I Can Do This All Day: Captain America

When we think of superheroes, Captain America is undoubtedly one of the first four or five names that spring to mind. This man was a warrior, a leader, and a superhero. But who is the man we’ve come to know—especially through Chris Evans’ portrayal in the cinematic universe? Let’s dive in and take a closer look.

The Creation of the Character

Captain America is a character who was meticulously “designed”—both in his story and in reality. We’ll get into why I use that word for his origin in a moment, but first, let’s see how he came to be.

The character was created by writer Joe Simon and artist Jack Kirby. Working for Timely Comics in 1940, the duo developed the idea of a superhero following America’s entry into World War II. They wanted to create a figure who could offer hope and put a smile on the faces of the American public during the gloomy atmosphere of the war.

Captain America made his debut in the first issue of “Captain America Comics” in 1941. The comic told the story of Steve Rogers, a scrawny young man transformed into Captain America through the power of a super-soldier serum. The first issue featured Cap battling Nazi Germany. His initial physical frailty wasn’t just a nod to America’s own growth; it was a deliberate choice to help ordinary people empathize with him. Ultimately, this approach led to the character achieving incredible popularity in a very short time. But what exactly is it that makes him so iconic?

“Not a Perfect Soldier, but a Good Man”

Steve Rogers was born to an ordinary family in Brooklyn, New York. As a child, he was frail and small-framed. This led to him being a young man who wasn’t physically strong and was frequently picked on. And don’t imagine him as just “relatively” thin; Rogers was so physically weak he struggled to get through daily life. Yet, that never stopped him from dreaming.

From his youth, Steve was filled with a deep sense of patriotism and a thirst for justice. When World War II broke out, he tried to enlist in the U.S. Army, but he was rejected due to his physical limitations.

While he kept trying to find a way to serve, Steve was eventually recruited into the U.S. government’s “Super-Soldier” project. It was a high-stakes gamble. The goal was to use a serum to create a soldier with superhuman strength, speed, agility, and endurance. Almost everyone who participated succumbed to the serum and died. Despite his frail body and delicate constitution, Rogers volunteered. Perhaps it was his sheer conviction that made the impossible happen. The experiment was a success, and Steve Rogers took up the mantle of Captain America to fight for his country.

Steve was always soft-hearted. He was determined, self-sacrificing, and loyal. These traits were perfectly summarized by Dr. Abraham Erskine, the scientist behind the experiment, the day before the procedure:

“Whatever happens tomorrow, I want you to promise me one thing. That you will stay who you are. Not a perfect soldier, but a good man.”

Against the Nazis

After being enhanced as a super-soldier, Steve Rogers was commissioned by the government and the military as Captain America. His orders were clear: fight Nazi Germany and its allies. His new body and his new role fit him perfectly.

During World War II, Captain America took part in a series of critical missions and achieved many victories. While not historically factual, in the comics, he was the name that accelerated the defeat of the Nazis. But was he alone? Absolutely not.

Steve fought alongside a group known as the Howling Commandos, a team of brave and skilled soldiers from various nations. Years passed this way, until the war ended with a tragedy.

Near the end of the war, Captain America and his best friend Bucky Barnes were fighting to stop a bomb-laden plane piloted by Baron Zemo. The plane exploded, and both Steve and Bucky were lost in the icy sea. Steve remained frozen in the ice for years, which is why neither he nor Bucky aged. Years later, they were discovered by the Avengers and brought back to life in the modern day. Ultimately, Captain America didn’t just help win the war for his country—he certainly didn’t hold back from punching Hitler in the face, either.

The Modern Era of Captain America

The Captain America character was created during the war era, nearly 85 years ago. As you can imagine, his adventures and experiences are just as lengthy. While it’s impossible to recount every mission, one of his major turning points was meeting the Avengers.

He joined the team in the fourth issue of “The Avengers” (1964). Iron Man and the rest of the team discovered him in the ice, and thanks to Tony Stark’s advanced technology, Steve was brought back to life. Before long, he became a core member. The Avengers team back then wasn’t quite the lineup we see in the films; the original comic series featured members like Iron Man (Tony Stark), Thor, Hulk (Bruce Banner), Ant-Man (Hank Pym), and Wasp (Janet van Dyne).

Shortly after his return and joining the Avengers, Captain America took the lead, guiding the team’s decisions as their captain.

The Hydra Conflict

In the comics, even though Steve defeated the Nazis, a splinter group called HYDRA had no intention of disappearing. They constantly reorganized, popping up time and again to challenge Steve. But who exactly is Hydra?

Hydra’s goal is world domination and the total control of humanity. To achieve this, they sow chaos and discord across the globe, working tirelessly to execute their villainous plans.

Many characters serve Hydra in the comics, including major figures like the Red Skull, Baron Strucker, Viper, Crossbones, and Madame Hydra.

Captain America often battles this organization in his own solo comic series.

Of all his foes, his arch-nemesis Red Skull is the one he has fought the longest. For Steve, Red Skull was a critical threat because he was far more intelligent and cunning than the rest of the pack. Red Skull was ruthless, moving forward without a second thought for anything in his path. This made him Steve’s most dangerous adversary. The success of this rivalry in the comics is undeniable.

Captain America’s Personal Life

In the main Marvel universe, known as Earth-616, Steve had two primary relationships: Peggy and Sharon Carter.

During World War II, Peggy Carter was Captain America’s most well-known love. Peggy was a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who supported Cap and fought alongside him during the war. The two developed a deep bond, but they were never able to be together. The intensity of the war left no room for their relationship, and after Steve was frozen, their romance was cut short. When Steve returned to the world, a reunion with Peggy was simply not in the cards.

Although Steve mourned Peggy for a long time after waking up, he eventually found love again. Of course, this love wasn’t far removed from Peggy’s legacy, as Steve’s path crossed with Sharon, Peggy’s niece. Sharon was a character who kept Peggy’s memory alive while supporting Steve. The two shared many adventures, and their relationship deepened over time. In many versions of the Marvel multiverse, Steve ends up spending the rest of his life with Sharon.

Elderly Captain America

Marvel has always loved creating fresh stories in alternate universes. In some of these, we get to see the adventures of an aged Steve Rogers.

First, in the Marvel 2099 universe, an elderly Captain America appears in stories set in the future. This version is usually depicted as a hero who has retired or stepped down from active duty. Even so, Steve occasionally dons his uniform to intervene when things get tough.

Additionally, we see versions of “Old Man Steve” in several alternate storylines. In these, Steve is typically portrayed as a retired man carrying the weight of his past heroics—not much different from the Marvel 2099 era.

Finally, the most active “old age” story is found in Marvel’s “The End” series, where we see the final chapters for him and various other superheroes.

We hear you asking, “Why are you telling us about things that happen in so few universes?” Here is the reason:

The New Captain America

These “Old Captain America” stories gave Marvel a new idea: creating alternate versions of Captain America, much like they did for Spider-Man. This allowed them to introduce new characters or lead existing ones to follow in Steve Rogers’ footsteps.

With this in mind, Marvel launched the “Captain America: Sam Wilson” series, covering the transition of the mantle from Steve Rogers to Sam Wilson (The Falcon). In this series, Steve retires due to the physical toll of aging, and Sam Wilson takes over as the new Captain America.

Around the same time, Marvel launched the “Captain America: Steve Rogers” series, where a younger version of Steve returns to active duty. However, as the story progresses, it is revealed that Rogers is under the influence of Hydra, leading to a major conflict between him and Falcon.

A Good Man

Don’t be too angry about that final twist. Marvel has countless universes and an infinite number of events that take place within them. From a Marvel universe overrun by zombies to Deadpool killing every character in existence just to spite the writers, there are so many realities that it’s no surprise we occasionally see this good man drift toward darkness. As we wrap up this piece, we feel it’s important to reiterate that Steve Rogers has left an indelible mark on the very definition of a hero, and his importance to Marvel remains unparalleled.

References and Further Reading

Originally published in Turkish at Doğa Filozofu.