Captain America is a superhero created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby who appears in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. In 2024, the Statue of Liberty is modified and undergoes construction to replace the torch with Captain America's shield. Young orphan, Steve is attacked by bullies in Hell's Kitchen. [102] An early draft of the film experimented with Rogers first appearing in the film saving Vision from Corvus Glaive during the third act. Steve Rogers, dubbed Captain America, acquires a kid sidekickplucky regimental mascot Bucky Barnesand embarks on a career of enthusiastic Nazi-bashing. [4] Simon sought to have Jack Kirby be the primary artist on the series: the two developed a working relationship and friendship in the late 1930s after working together at Fox Feature Syndicate, and had previously developed characters for Timely together. [85] In The Avengers (2012), Rogers is shown to have switched to a Softail Slim model for commuting around New York City, before using the Street 750 model when fleeing from pursuing Hydra agents in The Winter Soldier. Agents possessed by Loki, including Clint Barton, attack the Helicarrier, disabling one of its engines in flight, which Stark and Rogers work together to restart. It is both a virtually indestructible defensive object and a highly aerodynamic offensive weapon: when thrown, it is capable of ricocheting off multiple surfaces and returning to the original thrower. Audience identification with Captain America was central to that success. The character was nevertheless a cornerstone of the Marvel Universe in the 1960s, and, with Lee and Kirby at the peak of their powers, the stories were a compelling read. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. If you don't know where you've come from, you don't know where you're going". The arc is, I finally get to put my shield down because I've earned that. Rogers, Romanoff, and Lang visit Stark but he refuses to help. [3][4] He rationalized that Hitler was the "best villain of them all" as he was "hated by everyone in the free world",[4] and that it would be a unique approach for a superhero to face a real-life adversary rather than a fictional one. The Birthplace of the United States. [58], In 1999, Joe Simon filed to claim the copyright to Captain America under a provision of the Copyright Act of 1976 that allows the original creators of works that have been sold to corporations to reclaim them after the original 56-year copyright term has expired. The newly formed Avengers find Rogerss thawing body and revive him. [48] The incident causes a disillusioned Steve Rogers to briefly drop the moniker of Captain America to become "Nomad, the man without a country", though he later vowed to "reclaim the ideals of America, which its leaders have trampled upon" and again assumed the role of Captain America. Season 1, Episode 1 - Review", "Avengers: Endgame The History of Captain America's Climactic Moment", "Captain America: Why He Started (and Stopped) Using Wakandan Shields", "Here Are The Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Driven By Captain America", "The Russo Brothers Finally Answer Whether Cap Went to a Different Timeline in 'Avengers: Endgame', "Endgame Director Confirms Captain America Traveled Back to Main Timeline", "Peggy Carter's Husband in Captain America: Winter Soldier Was Steve Rogers", "Marvel Confirms the Insane Amount of Calories Captain America Burned In a Day", "Marvel Studios Unveils Sam Wilson as Captain America in New Poster", "How the MCU Was Made: Changing the Game with 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier', "Iron Man and Cap' Voted Fans' Favorite Avengers", "The Marvel Cinematic Universe's Most Popular Characters", "How Iron Man and Captain America took Marvel from upstart to juggernaut", "How Captain America became the heart of the MCU", "What Chris Evans Has Done for Captain America", "All 3 Marvel Cinematic Universe Trilogies Ranked", "Why Captain America is Marvel's Best Trilogy", "Why the Captain America Trilogy is the Best Part of the MCU", "An Extended Conversation with Kevin Feige", "Future Shocks: What's ahead for Avi Arad and his Marvel empire", "Exclusive: Ryan Phillippe Confirms 'Captain America' Audition", "This week's cover: An exclusive first look at 'Captain America: The First Avenger', "Joss Whedon Discusses His Contributions to The First Avenger: Captain America", "The Hilarious Story Behind Spider-Man: Homecoming's Captain America PSAs", "Avengers: Endgame Script Reveals What Year Steve Rogers Reunited With Peggy", "Marvel Is Replacing The Statue of Liberty With Captain America In Phase 4", "Yelena Actress Reacts to Hawkeye's Poignant Scene at Avengers Memorial", "Why Steve Rogers Is President In What If Episode 8 (& Not Fighting Ultron)", "Russo brothers tapped for 'Captain America 2', "Chris Evans To Helm '1:30 Train' Before Reprising Captain America In 'Avengers 2', "New "Spider-Man: Homecoming" trailer teases Iron Man, Captain America", "Chris Hemsworth Reveals the 3 Marvel Movies Left on His Contract", "One of Captain Marvel's post-credits scenes is great news for Avengers: Endgame", "Chris Evans Is Probably Done Playing Captain America After 'Avengers 4', "Uncovered: 'Captain America's' Skinny Steve Rogers Leander Deeny", "Avengers Endgame: Captain America 'old man' body double teased twist LONG before release", "Captain America Eyes Return To The MCU As Chris Evans Nears Deal To Reprise Role In Future Marvel Project", "Chris Evans Says His Reported Return as Captain America Is "News to Me", "Captain America's Shield Spotted in Iron Man", "10 Most Paused Moments In Marvel Cinematic Universe Movies", "Thor: The Dark World Features An Avengers Cameo", "Cap's New Shield In 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' Could Mean The End Of The 'Civil War', "No, Spider-Man: Far From Home Didn't Just Kill An Avenger", "The Eternal Ikaris Thinks He Can Lead the Avengers", "Every Version of Loki Seen in Episode 5 of 'Loki' Explained", "Loki Director Unpacks How the Finale's Nostalgia-Filled Opening Came to Be", "Captain America: Q&A with Costume Designer Anna B. Sheppard", "Exclusive: The "Art of Captain America" with Ryan Meinerding", "Alexandra Byrne Describes The Design Process Behind The Costumes In The Avengers", "Chris Evans on starting 'Avengers 2,' retiring", "5 Simple cosplays you can put together to watch Avengers: Endgame", "Looking back at the bad fashion of the MCU's Phase One", "A Serious Critique of the MCU's Street Style", "47 details you might have missed on 'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier', "Captain America Motorcycle is a Harley-Davidson Street 750", "Harley Street 750 & Breakout in 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier', "What Kind of Motorcycles Does Captain America Ride? What If the World Lost Its Mightiest Heroes? This revised backstory did not acknowledge the 1950s "Commie Smasher" incarnation of the character, who in the 1970s would be retconned as, This shift was enabled by a change to the, government efforts to regulate superheroes, "The Roger Stern Interview: The Triumphs and Trials of the Writer", "Marvel Reaches Agreement to Emerge from Bankruptcy", "Joe Simon, a Creator of Captain America, Fighting On", "Captain America No. Stark returns to the Compound, revealing he has unlocked the key to successful time travel, and he and Rogers conclude their nearly decade-long feud, reestablishing their trust in one another with Stark returning Rogers' shield. Both he and McFeely knew he was going to get "the dance" he promised Peggy Carter in The First Avenger, with McFeely saying, "He's postponed a life in order to fulfill his duty. Rumlow attempts to kill Rogers with a suicide bomb, but Maximoff saves him. [11] While the front cover of the issue featured Captain America punching Hitler, the comic itself established the Red Skull as Captain America's primary adversary, and also introduced Bucky Barnes as Captain America's teenaged sidekick. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. [86] Ultimately, it is revealed that Rogers did not die, but became displaced in space and time; he is ultimately able to return to the present. [54] In contrast to DeMatteis, Gruenwald placed less emphasis on Steve Rogers' life as a civilian, wishing to show "that Steve Rogers is Captain America first [] he has no greater needs than being Captain America. Over the next two years, Rogers and the Howling Commandos help to turn the tide of the war in favor of the Allies. [132], The title of "Captain America" has been used by other characters in the Marvel Universe in addition to Steve Rogers. Rogers, with newfound purpose in the modern world, rides off on his motorcycle. [54] Their run featured a year-long storyline in which Captain America faced a crisis of confidence in the face of what Dematteis described as "Reagan Cold War rhetoric"[54] that was originally planned culminate in Captain America #300 with Captain America renunciating violence to become a pacifist; that ending was rejected by Marvel editor-in-chief Jim Shooter, causing Dematteis to resign from the series in protest. After returning the Infinity Stones to their original timelines, he remains in the 1940s with his lost love Peggy Carter; they marry and Rogers lives a full life. [33][e] Captain America solo stories written by Lee with Kirby as the primary penciller were published in the anthology Tales of Suspense alongside solo stories focused on fellow Avengers member Iron Man beginning in November 1964; the character also appeared in Lee and Kirby's World War II-set Sgt. June 1, 2013 JPEG. 2023-Rogers uses Loki's scepter to render 2012-Rogers unconscious. [] All he has to serve him are his extraordinary combat skills, his shield, and his unquenchable love for freedom and justice. "[104], "Cap is one of the hardest hero characters to write, because the writer cannot use some exotic super-power to make his episodes seem colorful. [79] His resolve is nevertheless noticed by the military, and he is recruited as the first test subject for "Project Rebirth", a secret government program that seeks to create super soldiers through the development of the "Super-Soldier Serum". [73] This was followed by a run written by Nick Spencer beginning in 2016, in which Captain America was replaced by a version of himself loyal to the villainous organization Hydra, culminating in the 2017 crossover event Secret Empire. In 2015, in the Eastern European country of Sokovia, Rogers leads the Avengers against a Hydra facility to recover Loki's scepter. [79] In Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Rogers receives new vibranium gauntlets from Shuri to replace his traditional shield. Updated: Sep 7, 2022 (1981-) Who Is Chris Evans? For the film character, see, 1980s and 1990s: Post-Vietnam and "Heroes Reborn", Members of the Sentinels of Liberty received a membership card and a metal Captain America badge in exchange for a ten cent membership fee, though badge distribution was later discontinued due to wartime. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics (March 1941), from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. Unveiled in October 2020, a bronze bust of the Star Trek character Kathryn Janeway marks the spot where the starship commander will be born on May 20, 2336. The True Birthplace of America JAMESTOWN 1607 Jamestown, Virginia founded in 1607 is the first permanent English settlement in North America, making Williamsburg, Virginia the true "Birthplace of America" "HISTORY IN THE MAKING" "I have great respect for the past. Senator Brandt takes advantage of the media hype around Rogers' actions, and has him tour the nation in a colorful costume with the title of Captain America to promote the sale of war bonds. In 2011, Rogers awakens in a 1940s-style hospital room. [139] When the character was killed in 2007, he was eulogized in numerous mainstream media outlets including The New York Times[143] and The Los Angeles Times,[138] with the former describing him as a "national hero". [49] Jack Kirby wrote and illustrated run on Captain America and the Falcon from 1975 to 1977. Rogers and Romanoff are sent with S.H.I.E.L.D. [2] The hero's civilian name "Steve Rogers" was derived from the telegraphy term "roger", meaning "message received". They fight at Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany, until Romanoff helps Rogers and Barnes escape. Walker indicates his desire to fill Rogers' shoes but comes into conflict with Wilson and Barnes, who refuse to work with him and the Global Repatriation Council (GRC) in tracking down the Flag Smashers, a group of terrorist super soldiers. "[91] A key moment in The Avengers occurs when Stark, who had been dismissive of Rogers at earlier points in the film, defers to Rogers as leader of the newly formed team to defend New York against a large-scale attack. His father was an Army soldier who fought and died in the First World War. [67] Contemporaneously, Captain America was a central character in the 2006 crossover event Civil War written by Mark Millar and penciled by Steve McNiven, which saw the character come into conflict with fellow Avengers member Iron Man over government efforts to regulate superheroes. [115] Rick Jones briefly assumed the role of Captain America's sidekick and the public identity of Bucky following Captain America's return to comics in the 1960s. [9][10] During his fight against the Nazi secret organization Hydra, he became frozen in the Arctic for nearly seventy years until being revived in the 21st century. June 1, 2013 TIFF. officially disbands and after Rogers recovers from his injuries, he and Wilson partner together to find Barnes. 1. [65] The series depicted Captain America fighting terrorists modelled after Al-Qaeda; Cassady noted that while the series was criticized for its political content, he stated that the aim of the series was to depict "the emotions this hero was going through" in the wake of 9/11, and the "guilt and anger a man in his position would feel". When Barnes regains his senses, he explains that Zemo is the real Vienna bomber and wanted the location of the Siberian Hydra base, where other brainwashed "Winter Soldiers" are kept in cryogenic stasis. [22][23] Timely's publication of Captain America Comics led the company to be targeted with threatening letters and phone calls from the German American Bund, an American Nazi organization. However, after the Space Stone plan goes awry, it necessitates a trip to 1970 so that Stark can recover it from a S.H.I.E.L.D. [19], Though Captain America was not the first United States-themed superhero a distinction that belongs to The Shield at MLJ Comics[20] he would become the most popular patriotic American superhero of those created during World War II. "[4] Kirby designed the series' action scenes with an emphasis on a sense of continuity across panels, saying that he "choreographed" the sequences as one would a ballet, with a focus on exaggerated character movement. Rogers and Romanoff are shocked when Lang arrives at the Avengers Compound and explains that he has been trapped in the Quantum Realm for five years and suggests using it as a form of time travel. They meet Banner at a diner who agrees, however, their initial attempts at time travel are unsuccessful. [107], Evans' portrayal of the character has been positively received by fans and critics. Ikaris verbalizes a belief that he could lead the team, but Gilgamesh rebuffs the idea. Captain America immediately joins the Avengers and becomes something of an elder statesman among them. When a group of survivors attempt to escape New York by train, a zombified Rogers infects Sharon Carter before fighting Bucky Barnes, who slices Rogers in half using his shield. [55], Writer Mark Gruenwald, editor of Captain America from 1982 to 1985, served as writer on the series from 1985 to 1995. Chris Evans played the star-spangled hero in a film that expanded on Marvels cinematic universe in a manner that delighted both comics fans and critics. [135], "Steve Rogers" redirects here. It's more about the societal differences. The Avengers succeed in obtaining the scepter and Rogers captures Hydra leader Baron Strucker. Fury and his Howling Commandos beginning in December same year. ", Media scholar J. Richard Stevens notes that Steve Rogers' personality has shifted across his editorial history, a fact he sees as a natural consequence of the character being written and re-interpreted by many writers over the span of multiple decades. A S.H.I.E.L.D. They detonate, causing an avalanche after which Rogers is presumed dead. [137], "Over the years, Captain America's story has accurately reflected U.S. attitudes, as our country moved from the self-confidence of the early Cold War to the guilt-ridden angst of the 1970s to the revival of national pride that characterized the Reagan 1980s. Omissions? Various artists illustrated the series over the course of Gruenwald's decade-long run, notably Paul Neary from 1985 to 1987, and Kieron Dwyer from 1988 to 1990. The run reintroduced Captain America's previously deceased partner Bucky Barnes as the Winter Soldier, a brainwashed cybernetic assassin. Feature films. In Stuttgart, Rogers and Loki have a brief physical confrontation until Tony Stark arrives, resulting in Loki's surrender. At the outset of World War II, Rogers attempts to enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces but is repeatedly rejected due to his numerous health problems. [11], Rogers is a central figure in the MCU, appearing in eleven films as of 2023. However, the restored Avengers, the Guardians, the Wakandan army, Masters of the Mystic Arts, Ravagers, and Asgardians arrive and Rogers rallies them all in a final battle against Thanos. In 2012, he is approached by Fury, who has activated the "Avengers Initiative", with an assignment to retrieve the stolen Tesseract from Loki. [36] Regarding the extent of the character's abilities Evans remarked, "He would crush the Olympics. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The revised round shield went on to become an iconic element of the character;[20] its use as a discus-like throwing weapon originated in a short prose story in Captain America Comics #3, written by Stan Lee in his professional debut as a writer. Returning to the Avengers Compound, Rogers and Romanoff assess the worldwide casualties and discover that Thanos destroyed half of all living things. Instead, Peggy Carter receives the serum, transforming into Captain Carter. [83], In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, Rogers reveals his secret identity to the world. [152] The character also appeared in the ensemble films ensemble films The Avengers (2012),[153] Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015),[154] Avengers: Infinity War (2018),[155] and Avengers: Endgame (2019). Barely four years later, however, Captain America returned in Young Men no. He argues that this was an intentional device, writing that these critics "failed to grasp the true implication of his being. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Captain-America, Academia - Captain America: Masculinity Behind the Sheild, The Ohio State University - Origins - Captain America: Changing Conscience of a Nation, CBR.com - The 17 Best Silver Age Marvel Comics, The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction - Captain America, Captain America - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). At Avengers Tower, the Avengers have a dispute over the synthetic body which is activated and becomes Vision. See all related content . Captain America Comics ended with issue no. He meets and trains Sam Wilson, who becomes the superhero the Falcon, and they establish an enduring friendship and partnership. Buoyed by increased popularity from the character's appearances in the MCU, Captain America began appearing in television series in more prominent roles beginning in the 2010s, such as The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes (20102012). [31] In February 2006, Arad hoped to have a summer 2008 theatrical release date. In a final mission to stop Hydra at their research facility, the Commandos find a captured Rogers and the Hydra Stomper suit. In 1942, while attending the Stark Expo with his best friend, James Barnes, Rogers again attempts to enlist. [26] This prompted a variety of attempts to reposition Captain America, including having the character fight gangsters rather than wartime enemies in Captain America Comics #42 (October 1944), appearing as a high school teacher in Captain America Comics #59 (August 1946), and joining Timely's first superhero team, the All-Winners Squad, in All Winners Comics #19 (Fall 1946). [40] Steve Rogers is also a skilled visual artist, having worked as a commercial illustrator prior to joining the military, and several storylines have depicted the character working as a freelance artist. Captain America: The First Avenger. The public did not warm to it. He's a great guy. Wilson, with assistance from Barnes, Walker, and Sharon Carter, defeats the Flag Smashers, and Wilson convinces the GRC to end its forced resettlement practices. Avengers: Age of Ultron. [81] In his earliest appearance, designed by Sheppard, "post-serum Steve was All-American in a devastatingly tight white tee and khaki pants",[82] while in The Avengers Byrne made him "sophisticated enough to beautifully blend plaids and stripes. 1. The character debuted in March 1941 in Captain America Comics no. [37] Evans, who previously worked with Marvel as the Human Torch in the Fantastic Four film series, initially declined the part three times before signing a six-picture deal with Marvel,[38] saying, "I think Marvel is doing a lot of good things right now, and it's a fun character. Rogers asks Carter and engineer Howard Stark to fly him behind enemy lines to mount a solo rescue attempt. The club proved so popular that its badge promotion had to be discontinued because of wartime metal rationing. He is recruited into the Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR) as part of a super-soldier experiment under Erskine, U.S. Army Colonel Chester Phillips, and British MI6 agent Peggy Carter. So it wasn't necessarily about the comic itself. Is the whole thing going to fall apart?' director Nick Fury informs him that he has been frozen in suspended animation for nearly 70 years. Captain America: First Vengeance Prologue. Despite disobeying orders, Rogers is rewarded for his heroics and is formally promoted to the rank of Captain. Whedon said in August, "I just got to make some character connections. He is made Captain America's partner in that same issue after accidentally discovering the character's secret identity. After Danvers brings Stark and Nebula to the Compound, Rogers leads Rocket, Danvers, Thor, Romanoff, Rhodes, Banner, and Nebula into space to hunt Thanos. [81] For example, the conspiracy storyline of "Secret Empire" reflected what writer Steve Englehart saw as broad disillusionment with American institutions in the wake of the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal,[82] the "Streets of Poison" storyline by Mark Gruenwald in the 1990s reflected anxieties around the drug trade and debates on the war on drugs,[82] and "Civil War" by Mark Millar was widely interpreted as an allegory for the Patriot Act and post-9/11 debates on the balance between national security and civil liberties. In 2016, Rogers, Maximoff, Romanoff, and Wilson stop Rumlow, now working as a mercenary, from stealing a biological weapon from a lab in Lagos. "It was a time of deep passion. [50] This was followed by issues authored by a number of writers and artists, including Roy Thomas, Donald F. Glut, Roger McKenzie, and Sal Buscema; the series was also re-titled Captain America beginning with issue 223 in 1978. The timing was perfect, and the unusual move of starting a new character in his own comic book would prove to be very successful. [] He is 'a man out of time,' a walking emblem of greatest-generation propaganda brought to life in this splintered postmodern time. During the confrontation, the source of Hydra's advanced weapons, the Tesseract, is physically handled by Schmidt causing him to vanish within a bright light. [92] Often, stories depict a brooding or melancholic Rogers as he faces both a physical struggle as Captain America, and an ideological struggle as Steve Rogers to reconcile his social values with modern times. They succeed in securing the Time Stone and the Mind Stone, with Rogers having to fight the 2012 version of himself to facilitate this. [131] In the 1990s, Rogers had a romantic entanglement with the alternately villainous and antiheroic Diamondback, a member of the Serpent Society. Even if it [were] just a script about anybody, I would probably want to do it. Steve Rogers never existed, except perhaps as an abstract device for the convenience of storytelling. [106], Captain America's first sidekick is Bucky Barnes, introduced in Captain America Comics #1 as the teenaged "mascot" of Steve Rogers' regiment. The Avengers return, save for Romanoff who sacrificed herself for the mission, and the original Avengers hold a silent mourning for her. As the war wound down, the market for patriotic superheroes began to shrink, and Captain America and Bucky were literally put on ice. Unable to decrypt the data recovered by Romanoff, Fury becomes suspicious about Insight and asks senior S.H.I.E.L.D. [4] Simon negotiated so that he and Kirby would receive 25 percent of the profits from the comic[9] and notes that he regards Kirby as a co-creator of Captain America, stating that "if Kirby hadn't drawn it, it might not have been much of anything. When was the first Captain America comic book published? "[56] Among the most significant storylines appearing in Gruenwald's run was "The Choice" in 1987, in which Steve Rogers renounces the identity of Captain America to briefly become simply "The Captain" after the United States government orders him to continue his superheroic activities directly under their control. First appearing in Captain America Comics #1 as a triangular heater shield, beginning in Captain America Comics #2 it was changed to its current circular design due to a complaint from MLJ Comics that the original design too closely resembled the chest symbol of their superhero The Shield. [113][114] His quote "No, I don't think I will" has also become the subject of several Internet memes.[115]. Any Olympic sport he's gonna dominate. Deducing from an anachronistic baseball radio broadcast that something is wrong, he flees outside and finds himself in present-day Times Square, where S.H.I.E.L.D. [4] In Captain America: The Winter Soldier and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, this model is shown to be displayed in the Captain America exhibit in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. Having appeared in more than ten thousand stories in more than five thousand media formats, Captain America is one of the most popular and recognized Marvel Comics characters, and has been described as an icon of American popular culture. Chris Evans portrays Steve Rogers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Captain America: The First Avenger (2011),[36] The Avengers (2012), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014),[47] Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015),[48] Captain America: Civil War (2016),[49] Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017),[50] Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019). "[4], Captain America Comics #1 was published on December 20, 1940,[10] with a cover date of March 1941. missile destroys the bunker, and the pair realize that Pierce is Hydra's leader.
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