Marvel Spotlight: Captain America

Created in March of 1941, Joe Simon and Jack Kirby's Star-Spangled Avenger burst onto the scene in his own title in Timely Comics Captain America #1. The greatest of heroes to come from our country's patriotism during WWII, donning the red, white, and blue flag-inspired costume of soldier Steve Rogers transformed him into the Sentinel of Liberty. Originally rejected from military service due to his scrawny build, Roger's was chosen for a secret experiment to create a race of super soldiers by drinking a potion making him super-human. With the death of the scientist who formulated the serum by Nazi spies, the one and only Captain America was born. With the help of his young side-kick, Bucky, the duo spent the war years fighting endless Axis enemies across the globe until the conflict ended. With the war won, Captain America's adventures faltered with him battling lesser criminal types until ending the title in May of 1949 on the 74th issue.  Two brief appearances were published in a 1950s Atlas book, before  Marvel Comics relaunched the character once again in The Avengers #4 in 1964. In Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's new origin for the hero, Steve was found frozen in an iceberg and brought back to life to fight in Marvel's Tales of Suspense before a name change to Captain American #100 in April of 1968. Thinking himself an anachronism in this modern age, Cap has many changes occur over time: including his many different professions; another new Bucky; the revival of his arch enemy, The Red Skull; and a hip new black crime-fighting partner, The Falcon. Depicted in animated cartoons, paper premiums, toys, paperbacks, a 1940s movie serial and his recent big screen treatment makes the legendary Captain America one of Marvel Comics hottest properties for a new legion of fans.