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Captain America
Promotional art for Captain America vol. 4, #6, by John Cassaday.
Publisher Marvel Comics First appearance Captain America Comics #1 (March 1941)[1] Created by Joe Simon Jack Kirby
Characteristics Alter ego Steven "Steve" Rogers Team affiliations Secret Avengers Avengers Invaders All-Winners Squad Secret Defenders S.H.I.E.L.D. Project: Rebirth U.S. Army Redeemers Notable aliases Nomad, The Captain, Brett Hendrick, Roger Stevens, Steven Grant Rogers, Yeoman America Abilities Enhanced to Peak human potential Expert martial artist and hand-to-hand combatant All terrain acrobatics Master tactician and field commander Vibranium-steel alloy shield

Captain America is a fictional comic book superhero published by Marvel Comics. Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 (March 1941), from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics.^[1] Over the years, an estimated 210 million copies of "Captain America" comic books have been sold in a total of 75 countries.^[2]

Captain America is the alter ego of Steve Rogers,^[3] a sickly young man who was given enhanced strength and reflexes by an experimental serum in order to aid the United States war effort. Some have drawn parallels between the Super-Soldier Serum and the steroid scandals of today.^[4] Captain America wears a costume that utilizes an American flag motif, and is armed with an indestructible shield that can be thrown as a weapon.

An intentionally patriotic creation who was often depicted fighting the Axis powers of World War II, Captain America was Timely's most popular character during World War II. After the war ended, the character's popularity waned and he disappeared by the 1950s aside from an ill-fated revival in 1953. Captain America was reintroduced during the Silver Age of comics when he was revived from suspended animation by the superhero team The Avengers in Avengers #4 (March 1964). Since then, Captain America has often led the team, as well as starring in his own series. Steve Rogers was killed in Captain America vol. 5, #25 (March 2007), although the Captain America series continues publication.^[5]

Contents 1 Publication history 1.1 Silver Age revival 2 Fictional character biography 2.1 1940s - Operation: Rebirth 2.2 Late 1940s–1950s: After Steve Rogers 2.3 1960s–1970s: Return of Steve Rogers 2.4 1980s 2.5 1990s 2.6 21st century 2.7 Death 2.8 Replacement 3 Powers and abilities 3.1 Weapons and equipment 4 Enemies 5 Alternate versions of Captain America 6 Characters who have used the "Captain America" name 7 In other media 8 Selected bibliography 9 Footnotes 10 References 11 External links

[edit] Publication history

Writer Joe Simon conceived the idea for Captain America, which was refined by his partner, artist Jack Kirby, in 1941. Captain America was a consciously political creation. Simon and Kirby were morally repulsed by the actions of Nazi Germany in the years leading up to the United States' involvement in World War II and felt war was inevitable. Simon later said, "The opponents to the war were all quite well organized. We wanted to have our say too."^[6]

Captain America Comics #1 (March 1941) — on sale in December 1940, a year before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and already showing the protagonist punching Nazi leader Adolf Hitler in the jaw — sold nearly one million copies.^[7] While most readers responded favorably to the comic, some isolationists and Nazi sympathizers took objection. Simon noted, "When the first issue came out we got a lot of . . . threatening letters and hate mail. Some people really opposed what Cap stood for."^[6] Though preceded as a "patriotically themed superhero" by MLJ's The Shield, Captain America immediately became the most prominent and enduring of that wave of superheroes introduced in American comic books prior to and during World War II. With his sidekick Bucky, Captain America faced Nazis, Japanese and other threats to wartime America and the Allies. Captain America soon became Timely's most popular character and even had a fan-club called the "Sentinels of Liberty."^[6] Circulation figures remained close to a million copies per month after the debut issue, which outstripped even the circulation of news magazines like Time during the period.^[8] After the Simon & Kirby team moved to DC late 1941, having produced Captain America Comics through issue #10 (Jan. 1942), Al Avison and Syd Shores became regular pencilers of the celebrated title, with one generally inking over the other. The character was also featured in All Winners Comics #1-19 (Summer 1941 - Fall 1946), Marvel Mystery Comics #80-84,86-92, USA Comics #6-17 (Dec 1942 - Fall 1945) and All Select Comics #1-10 (Fall 1943 - Summer 1946).

In the post-war era, with the popularity of superheroes fading, Captain America led Timely/Marvel's first superhero team, the All-Winners Squad, in its two published adventures, in All Winners Comics #19 & 21 (Fall-Winter 1946; there was no issue #20). After Bucky was shot and wounded in a 1948 Captain America story, he was succeeded by Captain America's girlfriend Betsy Ross, who became the superheroine Golden Girl. Captain America Comics ended with #75 (Feb. 1950), by which time the series had been titled Captain America's Weird Tales for two issues, with the finale a horror/suspense anthology issue with no superheroes.

Marvel's 1950s iteration Atlas Comics attempted to revive its superhero titles when it reintroduced Captain America, along with the original Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner, in Young Men #24 (Dec. 1953). Billed as "Captain America, Commie Smasher!", Captain America appeared during the next year in Young Men #24-28 and Men's Adventures #27-28, as well as in issues #76-78 of an eponymous title. Atlas' attempted superhero revival was a commercial failure,^[9] and the character's title was canceled with Captain America #78 (Sept. 1954).

[edit] Silver Age revival

In the Human Torch story titled "Captain America" in Marvel Comics' Strange Tales #114 (Nov. 1963), writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Jack Kirby depicted the brash young Fantastic Four member Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, in an exhibition performance with Captain America, described as a legendary World War II and 1950s superhero who has returned after many years of apparent retirement. The 13-page story ends with this Captain America revealed as an impostor: the villain the Acrobat, a former circus performer the Torch had defeated in Strange Tales #106. Afterward, Storm digs out an old comic book in which Captain America is shown to be Steve Rogers. A caption in the final panel says this story was a test to see if readers would like Captain America to return.

Captain America was then formally reintroduced in The Avengers #4 (March 1964), which explained that in the final days of WWII, Captain America fell from an experimental drone plane into the North Atlantic Ocean and spent decades frozen in a state of suspended animation. He quickly became leader of that superhero team. Following the success of other Marvel characters introduced during the 1960s, Captain America was recast as a hero "haunted by past memories, and trying to adapt to 1960s society."^[10]

After then guest-starring in the feature "Iron Man" in Tales of Suspense #58 (Oct. 1964), Captain America gained his own solo feature in that "split book", beginning the following issue. Kirby, Captain America's co-creator during the 1940s period fans and historians call the Golden Age of comic books was illustrating his hero's solo adventures again for the first time since 1941. Issue #63 (March 1965), which retold Captain America's origin, through #71 (Nov. 1965) was a period feature set during World War II and co-starred Captain America's Golden Age sidekick, Bucky.

In the 1970s, the post-war versions of Captain America were retconned into separate, successive characters who briefly took up the mantle of Captain America after Steve Rogers went into suspended animation near the end of World War II.^[11][12] The hero found a new generation of readers as leader of the all-star superhero team the Avengers, and in a new solo feature beginning in Tales of Suspense #59 (Nov. 1964), a "split book" shared with the feature "Iron Man". Kirby drew all but two of the stories in Tales of Suspense, which became Captain America with #100 (April 1968); Gil Kane and John Romita Sr. each filled-in once. Several stories were finished by penciler-inker George Tuska over Kirby layouts, with one finished by Romita Sr. and another by penciler Dick Ayers and inker John Tartaglione. Kirby's regular inkers on the series were Frank Giacoia (as "Frank Ray") and Joe Sinnott, though Don Heck and Golden Age Captain America artist Syd Shores inked one story each. The new title Captain America continued to feature artwork by Kirby, as well as a short run by Jim Steranko, and work by many of the industry's top artists and writers. It was called Captain America and the Falcon from #134-222.

This series — considered Captain America vol. 1 by comics researchers and historians,^[13] following the 1940s Captain America Comics and its 1950s numbering continuation — ended with #454 (Aug. 1996). It was almost immediately followed by the 13-issue Captain America vol. 2 (Nov. 1996 - Nov. 1997),^[14] the 50-issue Captain America vol. 3 (Jan. 1998 - Feb. 2002),^[15] the 32-issue Captain America vol. 4 (June 2002 - Dec. 2004)^[16] and Captain America vol. 5 (Jan. 2005 -  ).^[17]

There were attempts for a second series such as Captain America Sentinel of Liberty (Sept. 1998-Aug. 1999) and Captain America & the Falcon (May 2004-June 2005).

As part of the aftermath of Marvel Comics' company crossover "Civil War", Steve Rogers was killed in Captain America vol. 5, #25 (April 2007). Series writer Ed Brubaker remarked:

“

What I found is that all the really hard-core left-wing fans want Cap to be standing out on and giving speeches on the street corner against the George W. Bush administration, and all the really right-wing fans all want him to be over in the streets of Baghdad, punching out Saddam Hussein."[18]

”

The character's death came as a blow to co-creator Joe Simon, who said, "It's a hell of a time for him to go. We really need him now."^[18]

In August 2007, Marvel announced that the Captain America of the 1940s will travel to the present day in a 12-issue series drawn by Alex Ross.^[19] Marvel also announced that a new Captain America, with a costume designed by Ross, would debut in Captain America #34.^[20]

The 2007 miniseries Captain America: The Chosen, written by David Morrell and penciled by Mitchell Breitweiser, depicts a dying Steve Rogers' final minutes, at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, as his spirit guides James Newman, a young American soldier fighting in Afghanistan.

[edit] Fictional character biography

[edit] 1940s - Operation: Rebirth

Steve Rogers was born on July 4, 1917 in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York City, to Irish immigrants Sarah and Joseph Rogers.^[21] By the early 1940s, before America's entry into World War II, Rogers is a tall but scrawny fine arts student specializing in illustration. Disturbed by the rise of the Third Reich, Rogers attempts to enlist, only to be rejected due to his poor constitution. A U.S. Army officer looking for test subjects offers Rogers the chance to serve his country by taking part in a top-secret defense project — Operation: Rebirth, which seeks to develop a means of creating physically superior soldiers. Rogers volunteers for the research and, after a rigorous selection process, is chosen as the first human test subject for the Super-Soldier serum developed by the scientist "Dr. Reinstein,"^[22][23] later retroactively changed to a code name for the scientist Emil Erskine.^[24]

Later stories reveal that Rogers is not the first to be given the Super-Soldier formula. The night before Rogers receives the Super-Soldier formula, some military members of the project decide that a non-soldier is not the right candidate and secretly give Erskine's incomplete formula to Clinton McIntyre. This, however, makes McIntyre violently insane, and he is subdued and placed in cold storage. The criminal organization AIM later revives McIntyre as the homicidal Protocide.^[25]

The night that Operation: Rebirth is implemented, Rogers receives injections and oral ingestions of the Super-Soldier formula. He is then exposed to a controlled burst of "Vita-Rays" that activate and stabilize the chemicals in his system. Although the process is arduous physically, it successfully alters his physiology almost instantly from its relatively frail form to the maximum of human efficiency, greatly enhancing his musculature and reflexes. Erskine declares Rogers to be the first of a new breed of man, a "nearly perfect human being."^[23]

At that moment, a Nazi spy reveals himself and shoots Erskine. Because the scientist had committed the crucial portions of the Super-Soldier formula to memory, it cannot be duplicated. Rogers kills the spy in retaliation and vows to oppose the enemies of America.^[23][26]

The United States government, making the most of its one super-soldier, reimagines him as a superhero who serves as both a counter-intelligence agent and a propaganda symbol to counter Nazi Germany's head of terrorist operations, the Red Skull. To that end, Rogers is given a uniform modeled after the American flag (based on Rogers's own sketches^[21]) a bulletproof shield, a personal side arm, and the codename Captain America. He is also given a cover identity as a clumsy infantry private at Camp Lehigh in Virginia. Barely out of his teens himself, Rogers makes friends with the camp's teenage mascot James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes.^[22]

Barnes accidentally learns of Roger's dual identity and offers to keep the secret if he can become Captain America's sidekick. Rogers agrees and trains Barnes. Rogers meets President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who presents him with a new shield made from a mixture of steel and vibranium, fused by an unknown catalyst. The alloy is indestructible, yet the shield is light enough to use as a discus-like weapon that can be angled to return to him. It proves so effective that Captain America forgoes the sidearm.^[24] Throughout World War II, Captain America and Bucky fight the Nazi menace both on their own and as members of the superhero team the Invaders (as seen in the 1970s comic of the same name).^[27]

In 1942 (after Rogers has become Captain America), a beta version of the formula is given to a group of African-American soldiers as part of a military experiment by another scientist given the Reinstein code name; Isaiah Bradley is the sole survivor. After the last two members of his group are killed, Bradley steals a uniform meant for Rogers and wears it on a suicide mission to destroy the Nazi super-soldier effort at a German concentration camp. Bradley is captured but the U.S. Army rescues and court martials him. He is imprisoned for 17 years in Leavenworth until pardoned by President Eisenhower. By the time of his release, the long-term effects of the formula have turned Bradley into a hulking, sterile giant with the mentality of a seven-year-old. Rogers does not find out about Bradley until decades later.^[28] The Patriot, a member of the Young Avengers, is Bradley's grandson.^[29]

Further revelations later explain that Operation: Rebirth is funded and secretly a part of the Weapon Plus program, a clandestine government organization devoted to the creation of superhumans to combat and exterminate mutants. Rogers is "Weapon I," the first-generation living weapon. Following his disappearance, subsequent phases involve experimentation on animals, racial minorities, criminals, and mutants, with results including Wolverine and Fantomex.^[30]

In 1945, during the closing days of World War II, Captain America and Bucky try to stop the villainous Baron Zemo from destroying an experimental drone plane. Zemo launches the plane with an armed explosive on it, with Rogers and Barnes in hot pursuit. They reach the plane just before it takes off, but when Bucky tries to defuse the bomb, it explodes in mid-air. The young man is believed killed, and Rogers is hurled into the freezing waters of the North Atlantic. Neither body is found, and both are presumed dead.^[31]

[edit] Late 1940s–1950s: After Steve Rogers

Fearing it would be a blow to American morale if Captain America's demise is revealed, President Truman asks William Naslund, the patriotically costumed Golden Age hero the Spirit of '76, to assume the role, with a young man named Fred Davis as Bucky. They continue to serve in the same roles after the war with the All-Winners Squad, until the android Adam II fatally injures Naslund in 1946.^[12] After Naslund's death, Jeff Mace, the Golden Age Patriot, takes over as Captain America, with Davis continuing as Bucky; however, Davis is shot and injured in 1948 and forced to retire. Mace trains FBI agent Betsy Ross as his new partner, the costumed crime-fighter Golden Girl, and sometime before 1953 gives up his Captain America identity to marry her. Mace develops cancer and dies decades later.^[32]

In 1953, an unnamed man (who later goes by the title "The Grand Director") who idolizes Captain America and who had done his American History Ph.D. thesis on Rogers discovers Nazi files in a German warehouse, one of which contains the lost formula for the Super Soldier serum. He takes it to the United States government on the condition that they use it to make him the fourth Captain America. Needing a symbol for the Korean War, they agree, and the man undergoes plastic surgery to look like Steve Rogers, even assuming his name. The war ends and the project is never completed. "Rogers" finds a teaching job at the Lee School, where he meets Jack Monroe, a young orphan who also idolizes Captain America. They use the formula on themselves and become the new Captain America and Bucky, this time fighting Communism.^[33]

"Rogers" and Monroe do not know of, and therefore do not undergo, the "Vita-Ray" process, and the imperfect implementation of the formula in their systems makes them paranoid. By the middle of 1954, they are irrationally attacking anyone they perceive to be a Communist. In 1955 the FBI places them in suspended animation. The 1950s Captain America and Bucky are revived in the early 1970s, several years after the return of Steve Rogers. They go on another rampage and are defeated by the man after whom they had modeled themselves.^[11]

[edit] 1960s–1970s: Return of Steve Rogers

Years later,^[31] the superhero team the Avengers discovers Steve Rogers' body in the North Atlantic, his costume under his soldier's uniform and still carrying his shield. After he revives, they piece together that Rogers had been preserved in a block of ice since 1945. The block had begun to melt after the Sub-Mariner, enraged that an Arctic Inuit tribe is worshiping the frozen figure, throws it into the ocean. Rogers accepts membership in the Avengers, and although long out of his time, his considerable combat experience makes him a valuable asset to the team. He quickly assumes leadership, and has typically returned to that position throughout the team's history.

Captain America is plagued by guilt for being unable to prevent Bucky's death — a feeling that does not ease for some time. Although he takes the young Rick Jones (who closely resembles Bucky) under his tutelage, he refuses for some time to allow Jones to take up the Bucky identity, not wishing to be responsible for another youth's death. Jones eventually convinces Rogers to let him don the Bucky costume,^[34] but this partnership lasts only a short time; a disguised Red Skull, impersonating Rogers with the help of the Cosmic Cube, drives Jones away.

Rogers also reunites with his old war comrade Nick Fury, who is similarly well preserved thanks to his Infinity Formula ingestions. As a result, Rogers regularly undertakes missions for the security agency S.H.I.E.L.D. for which Fury was executive director.^[35] Through Fury, Rogers befriends Sharon Carter, a SHIELD agent, with whom he eventually begins a romantic relationship.

Rogers later meets and trains Sam Wilson, who becomes the superhero the Falcon, one of the early African-American superheroes in comic books. As a result, the pair have a partnership and friendship that has remained strong at varying levels to this day, (including sharing the title for some time as Captain America and the Falcon). ^[36] The two later encounter the revived but still insane 1950s Captain America.^[11] Although Rogers and the Falcon defeat the faux Rogers and Jack Monroe, Rogers becomes deeply disturbed that he could have suffered his counterpart's fate.

The series also dealt with the Marvel Universe's version of the Watergate scandal, making Rogers so uncertain about his role that he abandons his Captain America identity in favor of one called Nomad. During this time, several men unsuccessfully assume the Captain America identity.^[37] Rogers eventually re-assumes it after coming to consider that the identity could be a symbol of American ideals and not its government. Jack Monroe, cured of his mental instability, later takes up the Nomad alias.^[38] During this period, Rogers also temporarily gains super strength.^[39]

[edit] 1980s

In the 1980s, in addition to runs from such acclaimed creators as John Byrne, the series reveals the true face and full origin of the Red Skull. Long-time writer Mark Gruenwald explores numerous political and social themes, such as extreme idealism when Captain America fights the anti-nationalist terrorist Flag-Smasher;^[40] and vigilantism when he hunts the murderous Scourge of the Underworld.^[41]

Rogers receives a large back-pay reimbursement dating back to his disappearance at the end of World War II, and a government commission orders him to work directly for the U.S. government. Already troubled by the corruption he had encountered with the Nuke incident in New York City,^[42] Rogers chooses instead to resign his identity and take the alias of "the Captain.” A replacement Captain America, John Walker, struggles to emulate Rogers' ideals until pressure from hidden enemies helps to drive Walker insane. Rogers returns to the Captain America identity while a recovered Walker becomes the U.S. Agent.^[43]

[edit] 1990s

Sometime afterward, Rogers avoids the explosion of a methamphetamine lab, but the drug triggers a chemical reaction in the Super-Soldier serum in his system. To combat the reaction, Rogers has the serum removed from his body, and trains constantly to maintain his physical condition.

A retcon later establishes that the serum was not a drug per se, which would have metabolized out of his system, but in fact a virus that effected a biochemical and genetic change. This additionally explained how archnemesis Red Skull, who at the time inhabited a body cloned from Rogers' cells, also has the formula in his body.

Because of his altered biochemistry, Rogers' body begins to deteriorate, and for a time he must wear a powered exoskeleton and is eventually placed again in suspended animation. During this time, he is given a transfusion of blood from the Red Skull, which cures his condition and stabilizes the Super-Soldier virus in his system. Captain America returns both to crime fighting and the Avengers.^[44]

[edit] 21st century

Rogers reveals his identity to the world, and establishes a residence in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York.^[45]

Following the events of Avengers Disassembled, again under the employ of S.H.I.E.L.D., Rogers discovers that Bucky is alive, having been saved and deployed by Soviet espionage interests as the Winter Soldier. It is revealed that Bucky was actually a 16-year-old operative who had been initially trained by the U.S. to perform missions that Rogers was not asked to do, such as covert assassinations conducted without Rogers' knowledge.

Rogers resumes his on-again, off-again relationship with S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Sharon Carter.

In the 2006-2007 "Civil War" crossover, Captain America opposes mandatory federal registration of all super-powered beings, which he sees as an erosion of civil liberties for the superhero community, and leads the Anti-Registration faction and resistance movement. He becomes a fugitive and opposes the heroes of the Pro-Registration group, including his former friend Iron Man. He adopts the alias "Brett Hendrick,” a mall security guard, to avoid government detection.^[46] As the War continues, Cap enlists the assistance of several figures whom he would not choose to ally himself with under normal circumstances, such as the Punisher and the Kingpin.^[47]

During the climactic battle between pro- and anti-Registration superheroes, Captain America confronts and batters Iron Man and has victory within his grasp. However, when a group of civilians attempt to restrain him, Rogers realizes that he is endangering the very people he has sworn to protect. He removes his mask, surrenders to authorities as Steve Rogers, and orders the anti-Registration forces to stand down. As Rogers is led away in handcuffs, the Punisher retrieves Captain America's discarded mask.

[edit] Death

Following his surrender, Steve Rogers is indicted on multiple criminal charges. As he is brought to a federal courthouse, a sniper shoots him in the back. In the crowd chaos that ensues, he is wounded an additional three times by gunshots to the stomach and chest. Rogers is taken to a hospital, where he dies.^[48] The assassination, orchestrated by the Red Skull, involves Crossbones deployed as the sniper. In addition, Dr. Faustus, posing as a S.H.I.E.L.D. psychiatrist, gave Sharon Carter a hypnotic suggestion she believes caused her to shoot Rogers at a crucial moment.^[48]

The superhero community is shaken by the assassination. The Punisher adopts a costume similar to that of Captain America, while Winter Soldier and Wolverine seek to avenge his death. His shield is stolen by Winter Soldier. Captain America is publicly laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery, under a monument built in his honor. The body in Arlington is a fake: Tony Stark, accompanied by Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne, returns Steve Rogers' real body to the Arctic where he was found all those years ago, frozen in ice. Namor attends the small private ceremony and swears that as long as he rules the seas, no one shall disturb Captain America's rest.^[49]

[edit] Replacement

Sometime later, an attorney gives Tony Stark a package containing a photo of Captain America and Bucky in World War II, and Steve Rogers' final request: that Stark "save" Bucky, and that the mantle of Captain America should continue.^[50] This will unfold in Captain America #34, the identity of the person taking up the mantle has not been revealed, but will feature an all new suit, knife, guns, and the classic shield. Image:New Cap Suit.jpg

[edit] Powers and abilities

Captain America has no superhuman powers, although as a result of the Super-Soldier serum, he is transformed from a frail young man into a "perfect" specimen of human development and conditioning. Captain America is as intelligent, strong, fast, agile, and durable as it is possible for a human being to be without being considered superhuman. It has been established that Rogers' body regularly creates the super-soldier serum; it does not wear off.^[51]

He has incredible strength and has been depicted being able to bench-press 1100 pounds (500 kg) unassisted.^[52]

The formula enhances all of his metabolic functions and prevents the build-up of fatigue poisons in his muscles, giving him endurance far in excess of an ordinary human being. This accounts for many of his extraordinary feats, including running a mile (1.6 km) in little more than a minute.^[53] Furthermore, his enhancements are the reason why he was able to survive being frozen in suspended animation for decades. Rogers is also unable to become intoxicated by alcohol and is immune to many diseases, as he also heals faster then normal.

Mentally, Rogers' battle experience and training make him an expert tactician and an excellent field commander, with his teammates frequently deferring to his orders in battle. Rogers' reflexes and senses are also extraordinarily keen. He is a master of multiple martial arts, including boxing, jujutsu, aikido and judo, combined with his virtually superhuman gymnastic ability into his own unique fighting style with advanced pressure-point fighting. Years of practice with his indestructible shield make it practically an extension of his own body, and he is able to aim and throw it with almost unerring accuracy. His skill with his shield is such that he can attack multiple targets in succession with a single throw by use of ricochets, or even cause a boomerang-like return from a throw to attack an enemy from behind. He is extremely skilled in hand-to-hand combat, sometimes taking on and defeating foes whose strength, size, or other powers greatly exceed his own. In the comics, he is regarded by other skilled fighters as one of the best hand-to-hand combatants in the Marvel Universe.^[54][55]

Rogers has vast U.S. military knowledge and is often shown to be familiar with ongoing, highly-classified Defense Department operations. Despite his high profile as one of the world's most popular and recognizable superheroes, Rogers also has a broad understanding of the espionage community, largely through his ongoing relationship with S.H.I.E.L.D.. He occasionally makes forays into mundane career fields, including commercial arts, comic book artistry, education (high school history) and law enforcement.

[edit] Weapons and equipment

Further information: Captain America's shield

Captain America uses several shields throughout his history, the most recognizable of which is a nigh-indestructible discus-shaped shield made from a fusion of Vibranium with an experimental steel alloy.^[56] This alloy was created by accident and never duplicated, although efforts to reverse-engineer it results in the creation of adamantium. Cable reveals to Captain America that this shield still exists in one of the possible futures; Cable carries it into battle and brandishes it as a symbol.^[57] Captain America often uses his shield as an offensive throwing weapon. The first instance of Captain America's trademark ricocheting shield-toss occurs in future Marvel editor-in-chief Stan Lee's first comics writing, the two-page text story "Captain America Foils the Traitor's Revenge" in Captain America Comics #3 (May 1941).^[58]

Captain America's uniform is made of a fire-retardant material, and he wears a lightweight "duralumin" scale armor beneath his uniform for added protection.^[24] Originally, Rogers' mask was a separate piece of material, but an early engagement had it dislodged, thus almost exposing his identity. To prevent a recurrence of the situation, Rogers modified the mask with connecting material to his uniform, an added benefit of which was extending his armor to cover his previously exposed neck. Since then, events have forced him to reveal his identity to the world. As a member of the Avengers, Rogers has an Avengers priority card, which serves as a communications device.

Captain America has also used a custom special Harley Davidson motorcycle, modified by the S.H.I.E.L.D. weapons laboratory.

[edit] Enemies

Further information: Enemies of Captain America

[edit] Alternate versions of Captain America

Main article: Alternate versions of Captain America

[edit] Characters who have used the "Captain America" name

Many other people, or other versions of Steve Rogers, have taken on the Captain America identity. There have been past and future versions, such as an ancestor of Steve Rogers^[59] and people in alternate universes (see below and Vance Astro). Following the apparent death of Rogers at the end of the war, The Spirit of '76, the Patriot, and others took on the name and tradition. The Commie Smasher Captain America, a number of unnamed individuals,^[60] The Falcon,^[61] Bob Russo, "Scar" Turpin and Roscoe,^[62] have also worn the suit. The U.S. government sponsored the U.S. Agent,^[63] and on occasion, Clint Barton^[64] wore the costume when Rogers retired or appeared to die during a storyline. In addition, those whose ideals don't match, or are diametrically opposed to Captain America's, have worn suits based on or parodying the suit, including The Anti-Cap, The Punisher, and the new Hate-Monger.

[edit] In other media

Main article: Captain America in other media

[edit] Selected bibliography

• Captain America: The Classic Years Vol. 1 (collects Captain America Comics #1-5 by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby)
• Captain America: The Classic Years Vol. 2 (collects Captain America Comics #6-10 by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby)
• Marvel Masterworks Captain America Vol. 1 (collects Tales of Suspense #59-81 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby)
• Marvel Masterworks Captain America Vol. 2 (collects Tales of Suspense #82-99, Captain America #100 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby)
• Marvel Masterworks Captain America Vol. 3 (collects Captain America #101-113 by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Jim Steranko)
• Essential Captain America Vol. 1 (collects Captain America Comics #5, Tales of Suspense #59-99, Captain America #100-102 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby)
• Essential Captain America Vol. 2 (collects Captain America #103-126 by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Jim Steranko, Gene Colan and others)
• Essential Captain America Vol. 3 (collects Captain America #127-156 by Stan Lee, Gary Friedrich, Gerry Conway, Steve Englehart, Gene Colan, John Romita, Gil Kane, Sal Buscema)
• Captain America and the Falcon: Secret Empire (collects Captain America #169-176 by Steve Englehart and Sal Buscema)
• Captain America and the Falcon: Nomad (collects Captain America #177-186 by Steve Englehart and Sal Buscema)
• Captain America and the Falcon: Madbomb (collects Captain America #193-200 by Jack Kirby)
• Captain America and the Falcon: Bicentennial Battles (collects Captain America #201-205, Marvel Treasury Special by Jack Kirby)
• Captain America and the Falcon: The Swine (collects Captain America #206-214, Annual #3-4 by Jack Kirby)
• Captain America: War and Remembrance (collects Captain America #247-255 by Roger Stern and John Byrne)
• Captain America: Deathlok Lives (collects Captain America #286-288 by J. M. DeMatteis and Mike Zeck)
• Captain America: The Bloodstone Hunt (collects Captain America #357-364 by Mark Gruenwald)
• Captain America: Operation Rebirth (by Mark Waid and Ron Garney)
• Captain America: Man Without a Country (by Mark Waid and Ron Garney)
• Heroes Reborn: Captain America (collects Captain America vol. 2 #1-12)
• Captain America: To Serve and Protect (collects Captain America vol. 3 #1-8 by Mark Waid and Ron Garney)
• Captain America vol. 1 The New Deal (collects Captain America vol. 4 #1-6 by John Ney Rieber and John Cassaday)
• Captain America vol. 2 The Extremists (collects Captain America vol. 4 #7-11 by John Ney Reiber, Chuck Austen, Jae Lee and José Villarubia)
• Captain America vol. 3 Ice (collects Captain America vol. 4 #12-16 by Chuck Austen and Jae Lee)
• Captain America vol. 4 Captain America Lives Again (collects Captain America vol. 4 #17-20 by Dave Gibbons and Lee Weeks)
• Truth: Red, White & Black (collects Truth: Red, White & Black #1-7 by Robert Morales and Kyle Baker)
• Captain America vol. 5 Homeland (collects Captain America vol. 4 #21-28 by Robert Morales, Chris Bachalo and Eddie Campbell)
• Captain America and the Falcon vol. 1: Two Americas (collects #1-4 by Christopher Priest and Bart Sears)
• Captain America and the Falcon vol. 2: Brothers and Keepers (collects #8-14 by Christopher Priest and Joe Bennett)
• Captain America: Winter Soldier vol. 1 (collects Captain America vol. 5 #1-7 by Ed Brubaker, Steve Epting and Michael Lark)
• Captain America: Winter Soldier vol. 2 (collects Captain America vol. 5 #8-9, 11-14 by Ed Brubaker, Steve Epting and Michael Lark)
• Captain America: Red Menace vol. 1 (collects Captain America vol. 5 #15-17, 65th Anniversary Special by Ed Brubaker, Mike Perkins, Javier Pulido and Marcos Martin)
• Captain America: Red Menace vol. 2 (collects Captain America vol. 5 #18-21 by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting)
• Captain America: Civil War (collects Captain America vol. 5 #22-24, Winter Soldier: Winter Kills by Ed Brubaker, Mike Perkins and Lee Weeks)
• Captain America Omnibus (collect vol. 5 #1-25, 65th Anniversary Special, Winter Soldier: Winter Kills)

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] References

• Daniels, Les. Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades of the World's Greatest Comics. Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1993. ISBN 0-8109-8146-7
• Gladstone, Brooke. On The Media (March 9, 2007): Transcript (and streaming audio) of "Death to America". Retrieved July 27, 2007.
• Powell, Matt. Wizard (March 7, 2007): "Captain America Remembered". Retrieved July 27, 2007.
• Wright, Bradford W. Comic Book Nation: The Transformation of Youth Culture in America. Johns Hopkins, 2001. ISBN 0-8018-7450-5
• Simon, Joe and Simon, Jim. The Comic Book Makers. Crestwood/II Publications, 1990.

[edit] External links

• ComicBookDB.com: Captain America (01 - Steve Rogers)
• Captain America Civil War cover appearances
• http://www.simoncomics.com/jscbm.htm