Captain America

Steve Rogers throwing the shield in Captain America v6 #2.

Captain America is a male comic superhero who features in Marvel Comics.

Biography

Origin

The Sentinel of Liberty in Captain America Comics v1 #1.

Steve Rogers was a male human who was the son of Joseph Rogers and Sarah Rogers who were a pair of Irish immigrants that came to America. (Captain America v7 #1) He grew up as a frail youth during the Great Depression in New York City, New York, America. (Captain America v1 #255) His tonsils were removed at the age of seven, being the only important surgery in his life; and he suffered from chicken pox, measles and mumps. (Captain America v1 #384)

In 1926, his family came to struggle for food and he witnessed his father Joseph taking his frustrations out on his mother leading to him hitting her. (Captain America v7 #1) Rogers' father died when he was a child and his mother died from pneumonia a number of years later, when he was in his late teens. Moving into a rooming house and taking a job as a delivery boy, Steve struggled to survive. (Captain America v1 #255) Growing up as a child, Steve was constantly picked on by other children due to his frail and sickly body. (Captain America v6 #19)

During the 1930's, he was noted to had studied in a school in the Lower East Side neighborhood. One of his teachers in this time was Mrs. Edna Crosley who was his civics teacher where she instilled in her students a sense of patriotic values. She was said to had taught Steve that as a citizen it was is responsibility to protect the United States and that the country provided its people more rights than anywhere else in the world. (Captain America v1 #250)

Horrified by newsreel footage of Nazis ransacking Europe and atrocities in Asia that the Empire of Japan committed in China and Korea, Rogers tried to enlist in the Army but was rejected as 4-F because of his frailty and sickness. Overhearing the boy's earnest plea to fight for his country, General Chester Phillips, of the US Army, offered Rogers the opportunity to take part in a top-secret performance-enhancing experiment called Operation Rebirth. (Captain America v1 #109) This was secretly part of the wider Weapon Plus program where Captain America was designated as part of Weapon I. (New X-Men v1 #130) After weeks of tests, Rogers was at last administered the Super-Soldier Serum. Given part of the compound intravenously and another part orally, Rogers was then bombarded by vita-rays, a special combination of exotic wavelengths of radiation designed to accelerate and stabilize the serum's effect on his body. Steve Rogers emerged from the vita-ray chamber with a perfect human body. A Nazi spy, who observed the experiment, murdered Dr. Erskine mere minutes after its conclusion. Dr. Erskine died without fully committing the Super-Soldier formula to paper, leaving Rogers the sole beneficiary of his genius. (Captain America v1 #255)

World War II

Captain America and Bucky's first public mission was to investigate supposed fortune tellers Sando and Omar, which they expose as Axis spies. During this mission they first met FBI agent Betty Ross, another early ally. Also during this period they had an encounter with Nazi assassin Rathcone and clashed with Red Skull imitator George Maxon who seemingly died in combat. (Captain America Comics v1 #1) During these early days, Steve took an interest in Private Bobby "Shrimie" Shaw, whose weakly stature reminded Steve of himself before Operation Rebirth. (Captain America Theater of War: America the Beautiful v1 #1) Captain America and Bucky's many early adventures included battling an embezzler named Benson and his Oriental Giants, freeing millionaire Henry Baldwin from Nazi Germany. During this mission they clashed with Adolf Hitler and Hermann Göring in the process. They also faced the Nazi assassin known as the Wax Man in the United States. (Captain America Comics v1 #2) Having survived his initial encounter with Captain America, George Maxon still posing as the Red Skull attempted once more to eliminate his foe with stolen plans for a massive drill tank leading to Maxon's death. During this time, Captain America also foiled actor and Nazi sympathizer Craig Talbot from ruining a film shoot, and captured the museum thief known as the Butterfly. (Captain America Comics v1 #3) Subsequent clashes included battles against Nazi operatives the Unholy Legion, money counterfeiters, and the mad scientist Dr. Grimm. (Captain America Comics v1 #4)

Avenger

Decades later, Rogers' wartime comrade, the Sub-Mariner, stumbled across his still-frozen form, which was being worshiped by a far-flung Inuit tribe. Enraged, the Sub-Mariner threw the ice block into the ocean. While opposing Namor, the newly formed Avengers happened upon Rogers' thawing body and soon revived the legendary hero. Rogers joined their ranks as the first recruit, since their formation, and was given retroactive "founding member" status in place of Hulk. With his superhuman abilities, extensive training, combat experience, combined with his impressive physique, confidence, and will, Rogers was an excellent addition to the team. As a born leader, Rogers would come to be seen as the heart and soul of the team and his commands, while in the field, were often followed regardless of who might have been team leader at the time. Rogers would teach teamwork, tactics, and hand-to-hand combat to many Avengers over the coming years. (Avengers v1 #4)

Nomad

When Avengers Mansion was attacked and conquered by the Masters of Evil, under the leadership of Baron Helmut Zemo, Captain America was specifically targeted by Zemo, to avenge his father's death. Rogers was captured, during an attempt to retake the mansion and was forced to watch as Mister Hyde tortured helpless butler Edwin Jarvis. The Masters proceeded to destroy a treasure trove of Rogers' memorabilia, including a picture with Bucky taken just before he was killed, Rogers' only picture of his mother, a baseball signed by Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, and Cap's original triangular shield. In the final battle, Cap defeated The Wrecker, with the aid of the Wasp, and defeated Baron Zemo in a rooftop duel. As Zemo fell, Cap tried to grab his hand and, though he was later revealed to have survived the fall, Zemo refused such charity. (Avengers v1 #277)

The Captain

It would later be discovered that the Red Skull was manipulating the Commission. The Captain and Nomad clashed with Walker and his Bucky. Resolving their differences, Rogers and Walker confronted the Skull. (Captain America v1 #348) Following the events and deeds that Walker had done while Captain America, Walker resigned from being Captain America and the Commission asked Rogers to take-up the mantle again. Rogers initially refused, but after Walker begged him, accepted. Later, Walker was apparently killed, but later reappeared in a new identity, after plastic surgery in the new name of "Jack Daniels" wearing Rogers' "The Captain" uniform and shield as the rechristened "USAgent." (Captain America v1 #351)

Civil War

At some point after this, Nick Fury asked Captain America for a favor. He and a number of other superheroes including: Spider-Man, Daredevil, Wolverine, Luke Cage and the Black Widow were asked to travel to Latveria to help Fury overthrow the government of Lucia von Bardas whom be discovered to be financing a number of technologically-based super-criminals in the United States. (Secret War v1 #2) Recognizing the potential terrorist ramifications of such an act, Fury decided to eliminate the threat despite being told to leave it alone by the American President. (Secret War v1 #1) Unbeknownst to the assembled heroes, Fury planned to make an example of von Bardas and brought down Castle Doom onto the city below, killing an untold number of people. Knowing that the superheroes could never condone such an action, he had the previous two days activities erased from their minds. Months later, while undergoing some tests for S.H.I.E.L.D., this block in the Captain's memory was discovered and removed, prompting Captain America to have words with Fury. On the year anniversary of their attack on Latveria, the heroes are all attacked by an army of technology-wielding super-criminals, led by von Bardas who survived their attack, although not without becoming horribly disfigured in the process. She synced up all of the criminals' armors, creating a chain reaction which acted like a giant bomb in an attempt to get back at Fury and the heroes and destroy New York City in the process. She nearly succeeded except for the last-second interference of Daisy Johnson, a super-powered S.H.I.E.L.D. agent loyal to Nick Fury, who managed to defeat von Bardas before she could detonate her bomb. (Secret War v1 #5)

Return

Cyclops was finally incarcerated, and Steve accepted the Avengers should have done more to help mutants, and not allowed the world to hate them. As a result, he started planning a new sub-team of Avengers in hopes of unifying mutant and humankind. He chose Havok to lead his team and become the new face to represent mutants as Professor X and Cyclops once were. (Uncanny Avengers v1 #1)

All-New Captain America

During this time, he went to stop a new supervillain named the Green Skull who was an eco-terrorist that intended to detonate a bomb to kill off mankind as he believed this was the only way to save the world. After defeating the villain, he handed him to the authorities whilst Steve went to meet with Sharon Carter as part of their date on his birthday. During this time, Sharon proposed the she and Steve get married as she wanted to spend her life with him. At the time, they had gone into the subway where only a single passenger could board the train with Steve saying that he would speak to Sharon about this later in the evening. Upon boarding, mechanisms trapped in place as the train was transported into Dimension Z where Steve was captured by Arnim Zola who wanted to take a sample of the Super-Soldier Serum. Steve managed to escape and took a seemingly captive newborn child from Zola where they fled to outside the fortress only to remain trapped in the barren wastelands of this new dimension. (Captain America v7 #1)

The bomb detonated harmlessly when Falcon took it into low orbit in an effort to save everyone at the seeming cost of his own life. In that time, the Avengers gathered to mourn the hero with Steve reuniting with Sharon Carter. They then discovered that Sam Wilson had miraculously survived as his Vibranium wings had absorbed much of the blast. In that moment, Sharon Carter accused Jet Zola of being a spy for Zola as she claimed she had seen her communicating with her father. This saw the Avengers looking to apprehend her to investigate the matter and feeling betrayed Jet abandoned the heroes in order to re-join her biological father with Zola's tower vanishing back to Dimension Z. In the aftermath, the city recovered and the Avengers gathered as Steve decided to reveal his successor as Sam Wilson was made the new Captain America. (Captain America v7 #25)

Overview

Personality and attributes

Under the Weapon Plus program, he was designated as Weapon I. (New X-Men v1 #130) He was also referred to as the Symbol of Freedom. (Wolverine: Origins v1 #16)

It was his mother who always told him to stand up no matter how hard they were hit to the ground. (Captain America v7 #1)

At school, a notable influence on his life was his civics teacher Mrs. Edna Crosley who taught him that it was his responsibility to ensure that the United States remained the land of the free and that justice extended to all. Steve noted that she was a tough teacher but fair and also thought that the United States was blessed by having a woman like her. (Captain America v1 #250)

Powers and abilities

Dr. Erskine described Roger's enhanced body as being second to none. (Tales of Suspense v1 #63)

The Shield was cast by American metallurgist Dr. Myron MacLain, who was contracted by the U.S. government to create an impenetrable substance to use for tanks during World War II. (Captain America v1 #303)

Notes

• Captain America was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby where he made his first appearance in Captain America Comics v1 #1 (March, 1941).

In other media

Films

• In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain America made a number of appearances in the shared continuity setting:
  • In Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America made his first appearance in the live-action film where he was portrayed by actor Chris Evans.
  • In The Avengers, Steve Rogers returned in the setting of the live-action film where he was once more portrayed by actor Chris Evans.

Video games

• In Marvel Heroes, Captain America appeared as a playable character in the setting of the MMORPG video game where he was voiced by actor Brian Bloom.
• In Marvel: Contest of Champions, Captain America appeared as a playable character in the setting of the mobile video game.

Appearances

• Captain America Comics v1: (1941)
• Avengers v1:
• Captain America v1:
• Captain America v2:
• Secret War v1:
• All-New Captain America v1:
• Captain America: Steve Rogers v1:
• Avengers v8:
• Captain America:
• Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty v2:

External Links

• Marvel Database Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

This article is a stub. You can help Multiversal Omnipedia by expanding it.