“When Captain America throws his mighty shield, all those who oppose his shield must yield!”

And you maniacs should all know the rest of the lyrics to that old jingle.

Grow up with a character and it’s easy to forget how some of even his most familiar qualities are actually rather unusual. Look at Cap. Here’s a super-hero whose signature weapon is a tool of defense, not offense. Him flinging his shield around or smacking bad guys with it is akin to a hero whacking foes with his helmet or thrashing them with a chainmail vest. Even 70 odd years after its debut, the star-spangled shield is still an atypical gimmick; even more so than a mallet getting a thunder god’s business done.

With the release of CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER only a couple months away, why don’t you maniacs enjoy a little primer on this legendary weapon so you can impress all your friends when the movie comes out?

There have actually been three iterations of the shield over the years...

Originally, Cap used a triangular shield that couldn’t be thrown (despite what MARVEL VS. CAPCOM 3 DLC packages would lead you to believe) and it wasn’t made of any particularly noteworthy metal. It could actually be bent or crushed during battle and, as you can imagine, the sight of that wasn’t especially awe-inspiring. Needless to say, it wasn’t long before Cap upgraded to a stronger and more versatile model - - a circular one that has since become the standard.

The classic model is made from of an indestructible alloy of steel and vibranium, the resonant element which the Black Panther’s sovereign nation Wakanda garners so much wealth from mining. Like the Super-Soldier serum, the precise formula of this shield has never been duplicated. Although, the reverse-engineering of it produced the arguably stronger metal, adamantium, which has been famously used to line Wolverine’s skeleton, so you can debate if any important secret was ever truly lost.

For defensive purposes, Cap can use the shield to block just about any ballistic, chemical or melee attack. For offensives purposes, he’ll typically fling it like a giant discus (often with the intention to have it ricochet off a nearby surface to catch an enemy by surprise or attack him at angle.) With no rope, chain or magic enchantment to lure the shield back to him, you may wonder how Cap ever gets the thing back in his hands once he’s thrown it. As it turns out, Cap has special magnetic controls in his gloves which grant him a limited measure of control of the thing beyond what his own balance and form can manage.

In the late 90s, Cap lost the shield during a fight and took to using the old, faithful triangular model again (he even ganked it from an exhibit about his own life!) "Retro" didn’t equal "practical" in that instance, and he soon took the notion into the 21 century with a "photonic shield" that could be ignited from a wrist band. This third iteration of the shield would be abandoned once Cap recovered the circular classic. However, with a number of back-and-forths in between over the years, Steve Rogers has taken to using this shield again in his “super-soldier” identity while Bucky Barnes wields the classic as Captain America.

What about the movies, though?

After seeing a splintered prototype laying around Tony Stark's workshop in the IRON MAN flicks, we'll finally get to behold the shield in allits prime integrity throughout CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER. And yes, as the trailers plainly reveal, Cap will be throwing the thing all over the place. Interestingly, though, there have been publicity stills of Chris Evans carrying the original, triangular shield on his back while somewhat disguising his Captain America outfit. Considering how the synopsis reveals that Rogers will be turning to Howard Stark to design him a more practical uniform, I'm sure he’ll be getting the classic shield as part of the package too (thus the reason it’s in Tony's lab.)

Tom Pinchuk’s the writer ofHYBRID BASTARDS!&UNIMAGINABLE. Order them on Amazonhere&here. Follow him on Twitter:@tompinchuk

Nice lunchtime read :o) 

I remember hearing something about the reason for the vibranium/adamantium mixture was because the two metals somehow compliment each other and make each other all the stronger.  Not sure if that's true or not but it would make sense.

It wouldn't hurt for Captain America being a tactical genius for knowing all the angles so his shield will be where he's going to be too.  Kinda makes him cooler like that, instead of him relying on technology to retrieve his shield.

My two cents.

I remember hearing something about the reason for the vibranium/adamantium mixture was because the two metals somehow compliment each other and make each other all the stronger.  Not sure if that's true or not but it would make sense.

It wouldn't hurt for Captain America being a tactical genius for knowing all the angles so his shield will be where he's going to be too.  Kinda makes him cooler like that, instead of him relying on technology to retrieve his shield.My two cents.

I thought that Cap turned down the magnet glove that Stark made for him in the 60s. Whenever the shield ricochets and comes back is all a matter of the awesomeness and skill that Cap possesses. 

Excellent choice for an article to help those who want to know more about Cap's shield! 

 Great one, will post on Facebook for my friends who may not know enough about Cap's shield.

Isn't it "all those who chose to oppose his shield must yield." and yes I'm that old that I know that song by heart along with the others. lol

You should have mentioned that Stephen Colbert also has one.     

I wanna have a shield like this one !

Technically there are three more shields that Cap used over the years, all of them were based on the classic discus design. The first were a serie of steel replicas created by Tony Stark to gave Cap a weapon while he analyzed the shield trying to replicate it (this is actually the Retcon explanation about why the shield was regularly trashed by several early opponent of the Avengers). The second was a simple Adamantium discus (not even painted) used by Cap during his stint as "The Captain", this shield was also built by Tony Stark. After Steve and Tony had an argument over the whole Armor Wars affair, Steve returned the Admantium shield and obtained a Vibranium one from T'Challa that later became U.S.Agent signature weapon.

I want one.

i do hope in the movie we get to see the old shield at some point.

@RedheadedAtrocitus said:

I remember hearing something about the reason for the vibranium/adamantium mixture was because the two metals somehow compliment each other and make each other all the stronger.  Not sure if that's true or not but it would make sense.

See I remember reading in an Avengers comic that you can't call the shield adamantium because adamantium was the result of trying to duplicate the shield. The shield is an alloy of steel and vibranium but it happened accidentally so they haven't been able to duplicate it. The closest they've come is creating adamantium which is why Cap's shield is even stronger than adamantium.

I felt like I should post something...

First, Cap's never needed the micro-magnetic glove since way back in Pre-issue 100 Avengers. I think Buck-Cap uses something similar, but Rogers actually manipulates the shield out of skill. Early on, when Cap actually had super strength and then lost it, they had engaged the idea of using magnetics, but since then, Rogers hasn't used it.

Also, it's always been stated, until recently on the Marvel.com site as an Adamantium/Vibranium Mix, even if Adamantium was created in an attempt by the metallurgist Myron MacLain to duplicate the shield's unique properties. It's never been argued that Adamantium was stronger....back in the late 1980's in Cap Annual #8, It was clear there was no way Wolverine could damage the shield outside of the paint, nor has it been able to be destroyed by the same process used to shape and mold Adamantium.

So, it has been called a 'Vibranium' alloy, but it has been proven that Adamantium isn't as strong as the shield. The only reason it broke back in the 2000s was due to a misalignment of molecules stemming from the end of the 1985 Secret Wars series.

Another interesting fact: The Shield has been shown NOT to be magnetic, as Magneto in New Mutants #40 and Avengers/X-Men to manipulate it. I know this has gone back and forth, but just one more point.

   
Thanks for posting Halloween jack. i often see the the staff here post stuff that as a long time comic book reader I know to be wrong. I'n just too lazy to correct them.

Good job...

The shield is actually one of if not THE strongest alloys/materials known to the 616 universe.. (even more so than adamantium, being able to withstand direct blows from Mjolnir )

my question is, who's shield is more indestructible, his or Guardian's??

Caps shield also still around in 31st  century. No else read Guardians of the Galaxy back in the day?

I would like to first state to the site that, the best defense doubles as an offence. Shields are and never were solely a defensive implement. Soldiers for thousands of years, if issued one, used them in some way as another form of attack. Whether it just be a quick bash, or a chop, or I'm sure even throwing it as a last ditch effort. The more crafty of soldiers would strap daggers on the sides to use as a second blade to slash with. Along with them adding a dagger on the inside to have as a back up. Plus! not to mention, it has been scientifically proven on Deadliest Warrior with their fancy instruments that the concussive blow of a Spartans shield causes 45 G's!  

Yes, FDR personally presented it to Cap in the Oval Office( hardly the first time the Sentinel of Liberty has visiited thereal life US Chief Executive in his title- Nixon, Reagan, Clinton have all appeared hterein)!

Terry