NIHILIST
ORDER
Membership: Nomad
(Edward
Ferbel), Operative
M, Pupil
(Lyke
Dekker/Ameridroid), Teacher (Johann Shmidt/Red Skull), numerous others
referred
to as “brothers” and “sisters”
Purpose: To defame Captain
America
Affiliations: Will
Brynner
Enemies: Benny
Bernhart, Billie,
Captain America (Steve Rogers), Suzanne
Dimmbulb, Falcon (Sam Wilson) (who was unaware he was being
watched by
them), Mr.
Hunkley, Joe,
Wally Lombego, Lt.
Cal
Lummbo, Morty,
Leonard Spellman, Jason Staid
Base
of Operations: The defunct
Democracy Studios lot in
California, USA
First
Appearance: Captain America
I#261 (September, 1981)
History:
(Captain
America I#263 (fb) – BTS) – The Red Skull, using
the disguise of the Teacher, formed the Nihilist Order in a complex
revenge
plot against Captain America.
(Captain
America I#263 (fb)) - As
part of his plan, the Red Skull hired stuntman Edward Ferbel to pose as
Nomad,
an identity once used by Captain America. Knowing Captain America could
not
resist investigating someone else using his old identity, the Red Skull
planned to
use Nomad to lure Captain America into a trap in California.
(Captain
America I#262 (fb) –
BTS) – The Red Skull paid television news reporter Will Brynner to
praise Nomad
and discredit Captain America.
(Captain
America I#261 (fb)) –
The Nihilist Order staged several attacks along the United
States
west coast and made themselves appear to be defeated by their own
member Nomad
while Will Brynner did his job promoting Nomad. In one such attack by
the
Order, Nomad rescued actress Suzanne Dimmbulb.
(Captain
America I#261) – After
Captain America and the Falcon left Cap’s brownstone to go to Avengers
Mansion,
the Nihilist Order's Operative M reported their leaving to the Pupil
(actually
Lyle Dekker the Ameridroid). At Avengers Mansion, Captain America
learned that
Galactic Pictures was planning a movie about his life and, upon seeing
the new
Nomad on television, decided to take Galactic Pictures up on their
offer to aid
in the promotion of the film. Twenty-four hours later, Cap arrived at
Los
Angeles International Airport where he was attacked by the Nihilist
Order.
Nomad quickly appeared as well, making hidden attempts to fumble
Captain
America up. Following the Nihilist Order agents' defeat, Captain
America was introduced to
Galactic Pictures production assistant Wally Lombego as Nomad escaped.
Back at
the Nihilist Order’s headquarters, Ameridroid gloated about how Captain
America had no idea
of the Nihilist Order’s true intent and the Teacher decided that it was
time
for Ameridroid “therapy” session. On the way to the therapy chamber,
the
Teacher found one of the Order’s agents asleep and struck her awake
before
tossing her against a wall. Demanding that she recite the Order’s
purpose for
existence, the Teacher let her be and took Ameridroid to the therapy
chamber.
Shortly thereafter, as Captain America was doing a press conference for
the Cap
film, a Nihilist Order agent disguised as a reporter shot Galactic
Pictures
producer Leonard Spellman. Captain America quickly caught up to her but she feigned
helplessness
and claimed that she was forced to attack. She then had Nihilist Order
agent
Brother fire upon Captain America from a helicopter, which she used in an attempt
to
escape. Nomad then arrived on the scene and secretly used an
electromagnet to
throw off Cap’s shield before kissing the woman he saved from Cap’s
“runaway
shield.” Nomad then fired a gun at Captain America, claiming he was helping Captain America
against the
Nihilist Order, causing Cap to leap from the helicopter’s ladder and
allowing
the Nihilist Order to escape. Following the battle, Captain America grew suspicious
of
Nomad’s intentions while Teacher and the Ameridroid watched on a video
screen.
Nomad soon returned to the Teacher, who knocked Nomad to the ground for
his
failure to stop Captain America.
(Captain
America I#262) – Will
Brynner continued his attempts to discredit Captain America while the
Teacher
ordered Nomad to train harder for his final battle with Captain America. A few days
later,
as Captain America was about to speak about the film at a charity show,
the
Nihilist Order attacked onstage comedian Benny Bernhart. Captain America
immediately leapt
into action, grabbing the Order’s bomb, but Nomad showed up once again,
magnetically drawing the bomb into his own hand. Realizing what Nomad’s
plan
was, Captain America followed the Nihilist Order, but was tripped up by
one of
their disguised agents, allowing Nomad to once again gain the glory
from the
Nihilist Order’s defeat. Three days later, the Nihilist Order prepared
for
their upcoming attack on the Captain America parade. During the parade,
the
Nihilist Order attacked the civilians and Captain America once again jumped into
battle
against the Nihilist Order and the Ameridroid. Nomad soon staged a fight against
the Nihilist
Order himself but was stunned when Ameridroid called him by his real
last name
of Ferbel. When he asked Ameridroid what he was doing, Ameridroid shot
Nomad
dead under the orders of the Teacher, who had decided Nomad had
outlived his
usefulness. As Will Brynner reported Nomad’s death, Ameridroid captured
Captain
America and took him back to the Teacher. As the Teacher and Ameridroid
watched
the captive Captain America, Cap reminded Ameridroid of the truth of his android
body and
how Dekker had placed himself in the android body. Realizing that the
Teacher
had manipulated him into fighting Captain America, Ameridroid turned on
the
Teacher, who knocked Ameridroid out and revealed himself as the Red Skull.
(Captain
America I#263) – The Red
Skull explained his entire plan to lure Captain America into the trap
by using
Nomad and the Nihilist Order as pawns. When Ameridroid began to come
to, the
Red Skull proved his complete mental control of him by forcing him to
kill
Captain America. Eventually breaking through the Red Skull’s conditioning,
Captain America
reminded Ameridroid that every man had the right to be free. Ameridroid
then
busted through the wall between himself and the Red Skull, but seemingly
died
fighting through the Red Skull’s force field. As Captain America battled the Red Skull, who
was
revealed to be in a robot body, Will Brynner was arrested by Lt. Cal
Lummbo
when half a dozen Nihilist Order agents turned themselves in to the
police and
revealed Brynner’s part in the Red Skull’s plans. Trying to locate the true
Red
Skull, Captain America searched the Nihilist Order’s Democracy Studios
headquarters before being attacked by an army of Nihilist Order agents.
Defeating them all, Captain America was led to a train by another robot
Red
Skull and after following the robot to an elevator, Captain America was stunned to learn
that the
Red Skull was secretly behind Galactic Pictures. The Red Skull then
revealed his
plan to use Galactic Pictures’ Captain America documentary to hypnotize
the
American public into a violent frenzy using film treated with the
Red Skull’s own
hypno-chemical. As the Red Skull gloated, the severely damaged Ameridroid
burst in
and fell atop the Red Skull, defeating him and causing an explosion
that
destroyed the top floors of the Galactic Pictures building. Captain
America
then rushed to the KMBC television studio and burned the Red Skull’s
Captain
America documentary.
Comments: Created by J. M.
DeMatteis, Mike Zeck
and Quickdraw Studios.
Lt.
Cal Lummbo was an obvious
parody of television detective, Columbo.
Profile
by Proto-Man.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Nihilist Order has no known connections to
- Nihilist Legion, Son of Satan enemies, served
Father Darklyte @ Marvel Spotlight I#16
- Nihilist Sect, agents of the Thanosi @ Infinity
Abyss#1
- or any other "Nihilist” or “Order”
groups
Benny
Bernhart was a stand-up comedian who was doing an act for a charity
benefit and
he appeared onstage prior to Captain America’s time onstage. During
Bernhart’s
act, the Nihilist Order attacked him despite pleas from the comedian that the
act was
for charity and he had no money on his person. Bernhart was quickly
rescued by
Captain America, who pursued the fleeing Nihilist Order.
--Captain
America I#262
Will
Brynner was an Eyewitness News 8 television news reporter who was being
paid by
the Red Skull to promote Nomad’s supposed heroism while downplaying
Captain
America’s. He interviewed Nomad after Nomad rescued actress Suzanne
Dimmbulb
and was on hand later when Captain America defeated the Nihilist Order
at Los Angeles
Airport, promoting Nomad’s part in their defeat over Captain America’s.
Later, when
Nomad “aided”
Captain America against the Nihilist Order during a press conference,
Brynner had
his cameraman Morty get a closeup on Nomad kissing a rescued civilian
woman
while Cap pursued the Nihilist Order’s helicopter. Brynner then tried
to
interview
Nomad again after the conflict but Nomad dashingly fled away when
Captain America
began to
question Nomad. Shortly thereafter, Brynner went on television
promoting
Nomad while attempting to get his audience to question the usefulness
of
Captain America. Later, when the Nihilist Order attacked a Captain
America
parade promoting the upcoming Galactic Pictures Captain America
movie, Brynner was on hand when Nomad was shot dead by the
Ameridroid,
attempting to
turn the audience’s opinion toward the death of the “heroic” Nomad
instead of
Captain America’s defense of the parade civilians. As Brynner continued
to report
Nomad’s
death, he was approached by police Lt. Cal Lummbo, who arrested Brynner
for his
overall part in the Nihilist Order’s activities.
--Captain
America I#261 (262, 263
Suzanne
Dimmbulb was a television actress rescued by Nomad from the Nihilist
Order, who
was trying to upstage Captain America to ruin his image. Following Dimmbulb’s
rescue, Nomad was interviewed by Will Brynner.
--Captain
America I#261 (seen
only on a video screen)
Mr.
Hunkley was a news reporter who attempted to interview Nomad after the
Nihilist
Order’s defeat at the hands of Captain America during a charity
benefit. Hunkley
continued his interview with Nomad while Captain America pursued the Nihilist Order.
--Captain
America I#262
Joe and Billie were reporters who attempted to report the news of
Nomad’s death
alongside Will Brynner. When Brynner was arrested by Lt. Cal Lummbo,
Billie and Joe realized that Nomad was a phony. Joe then told Billie
that when he
got back to his offices at the Trib, the whole world would know the
truth.
--Captain
America I#263 (both)
Police
Lt. Cal Lummbo was a police officer attempting to track down the
Nihilist
Order. While Captain America dealt with the Order’s leader, the Red
Skull, Lt.
Lummbo and a small group of police officers arrested Will Brynner for
his role
in the Order’s activities.
--Captain
America I#263
Morty
was one of Will Brynner’s cameramen. When the Nihilist Order attacked a
Captain
America press conference and Nomad arrived to "help", Brynner had Morty
get a
closeup of Nomad kissing the rescued civilian woman. After doing so,
Morty and
his fellow cameraman turned their attentions toward Captain America’s
daring
pursuit of the fleeing Nihilist Order.
--Captain
America I#261
Operative
M was a member of the Nihilist Order who was disguised as a homeless
woman. She
kept a watchful eye on Captain America and reported her findings to the
Ameridroid. When Captain America and the Falcon left Captain America’s brownstone for Avengers
Mansion,
she reported their leaving to Ameridroid.
--Captain
America I#261
images: (without ads)
Captain America I#262, p12, pan3 (Nihilist Order, main image)
Captain America I#262, p9, pan6 (Nihilist Order rushing the stage)
Captain America I#262, p9, pan7 (Benny Bernhart)
Captain America I#261, p11, pan3 (Will Brynner)
Captain America I#261, p7, pan5 (Suzanne Dimmbulb)
Captain America I#262, p11, pan6 (Mr. Hunkley)
Captain America I#263, p9, p6 (Joe & Billie)
Captain America I#263, p9, pan4 (Lt. Cal Lummbo)
Captain America I#261, p20, pan1 (Morty)
Captain America I#261, p6, pan3 (Operative M)
Appearances:
Captain America I#261 (September, 1981) – J. M. DeMatteis (writer),
Mike Zeck (pencils),
Quickdraw Studios (inks), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Captain America I#262 (October, 1981) – J. M. DeMatteis (writer), Mike
Zeck
(pencils), Quickdraw Studios (inks), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Captain America I#263 (November, 1981) – J. M. DeMatteis (writer), Mike
Zeck
(pencils), Quickdraw Studios (inks), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Last
updated:
05/09/13.
Any
Additions/Corrections? please
let me know.
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