Where do you start with a character like Captain
America? Originally created by
legends of the medium Joe Simon & Jack Kirby Captain America is one of the
longest running comic characters ever conceived, standing proudly alongside
Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman as one of the few heroes whose been part of
the genre since its inception in the late ‘30s. After a brief absence in the ‘50s followed by reintroduction
into the burgeoning canon of Marvel comics Captain America has become one of
the most dynamic and compelling heroes in the entire genre. He’s been through innumerable changes
in his epically long history and in recent years come to be almost the face of
the superhero genre in a way that no one could’ve predicted.
For decades the hero people thought of when they considered
the iconic hero was Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, even Iron Man for a hot
minute there in 2008 but now, at this moment in time, it’s hard to think of a
superhero who better embodies the genre and the reason for its continued
success and relevance. And with
his new film Civil War continuing
that trend and having it’s trailer drop I’ve decided to look back over the full
history of Captain America, in all it’s shades, shames, and successes.
