Captain America

Creation and Publication

During World War II, a wave of patriotically themed superheroes sprang up. The first of these were heroes such as the Shield, Captain Freedom, and Uncle Sam. Most of these failed, but nearly every publisher had it's own super-American busting Nazis in World War II. Marvel Comics decided to get in on the action, so the Editor-In-Chief told a young writer to make them an America-hero. The young writer and editor was Joe Simon, and he created a sketch of a superhero-Captain America. The Editor-In-Chief liked the idea, so he started Captain America Comics. Simon and Jack Kirby did the book together, and it was an instant hit. The first issue (which had Cap punching Hitler on the cover) sold nearly one million copies. When Bucky came, Cap spent World War II punching Nazis, Japanese, and other Axis members, along with Sub-Mariner and Human Torch. Simon and Kirby did ten issues before moving to DC. Eventually, the war ended and comics declined. Captain America Comics got to issue 75, but it had become a horror book and was ended

Captain America was revived by Stan Lee in 1964, in Avengers #4. He became an instant hit, and this was the start of Cap as we know him. He has gone on as is ever since and, even though he's dead, will probably be back soon.

Captain America

Captain America is probably the greatest symbol of freedom, justice, liberty, and the American Way to ever live. He was the pinnacle of human existence-a good man who fought for what was right and did what he could to make the world a better place. When you think of justice and a symbol of America, the first person to pop into mind is him-the living symbol of America and freedom. Many heroes not only admire for what Captain America stands for, but look up to him as a role. He basically sets the bar for not only what a hero should be, but what a man, and a true American should be. He was on of the greatest heroes Earth had ever known. The world as been saved countless times by Cap's leadership, courage, and pure will. He was one of the greatest combatants, strategists, leaders, and most motivating hero most had ever seen.

But Captain America, Steve Rogers was a man, too, and this is one of the most important things to remember as you look upon his legacy. He did not have powers, only discipline and hard work. He was not an alien and he was not given powers he didn't want. Cap was a man-a man who fought for what was right. And it lasted like that, for a long time. He never backed down from any challenge, or stopped fighting for what he thought was right.

Gandhi was shot. So was Abraham Lincoln. And John Lennon.

And John F. Kennedy. And Martin Luther King Jr. Like them, Captain America was shot-but his legacy lives on as the symbol of truth, justice, and goodness. There are many places to start to hear the full story of Captain America. But the best place is where most smart people begin-right at the beginning, in Manhattan-July 4, 1917.

Origin and Golden Age

War, what is it good for?

On July 4, 1917, a baby was born on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, to an Irish immigrant woman named Sarah Rogers. Her husband, Joseph, was elated-they had a new baby boy. They named him Steven Rogers-he had no middle name. Steven was always a courageous kid-he tried new things as a toddler all the time. It's notable to mention that he grew up while World War 1 was raging across Europe, giving him a little experience with war. He wasn't very athletic, and was quiet and introverted. Although he would eventually grow to 6'2, he was scrawny and weak-always last in athletic games (much like one Peter Parker that would be born much later before a radioactive spider bite). He possessed a fierce loyalty, a fighting spirit, and a good heart inside him, though-one the world would see later. He had no future in athletics, so he majored in fine arts and was a particularly good artist-he specialized in illustration. His life changed, though, when Nazi forces swept across Europe, starting World War II. The Japanese, who were the Nazi's allies, bombed the U.S in Hawaii at Pearl Harbor-so young Steve Rogers, out of loyalty to his country and his patriotic duty, tried to enlist to fight on the front line against Axis forces.

He was immediately rejected do to being physically frailty, classified a 4-F. Steve was puny-he didn't get anywhere near passing the physical exam to join. Although he wanted with all his heart to serve him country, there was nothing he could do. He made an impression on the Army recruiters and trainers, though-he desperately wanted to join-it was his dream to fight for America. An officer was looking for test subjects for an experimental procedure, part of a top-secret defence plan only known of by less then twelve men. It was Operation: Rebirth. The plan was to create physically superior soldiers with a new serum-the Super-Soldier Formula. If it worked, it would make our soldiers super soldiers-he-men who had the grace, strength, speed, and nerve of two Olympic athletes. After a tough process to choose the lucky subject, Rogers was chosen to be the first one who the Super-Soldier Formula was administered to. One Dr. Abraham Erskine, Dr. Erskine, developed the process and administered it to Rogers. He was injected with the Super-Soldier formula and ate some, and then was hit by Vita-Rays that activate and stabilize the chemicals in his system. The process worked perfectly. Steve Rogers' system and body was boosted to the maximum in human efficiency. He also virtually doubled in size as millions of healthy cells were created almost instantaneously. His muscles and reflexes improved to the peak that a humans could be at. Steve marveled-he had become a specimen of human power as all weakness and deficiencies drained from his body. Just then, a Nazi spy burst in with a gun. He cried "Hail Hitler" in German and shot Erskine through the head. Abraham Erskine died-and he had committed the Super-Soldier serum's ingredients, along with much of the procedure, to memory. The secret died with him-Steve Rogers would be the only super soldier made. He chased after the Nazi spy and broke his neck, killing him. He then vowed to use his power to fight the enemies of America and be a symbol of freedom. 

Proud to be Americans.

The U.S government, disappointed at the loss of their super soldier army, decided to use Rogers as much as they can. They reimagined him as a superhero to fight the Nazis, and be a symbol of freedom and hope against Nazi forces, as well as a counter-intelligence agent. He also would be their main weapon against the leader of the Nazi terrorist operations-Red Skull. They gave him a costume based on the American flag, an unbreakable, perfectly balanced shield, the product of a metallurgical accident that became the strongest known substance on earth, a sidearm, and the name-Captain America. From now on, Steve Rogers was Captain America. He travelled to a camp in Virginia, where he used a secret identity-Steve Rogers, clumsy soon-to-be soldier. There, he met Bucky Barnes (see Bucky Barnes)-a young teenager who accidentally found out that Steve Rogers was Captain America. Steve lets Bucky be his sidekick, and trains him. Captain America and Bucky become a formidable force in World War II-they fight crime on their own and in the Invaders, a superhero team against the Axis. They later got a comic book in the 1970s. (Recently it has been said that Bucky was already being trained at the military base, hence, his being able to fight side-by-side with Cap without having any super-powers).

A few years passed, and largely due to the efforts of Captain America, World War II was nearly won in 1945. Cap and Bucky were on a routine mission-they were trying to stop the evil Baron Heinrich Zemo from destroying a drone plane. Zemo finally shot the plane up in the air, with a huge bomb tied to it. Bucky jumps on and tried to defuse the bomb, but it exploded and he was believed dead. Captain America was thrown into the Atlantic Ocean, which was freezing, and presumed dead. He was believed to be dead for many years-and efforts to replace him failed. This is how it was for many years...

1950s Commie-Bustin' Caps

During the 1950s, Captain America was gone-frozen in a block of ice. But the government still needed a Captain America, even though the war was won. This was when Communism was at a huge high, and we were all scared to death by, and hated, the Commies. The government needed a Captain America busting Russian Communists on the front lines, and they figured that if America found out Cap was dead, then morale would drop like a stone. 

So they hired the Spirit of '76, a patriotic hero who operated during World War II and whose abilities were similar to Cap's-to be the new Captain America. Bucky was Fred Davis, a relatively normal young man. Cap and Bucky operated very well (working with the All-Winners Squad), but Adam II (an android) killed Cap in 1946. He was replaced by The Patriot, another Golden Age hero, but two years later, "Bucky" was shot to death. Golden then became Bucky, until they both quit to marry each other. Seeing that replacing Cap was hard, the government let the idea fade and there was no Captain America and no Bucky.

Later, in 1953, a man found the lost formula for the Super-Soldier Serum in Nazi files in a German warehouse. This wasn't any man-this man idolized and almost worshipped Captain America. He had a Ph.D. in American History-and he had done his thesis on Captain America. He immediately told the government-in exchange for becoming the next Captain America. He underwent plastic surgery to look like Steve Rogers and was to be the symbol for the Korean War fighting Communism instead of Nazism. However, the project was never finished, so "Steve Rogers" became a teacher.

While teaching, he found a young student who also was a huge Captain America fan. They used the formula on themselves and became the new Captain America and Bucky. They fought Communism-but they didn't know of the Vita-Ray process that's part of the super soldier project. Since they didn't take it, it affected their minds and they became overly paranoid, attacking anyone they even had the slightest suspicion was a Communist. They hurt people until the government caught them and put them in suspended animation. The formula was lost forever.

However, they were revived in the early 1970s, when Steve Rogers (the real Captain America) had come to life and was operating. They went on a rampage, but Captain America defeated them.

Revival and Modern Age

Cap and Nick, together again.

The 1960s started, where Vietnam came and the peace movement started. Superheroes popped up, like the X-Men, Spider-Man, and the Hulk. The Avengers were a superhero team that consisted of Ant-Man (Hank Pym), Thor, Iron Man, and Hulk. Their roster changed and Hulk left in the second issue, and Namor the Sub-Mariner was their ally. Sub-Mariner found an Inuit tribe worshipping a frozen figure, in a block of ice. He was enraged that they were worshipping an inanimate object, and he hurled it into the sea. It melted, and the frozen figure was a man-Steve Rogers, Captain America! They revived him, and realized he was the war hero of their childhoods. He was out of his own time, but was valuable in combat, was a great tactician, and was a natural leader. They invited him to join, and he quickly became team leader. Captain America led the Avengers for a long time, fighting their enemies and some of his old enemies-such as Baron Zemo. He found out what had happened to Bucky, his young comrade-and was devastated. He would be stricken with grief for many years. Rick Jones became the new Bucky for a short time, after he convinced Cap that it was OK. Rogers didn't want to be responsible for another child's death, but as soon as he relents, Red Skull (his old enemy from World War II) uses the Cosmic Cube and drives Bucky away.

Captain America met with people. Nick Fury had been his partner in World War 2, and they reunited and became friends again. Fury now led the intelligence agency SHIELD, and Cap frequently would complete missions for SHIELD Later, he met Sam Wilson, an African-American who Cap trained as his partner. Sam became the Falcon and Cap's new sidekick for a time. He fought a fake Cap from the 50's and quit the role of Captain America due to the Watergate scandal. He took the identity of Nomad instead. However, he realizes-the costume is a symbol of American ideals, not the government, He becomes Captain America again and relishes the role. He fought Red Skull more, and it was revealed that Red Skull had been a burned out youth in Germany before meeting Adolf Hitler himself. Hitler trained the boy as his accomplice, and he became the Red Skull-using his Dust of Death to kill and try and restart the Third Reich to take over the world. New enemies came, such as Flag-Smasher and the delightfully named Scourge of the Underworld. Captain America also resigned his role when the government tried to force him to work fully for them. They hired John Walker to do his job when Rogers refused. He took the name "The Captain" and did his job differently, as Walker took the position of Captain America. During this time Steve had some questionable run-ins with the law that made him re