Captain America #157 – CGC 6.5 – Marvel Comics 1973

In Captain America #157 , titled “Veni, Vidi, Vici: Viper!” , Captain America and Falcon find themselves facing a devious enemy: the Viper , who is tasked by the mysterious Cowled Commander to get rid of both heroes.

The story unfolds with them being poisoned during a confrontation on a New York rooftop, where Viper uses poison darts to incapacitate Cap and Falcon.

Falcon is shot and left for dead, but Cap isn't dead: miraculously, he survives a building collapse thanks to his shield protecting him from the blast. When Cap returns, he negotiates with Viper to receive the antidote, but is betrayed and poisoned himself.

This issue is also significant for a side effect: the combination of the venom, the super-soldier serum already in Cap's body, and the antidote causes Cap to briefly acquire previously unseen exceptional strength —a power that, however, will fade as subsequent issues unfold.

The plot also features elements of internal investigation: Steve Rogers, not only as a hero but with ties to the police, faces corruption, suspicion within the force (Sgt. Muldoon is a key character), and the moral challenge of whether or not to trust even when there seems to be no chance.

Collectible strengths

• Viper 's first significant appearance in this storyline with weight to the Cap/Falcon backstory.
• Introduction of Cap’s temporary super-strength power as a result of the poison + antidote + serum plot — interesting for those who collect rare character developments.
• Art by Sal Buscema, one of the greats of the Marvel Bronze Age; good visuals and dynamic drawings.
• CGC Grade 6.5 : A good compromise between quality and price; visually very usable, a certified copy with certain value.

Characteristics

• Cover date : January 1973
  
• Publisher : Marvel Comics
  
• Condition : CGC 6.5 (Fine‑/Very Good+)
  
• Story : Steve Englehart & Steve Gerber
• Art & Cover: Sal Buscema & John Verpoorten