Captain America
Captain America, born Steve Rogers, is an American hero and leader of the Avengers. Originally a legendary hero during World War II, Rogers was frozen in ice after falling into the ocean, and wasn't thawed out until he was found in the Gulf Stream by the Avengers 20 years later. Small and physically inept by nature, Rogers was nonetheless valiant and courageous, and after being imbued with the super-soldier serum, he became an ideal fighting force, boasting superior agility and strength. He is an icon of American culture, and wields a colorful shield emblazoned with a white star.
Biography
Origin
In the years predating America's entry into World War II, the U.S. government began a project known as Operation Rebirth designed to create a series of superpowered soldiers using a super-soldier serum developed by scientist Abraham Erskine. The young and physically inept but eager and courageous Steve Rogers was chosen to act as a test subject. The experiment was a complete success, and Rogers acquired a great deal of muscle mass, strength, and agility. However, a Nazi spy broke into the highly covert lab and shot and killed Dr. Erskine. The spy died soon after, crashing into a piece of dangerous equipment as he attempted to flee. Erskine didn't record the formula for his serum anywhere, so it died along with him. The government gave Rogers a new identity as Captain America, a masked hero devoted to protecting the homeland from Nazi spies and saboteurs. Rogers maintained a public identity as a private in the military stationed at Camp Lehigh, where he became friends with Bucky Barnes. Bucky's father had died in training, and as a result had become "adopted" by the troops at Lehigh as the camp's mascot. Soon, Bucky stumbled upon Steve donning the Captain America uniform, unintentionally discovering his secret. Bucky offered to be Cap's sidekick, and he accepted, with the caveat that Bucky would have to undergo intense training to be able to keep up with Captain America. Bucky was up to the task, and soon became a valued partner to America's newest hero.[1]
World War II
- Full article: Captain America and Bucky in World War II
Captain America and Bucky gave an enormous boost to the Allied cause, both in terms of strength and morale. Cap repeatedly ran afoul of the Red Skull, a Nazi leader who fancied himself the superior even to Adolf Hitler.
In one mission, Cap stormed the laboratory of Nazi scientist Baron Zemo, destroying his supply of the allegedly unbreakable Adhesive X and inadvertently bonding Zemo's signature red hood to his face in the process.[2] In what would be his final mission of World War II, Cap and Bucky tracked down a drone plane near Newfoundland carrying explosives into the air. As they jumped onto it in an attempt to take it down, they found it to be booby trapped with explosives. Cap slipped and fell into the ocean, while Bucky was apparently killed by the explosion. Cap was carried through the frigid waters and eventually frozen in ice.[3] Unbeknownst to anyone at the time, the perpetrator of this sabotage was Baron Zemo.[2]
Modern era
- Full articles: Biography of Captain America, 1964-1965; History of the Avengers, 1963-1964 and 1965
After being frozen in suspended animation for nearly 20 years, Captain America was recovered from the Gulf Stream by a submarine piloted by the Avengers in 1964. At that point, the Avengers were a relatively new group, consisting of founding members Iron Man, Thor, Giant-Man, and the Wasp. Cap showed little to no rust on the crimefighting front, joining the team of heroes and quickly becoming an essential part of their unit. Throughout Cap's early adventures with the Avengers, he grew close to the young Rick Jones, treating him as a kind of protege. This relationship was complicated however by Cap's memory of Bucky: Cap believed that he'd failed his young friend. He kept Rick somewhat at arm's length as a result, hesitating to fully accept another "sidekick" in Bucky's place. Incredibly, Baron Zemo continued to be a major threat to Captain America and the Avengers, forming the Masters of Evil in an attempt to combat their combined righteous might. Zemo eventually kidnapped Jones, and Cap trailed him to his base in the Amazon rainforest. Zemo accidentally killed himself in a misfire of his gun, and Cap buried him himself, achieving retribution for Bucky's death. Shortly thereafter, Iron Man, Giant-Man, and Wasp decided to take a leave of absence from the Avengers, and recruited Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and Scarlet Witch in their place. Thor also quietly left the group, as he was caught up in intense, personal Asgard business. The new recruits were all newly reformed villains looking to prove themselves, leaving Cap with a great deal of responsibility as their new leader.[4][5]
See also
References
- ↑ Tales of Suspense #63b: "The Origin of Captain America!" (March 1965) Lee, Stan (w), Kirby, Jack (p), Ray, Frank (i), Simek, Artie (let).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Avengers #6: "Masters of Evil!" (July 1964) Lee, Stan (w), Kirby, Jack (p), Stone, Chic (i), Rosen, Sam (let).
- ↑ The Avengers #4: "Captain America Joins the Avengers!" (March 1964) Lee, Stan (w), Kirby, Jack (art), Simek, Artie (let).
- ↑ The Avengers #15: "Now, by My Hand, Shall Die a Villain!" (April 1965) Lee, Stan (w), Kirby, Jack (art), Heck, Don (p), Demeo, Mickey (i), Simek, Artie (let).
- ↑ The Avengers #16: "The Old Order Changeth!" (May 1965) Lee, Stan (w), Kirby, Jack (p), Ayers, Dick (i), Simek, Artie (let).