter as editor-in-chief.
- Cap visits S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters to investigate his true origins and recovers a WWII footlocker containing his wartime journal and his original triangular shield; the journal reveals his pre-Army memories were false, implanted to protect intelligence in the event of capture.
- A bus driver depicted in the issue is drawn to resemble Jackie Gleason's Ralph Kramden from The Honeymooners, and is given a thought balloon referencing his wife Alice — an in-joke by Byrne.
- The complete Stern-Byrne run (#247–255) has been collected repeatedly: in the 1990 'Captain America: War & Remembrance' trade paperback, a 2007 second edition, the 2011 reprint, the 2014 Captain America Epic Collection vol. 9 ('Dawn's Early Light'), and the 2016 'Marvel Universe by John Byrne Omnibus.'
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▸ Reveal full plot — may contain spoilers
Cap heads to S.H.I.E.L.D. looking for info on his true origins and all is revealed as he uncovers his old WWII footlocker which also contains his triangular shield. Baron Strucker tricks Nick Fury and escapes imprisonment but when he goes after Cap and is defeated, it is revealed that he is really a sophisticated robot.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).
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