"GUNNER" GATES

Real Name: Gates (first name unrevealed)

Identity/Class: Human

Occupation: Criminal, fugitive gang leader

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: His henchmen

Enemies: Captain America (Steve Rogers)

Known Relatives: "Junior" Gates (son)

Aliases: "Gunner"

Base of Operations: His hideout in New York City

First Appearance: Tales of Suspense I#95/2 (November, 1967)

Powers/Abilities: "Gunner" Gates was an ordinary mobster who employed henchmen and firearms for his criminal activities.

History: (Tales of Suspense I#95/2) - Captain America burst into the hideout of "Gunner" Gates and confronted Turk and Whitey. He easily defeated them by ducking below their crossfire and punching them both in the gut (By then, those two chumps had probably shot each other in their crossfire, anyway). Cap was next faced by "Curley," who yelled out a warning to "Gunner" as he fired at the star-spangled Avenger. Captain America socked "Curley" on the chin, then continued on to the door to "Gunner's" office. As Cap opened the door, he narrowly avoided being hit when five crossbow shafts flew at him. Going into the office, Captain America faced "Gunner" Gates, who fired a single shot from his handgun, which Cap deflected with his shield. After knocking the gun from the mob boss's hand, Cap delivered a final blow to "Gunner," knocking him out.

At that point, Cap decided that it was time for Captain America to finally "die" so that Steve Rogers could begin to live.

Comments: Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

Preceding Cap's battle with "Gunner" and his gang, he was having a dinner date (as Steve Rogers) with Sharon Carter -- whom he only knew at the time as S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Agent Thirteen. During their dinner conversation, he saw how their pledges to their respective duties would forever keep them apart, so Rogers vowed to himself, "The next battle I fight -- as Captain America -- will be -- MY LAST!!" With that, he planned to retire his Captain America identity so he could lead a normal life, but he would first take on this gang of mooks for a swan song (Boy, talk about going out on a low note...) . His retirement resulted in a slough of incompetent imitators arising to take his place. Thankfully, the real Captain America had the threat of the Sniper come along and (figuratively) slap him back to his senses in the next issue.

(For the record, this story was the first of several occasions that Rogers decided to quit being Captain America)

NOTE: "Curley" was never actually identified, so his name is subject to change. Also, it's not clear which one was Turk and which one was Whitey -- I'm just assuming Whitey is the one with blond hair.

Whitey could be the same as the Beetle henchman that first appeared a month earlier in Daredevil I#33.
--Markus Raymond

Profile by John Kaminski

CLARIFICATIONS:
"Gunner" Gates has no known connections to:

• any other characters with similar name

Turk has no known connection to:

• Harrisyn Turk, the Lunatik @ Creatures on the Loose#33
• Turk Barrett, small-time criminal @ Daredevil I#69

"Gunner's" henchmen Turk, "Curley," and Whitey -- three goons who assisted "Gunner" Gates in his criminal pursuits, they presented no real challenge to Captain America, who barely broke a sweat beating these dopes up.

--Tales of Suspense I#95/2

images:
Tales of Suspense I#95, p18, pan1 (main image)