History:
DEACON
Real Name: Unrevealed
Identity/Class: Human
Occupation: Criminal
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Blackie, Thumper Morgan, Rocky
Enemies: Captain America (Steve Rogers), Acting Superintendent Carlson, Warden Michaels, Tony Zack
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Ryker's Island Prison, New York, USA
First Appearance: Tales of Suspense I#62/2 (February, 1965)
Powers/Abilities: Deacon is a good hand-to-hand combatant.
Height: Unrevaled (approximately 5'3")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 145 lbs.)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: White
History:
(Tales of Suspense I#62/2 (fb) - BTS) - Deacon was a prisoner in a large state-of-the-art prison on Ryker's Island overseen by Acting Superintendent Carlson. Banding together with other convicts, including Blackie, Rocky and Thumper Morgan, Deacon seized control of the prison and placed Carlson in one of the cells in Cell Block 10. Unable to get past the prison's security system, Deacon posed as the superintendent and sent word to Captain America to come to the prison for a training exercise, believing Captain America was the key to getting past the prison's security.
(Tales of Suspense I#62/2) - When Captain America arrived at the prison, Deacon sent prisoners armed with live ammunition to attack him, claiming they were simulating the conditions of a breakout. Captain America bested the armed convicts, then asked for an explanation as to why he was there. In response, Deacon brought Captain America to Cell Block 10, then opened all of the cells. Deacon revealed he and all the men dressed as guards were actually convicts and the assembled mob swarmed Captain America, then took his shield.
Deacon had heard that Tony Stark had placed magnetic devices inside Captain America's shield and believed those devices must be the key to overcoming the security system. Deacon had Captain America placed in a cell with Carlson while he went to the exit and attempted to open the magnetically-sealed door by waving the shield around. As Captain America had since removed the devices Stark placed in the shield, nothing happened. Having escaped his cell, Captain America fought Deacon and the other convicts and easily defeated them, reclaiming his shield from Deacon and returning him to his cell, while Carlson and the prison guards rounded up all the escapees. When Deacon asked how Captain America escaped his cell, the Captain informed him he wedged a chewing gum wrapper between the lock and the door, so his cell hadn't been truly locked. Unknown to Deacon, the actual means of opening the sealed door was to simply say, "Captain America."
(Captain America I#260) - When another prisoner later caused the doors to open by saying "Captain America," Carlson was scandalized and replaced with Warden Michaels. In time, Deacon became a trustee in the prison. When Captain America returned to the prison to demonstrate how difficult it was to escape from the prison, Deacon was permitted to attend the Captain's press conference and found it interesting. As Thumper Morgan was sharing a cell with Captain America and Tony Zack, Deacon reached out to Thumper and noted they only had to wait for Captain America to make his escape from the prison and follow him out.
On the night that Captain America made his attempt to escape, Thumper followed him out of his cell and alerted Deacon. Deacon had stolen the key to his cell and used it to release himself and some other convicts so they could all follow the Captain. However, Captain America climbed to the top of the prison and used the rope from a flagpole to swing himself over the prison walls. Deacon and the others realized they lacked the abilities necessary to follow him and were swiftly returned to their cells.
Comments: Created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Chic Stone.
This profile was completed on 11/24/2025 but its publication was delayed, as it was intended for the Appendix's 25th anniversary celebratory event.
Profile by Prime Eternal.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Deacon should not be confused with:
Blackie was one of the convicts in Cell Block 10 on Ryker's Island who supported Deacon when he took over the cell block in an attempt to effect a break-out. Blackie helped other convicts mob Captain America and overwhelm him with sheer numbers so Deacon could steal Captain America's shield.
--Tales of Suspense I#62/2
Acting Superintendent Carlson was Ryker's Island's chief official. When Deacon seized control of the prison he placed Carlson inside one of the cells in Cell Block 10, then posed as the superintendent in an attempt to capture Captain America's shield. Once Captain America defeated Deacon, Carlson was released and he revealed the door Deacon was unable to open had been keyed to the words "Captain America." Some time later, a convict casually said Captain America's name while standing near the doors, causing them to open. Although no prisoners escaped, the resulting scandal cost Carlson his job. He was replaced by Warden Michaels.
--Tales of Suspense I#62/2 (Captain America I#260 (fb) - BTS
Warden Michaels was an old friend of Captain America. When Acting Superintendent Carlson was released from his position at Ryker's Island, Michaels took over as warden. Warden Michaels installed a new security system in the prison centered around video cameras to track the prisoners' movements. To prove the prison was escape-proof, Michaels invited Captain America to stay in one of the cells and make a genuine effort to escape the prison. Captain America did escape Ryker's, but did so using his acrobatic skills in a style that couldn't be easily duplicated by the actual prisoners. Michaels' security cameras alerted the guards to Thumper Morgan and Deacon's attempt to follow Captain America out of the prison, leading to their speedy recapture. Captain America encouraged Michaels to give the young prisoner Tony Zack another chance.
--Captain America I#260
He claimed he served in World War II with Captain America but that's got sliding timeline problems.
Thumper Morgan was one of the convicts in Cell Block 10 of Ryker's Island who supported Deacon when he took over the cell block in an attempt to effect a break-out. Thumper was known as "the man with the fists of steel." When Thumper lunged his fist at Captain America, Captain America met his fist in mid-air with his own. Thumper complained that Captain America nearly busted his fingers. Later, Thumper shared a cell with a young man named Tony Zack and tried to take Tony under his wing, mentoring him to become a more hardened criminal. When Captain America was added to their cell, Thumper found Captain America appealed to Tony's better nature, encouraging him to resist Thumper and make a true reform. Deacon convinced Thumper to bide his time so that when Captain America attempted to escape Ryker's they could follow him out. To that end, when some of his fellow convicts tried to attack Captain America in the prison shop, Thumper stood up for Captain America and fought at his side against the other convicts. Thumper followed Captain America out of his cell when he finally did escape but the Captain's acrobatic leap over the prison walls was impossible for Thumper and the other convicts to duplicate and they were returned to their cells.
--Tales of Suspense I#62/2 (Captain America I#260
Rocky was one of the convicts in Cell Block 10 of Ryker's Island who supported Deacon when he took over the cell block in an attempt to effect a break-out. Rocky participated in the fake "training exercise" Deacon used as a cover for bringing Captain America into the prison. Although Rocky was armed with real bullets in his gun he failed to overcome Captain America and was beaten.
--Tales of Suspense I#62/2
Tony Zack was a young man from the Bronx whose father thought he was "trash" and while his mother did "the best she could" it wasn't enough. Tony became a member of a gang and eventually participated in a robbery of the Acme Loan Company. While the rest of his gang escaped the scene, Tony was caught in the office by a night watchman. Tony was arrested and sent to Ryker's Island where he shared a cell with Thumper Morgan. Thumper tried to mentor Tony and make him a more hardened criminal. However, when Captain America was added to their cell, the Captain's good influence began to change Tony and he tried to become a better man. When Thumper escaped his cell in an attempt to follow the Captain's path out of the prison, Tony alerted Captain America to Thumper's escape. After Captain America had escaped from Ryker's he returned and told Warden Michaels to give Tony another chance.
--Captain America I#260) 260 (fb), 260
images: (without ads)
Tales of Suspense I#62/2, page 6, panel 3 (main)
Tales of Suspense I#62/2, page 3, panel 6 (face)
Tales of Suspense I#62/2, page 3, panel 5 (Blackie)
Tales of Suspense I#62/2, page 4, panel 4 (Carlson)
Captain America I#260, page 7, panel 1 (Michaels)
Tales of Suspense I#62/2, page 8, panel 5 (Thumper)
Tales of Suspense I#62/2, page 2, panel 1 (Rocky)
Captain America I#260, page 5, panel 2 (Zack)
Appearances:
Tales of Suspense I#62/2 (February, 1965) - Stan Lee (writer, editor), Jack Kirby (penciler), Chic Stone (inker)
Captain America I#260 (August, 1981) - Al Milgrom (writer, inker), Alan Kupperberg (penciler), Frank McLaughlin (inker), Jim Salicrup (editor)
First posted: 09/01/2026
Last updated:
11/24/2025
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and © 1941-2099 Marvel
Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you
should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com
Special Thanks to http://www.g-mart.com/ for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!