NOMAD
NOMAD
Real Name: Edward Ferbel
Identity/Class: Human costumed athlete
Occupation: Agent of the Red Skull (Johann Shmidt)
former stuntman
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Will Brynner, Nihilist Order;
formerly
Ameridroid, Red Skull (Johann Shmidt)
Enemies: Ameridroid, Captain America (Steve Rogers), Red Skull (Johann Shmidt)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases:
Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
formerly Los Angeles, California
First Appearance: Captain America I#261 (September, 1981)
Powers/Abilities: Nomad was a skilled athlete and an experienced stuntman. He used these skills to appear to be a talented fighter. He used a magnetic device to change the course of metal objects in mid-flight. He typically swung in and out on a rope of some sort. He was a smoker, which most likely limited his endurance.
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 245 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blond
History:
(Captain America I#262 - BTS) - Edward Ferbel was a down-on-his-luck stuntman in
Los Angeles hoping to become a star actor but never getting a chance. Finally,
the man known as Teacher (secretly the Red Skull (Johann Shmidt), though it is
unclear whether Nomad knew who he was or not), hired him to play the role of a
hero while simultaneously making Captain America look like a fool. Ferbel
adopted the role of Nomad, an identify Captain America had briefly used years
before, and hoped that he wouldn't blow his one chance to succeed.
(Captain America I#261 (fb)) - Nomad showed up in the Los Angeles area, declaring a one-man war against the terrorist Nihilist Order. He saved television star Suzanna Dimmbulb from a Nihilist Order attack on her Beverly Hills home. He claimed to have moved westward to stomp out the Order, and those reporting on the story assumed that this was the same hero who had been active in New York a few years before, not realizing that the previous Nomad was actually Steve Rogers (Captain America).
(Captain America I#261 - BTS) - As intended, the appearance of a new Nomad drew Captain America to Los Angeles, accepting an offer from Galactic Studios to help publicize their Captain America movie, "The Adventures of Captain America."
(Captain America I#261) - No sooner did Captain America
de-plane in LAX when two members of Nihilist Order arrived and opened fire on
him. Cap disarmed one of the NO, but then Nomad swung in, deliberately knocking
Cap off balance and then leaping onto the NO's jeep. As he fought the two
agents, the jeep crashed into an approaching police car. Nomad swiftly caught
his balance and rushed after the two fleeing NO agents, but Cap caught them
first and took them both out at once. Will Brynner, a reporter secretly employed
by the Red Skull, then rushed forward and interviewed Nomad, stating that he had
heroically stopped another insane rampage of the NO. Nomad took off before Cap
could catch up and question him.
Later at a press conference for Captain America, the NO
attacked again, shooting producer Leonard Spellman in the arm. As other NO
agents tried to help their agent escape by helicopter, Cap foiled this by
severing the helicopter's drop ladder with his shield, but the approaching Nomad
used a magnetic device to cause Cap's returning shield to head straight at an
innocent woman. Nomad swung in again, intending to rescue the woman, but Cap
dove and caught the shield first. Nomad then kissed the woman, making sure
Brynner's cameraman caught the picture. When Cap leapt and caught the NO's
helicopter's ladder remnants, Nomad grabbed the NO agents gun and fired on him,
shouting that he was trying to stop the NO. Cap was forced to let go of the
ladder and take a long leap to the ground below. Nomad kicked a food table under
the falling Cap, intending for him to make an embarrassing landing, but Cap
simply flipped out of the way and landed on his feet.
As Nomad posed for the cameras again, stating he had to
leave, as there was justice to served, Cap approached him and thanked him for
his assist. The surprised Nomad then swiftly departed, and he soon returned to
the Teacher's base. He apologized for his difficulties, noting that Cap was just
too much. Teacher slapped him to the ground, reminding Nomad that he had trained
him, and telling him this was but a minor setback before Captain America was
dead and all of his countrymen spitting on his grave.
(Captain America I#262 - BTS) - Brynner again praised Nomad and denounced Captain America as ungrateful and ineffective.
(Captain America I#262) - Teacher told Nomad he was lucky that Brynner could cover up his inept performance, and Nomad again tried to defend his performance. When he described Captain America as unbelievable and unstoppable, Teacher grabbed him by the neck, reminded him who was his master, and sent him to the gym to train further. As he trained, Nomad vowed to succeed and make it to the top or die trying.
Over the next few days, Nomad continued his public battles against the Nihilist Order, deliberately avoiding interaction with Captain America. After nearly each battle, he was interviewed by Brynner
Finally, at a benefit show where Captain
America was scheduled to appear, the Nihilist Order attacked. When one of them
produced a bomb, Cap rushed in to grab it, but Nomad then swung in and used his
magnetic device to pull the bomb into his own hand and away from Cap's efforts
to grab it. Having felt the magnetic tug on the bomb, Cap grew more suspicious.
While the NO agents feigned terror at Nomad, their acting readily apparent to
Cap. As he charged to capture some fleeing NO agents, another agent, incognito
in the crowd, used a cable device to catch his foot and trip him up. He took
another praising interview, this time from a Mr. Hunkley, before departing once
again.
As Teacher and the Ameridroid prepared the Nihilist Order for
their big event, Nomad fretted, realizing that once the scenario had played out,
he'd be back where he was before Teacher. The Ameridroid assured him that he
would not be back where he was before and then led him to their positions.
Soon after, during a Captain America day parade put on by
Galactic Studios, the Ameridroid and the NO arrived on hovercrafts, firing at
Captain America and the others present. Nomad swung into, singing "Here I come
to save the day," and then telling Cap he was there to pull his fat out of the
fire yet again. The Ameridroid told Nomad not to waste his voice as they were
too far away from the press to be heard, but to make sure they got good
pictures. Nomad told the Ameridroid not to blow his cover and reminded him that
he was supposed to spray Cap with the invisible paralysis gas so it would look
like Cap froze up while Nomad singlehandedly stopped the assault. The Ameridroid
used the gas on Cap as planned, but then announced that the scenario would be a
lot more effective if it looked like Cap stood by idly while LA's most beloved
here was callously murdered. Nomad barely had a chance to voice his surprise
before the Ameridroid gunned him down, and he fell to a nearby rooftop,
apparently deceased.
Captain America was taken by the Ameridroid to Teacher, who
revealed himself to be the Red Skull.
(Captain America I#263) - Nomad's dead body was taken away as Will Brynner again praised him and belittled Captain America. Two members of the LAPD then appeared and arrested Brynner for his connections to the NO.
Comments: Created by J.M. DeMatteis, Mike Zeck, and Quickdraw Studios.
The Red Skull's plot was for the efforts to defame Captain America to be exposed, leading to Cap being more popular than ever. The Skull was then going to have aired a documentary on Captain America containing subliminal messaging and releasing a certain energy that would drive all who watched it into a mad, violent frenzy. Cap foiled the plot and destroyed the film.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Nomad (Edward Ferbel) should be distinguished from:
images: (without ads)
Captain America I#261 cover (swinging pose)
#262, p1 (standing pose)
p7, panel 3 (unmasked face)
Appearances:
Captain America I#261-263 (September-November, 1981) - J.M. DeMatteis (writer),
Mike Zeck (penciler), Quickdraw Studios (inkers), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Last updated: 06/23/13
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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