Silver Age Marvel did not do well by the MU’s women.
Someone once described DC’s love interests as Katherine Hepburn — confident, capable, often with professional jobs (lawyer, cop, reporter, business executive) — while Marvel preferred Ingrid Bergman — romantic, dewy-eyed, with little aspiration beyond landing their man (case in point). Adam Strange’s girlfriend Alanna was usually on the front lines fighting with him; warrior-goddess Sif was either a damsel in distress or Thor was telling her to stand back while he hits things.
Sharon Carter was an exception. Debuting unnamed in Tales of Suspense #75, she instantly reminded Cap of an American agent he’d loved and lost back in WW II (still lost as of 1970, but soon to return as Peggy Carter). He discovers she’s SHIELD’s Agent 13 and after repeatedly working together, they fell in love. As a SHIELD field agent, she consistently proved herself as tough as any Marvel character of the Silver Age, always willing to put her mission ahead of her life.
Steve, understandably, couldn’t bear the thought of loving and losing yet another woman. In #95, he suggests they both retire to civilian life; Sharon refuses on the grounds SHIELD needs her. Steve retires anyway, reveals his identity, then takes it back one issue later. But hey, Jack Kirby makes it look so damn cool when Steve has to save a Captain America wannabe.
Subsequently Jim Steranko (artis of the cover for #113) has Steve fake his death, thereby freeing Cap up to start over with a new identity.
That’s still the status quo when we begin #124, “Mission: Stop the Cyborg,” by Stan Lee and Gene Colan. Cap’s fed up with worrying about Sharon so he storms into SHIELD HQ and demands Fury assign her to a desk job. Sharon, who’s been absolutely dedicated to her work, now decides to let her man do the thinking for her.
Cap, however, has no intention of putting himself out of harm’s way, and there’s always harm to be had. In this issue because Modok has turned one of his agents into an invincible cyborg — though as you can see below, he looks more like a weird alien in a metal hat.
Regardless, Sharon’s ready for action until Cap tsk-tsks at her.
Fury summons Cap to confront the cyborg, then Sharon discovers the message is a trap!
What’s a woman to do but rush to save her star-spangled sweetie?
This does not go well for Sharon —
Fortunately, her boyfriend is the living legend of World War II! First the AIM goons go down —
— then the cyborg. But when it’s all over, Cap’s more butt-hurt than anyone has ever been butt-hurt.
I don’t know, Sharon, maybe try saying that out loud? Or remind Steve that you can both quit? Or tell Steve to stop being a sexist dick? Instead, a couple of issues later everyone seems to have forgotten this happened; Cap’s thought balloons tell us his issue isn’t Sharon being in danger but that if they married, he’d make her a widow ASAP.
It’s all another sign Stan Lee no longer knows what to do with Cap. Or with Sharon either.
