Sympathy for Sidewinder

[mrosa]

1994. Written by Mark Gruenwald; art by Phil Gosier.

One of my favorite ideas from Mark Gruenwald's Captain America run involves the Serpent Society, a supervillain group organized by Sidewinder, a teleporter who brought together several snake-themed villains. Even in the 1990s, when I first read these stories, the Serpent Society seemed like an innovative take on supervillain groups since it displayed more professionalism, planning, and - dare I say it? - realism. When Bendis had The Hood organizing supervillains, this old timer raised an eyebrow at the obvious influence.

The Serpent Society gave us great characters, including Rachel Leighton AKA Diamondback, who changed from a two-bit villain to a relevant supporting character in Captain America for about a decade. It also gave us great stories, including one where Cap's old enemy, the Porcupine, tries to reform himself and helps Cap bring down the Serpent Society, only to die in battle. (Issue #315).

I witnessed the rise and fall of the Serpent Society, but I never learned what happened to Sidewinder until yesterday. In issue #424 we finally see Captain America arresting him. It's a story reminiscent of Porcupine's death, which is appropriate since Sidewinder and Cap first met on that same issue. It's amazing to think that more than 100 issues passed with the same writer at the helm.

So in issue #424 we find Sidewinder, real name Seth Voelker, reading a book to his daughter.



She's in the hospital and needs an urgent and expensive brain operation. Voelker has retired from crime, even though he's still wanted by the police. He's also short on money. Instead of using his teleporting powers, and risking his life, to steal the money, he thinks of asking Captain America to give him the money, since it's for a good cause:



Cap doesn't have any reason to think he's telling the truth since he never heard him mention a daughter before. (I think Sidewinder's family was first introduced here.) He decides to investigate and talks to Diamondback, who doesn't recall him talking about his daughter and ex-wife. While Cap continues to investigate, Diamondback goes meet Sidewinder on her own, since she feels conflicted about helping Cap arrest a man who once saved her life. She breaks into his apartment just when he's returned from stealing money from organized crime. (We learn that he first put the Serpent Society together precisely so he wouldn't have to run "stupid risks".)





Meanwhile, Cap has discovered a patient who fits the description and meets Seth's ex-wife:



Sidewinder gets in trouble and beeps Diamondback, who calls Cap. Toegether they put away a gang that Sidewinder was trying to rob. Sidewinder is ready to teleport, but Cap cuts a deal with him:





Ans so, more than a decade after Mark Gruenwald introduced Sidewinder in comics, Captain America finally arrested him, bringing a long story full circle.

And then there's this epilogue:

Comments

[laughing_tree]

That was a nice story. Like Nick Spencer said a while back, Cap's a character who lends himself best to stories where the ultimate solution turns out *not* to be violence.

[gnarll]

Is he still waiting for Hillary national health care program?

[bradygirl_12]

I have to say, the poor guy is still waiting. Maybe Obamacare would've helped him out, too late for his daughter, of course.

Disgraceful that Americans have to suffer and die because the corrupt politicians in Washington can't come up with a fair and decent national health care program. Of course. Congress gets all the health care they need and want. Whatta country!

[beyondthefringe]

There are days when I swear Gruenwald Cap was best Cap ever in terms of stalwart morality, dependability, and honor. When villains could respect and trust him because he was a man of his word, incorruptible, and willing to do the right thing.

And Gruenwald was also a master of bringing the human element to his villains, as we see here and in so many other situations.

[icon_uk]

The Seprecnt Society worked because they were people rather than just codenames. We saw these professional criminals, and in some cases killers, interacting with each other on a human level, they joked with each other, socialised with each other and though they didn't all like each other and did at times betray each other (Mostly thanks to Viper infiltrating the team with her own agents and taking over) it made them so much more interesting to read. They even predate the blue-collar-isation of the Flash's Rogues Gallery too.

[balbanes]

Reminder that the video call briefcase looked super high tech in 1994. Today, Cap would just hand Amelia an iPhone.

Man, I feel old.

[tcampbell1000]

iPad, more likely.

[sarahnewlin]

Did he eventually see her again

[lbd_nytetrayn]

They mention how Cap was able to get her care? I'm guessing a favor from Tony, but that never seemed to come up here.

[mrosa]

Cap mentions that he has friends who can do him a favor like this.

[philippos42]

Janet Van Dyne could probably raise that kind of money in a pinch.