Captain America For Dummies E-Book
21,99 €
Mehr erfahren.
- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
- Sprache: Englisch
Your guide to the Captain America essentials!
With roots dating back to World War II, Captain America reigns as one of the most iconic heroes in the Marvel Comics universe. Captain America For Dummies is your guide to getting to know this popular and enduring super hero. Produced in partnership with Marvel Comics and featuring full-color art taken directly from the comic books, this fun and friendly guide helps you understand how Captain America gained his powers and evolved over the years, including the range of characters who have wielded the shield. Discover what inspired the creation of the character, explore Captain America’s friends and foes, and dig into the teams that Captain America has fought alongside. You’ll learn the major storylines that turned Cap into one of the most well-known and popular super heroes of all time!
- Get to know Captain America, his creators, and origin story
- Meet Captain America’s allies and enemies
- Learn more about others who have carried Captain America’s shield
- Explore major storylines and battles
- Discover the teams Captain America has fought alongside
Whether you’re just starting your adventures or are a faithful fan, Captain America For Dummies is your guide to this star-spangled patriot and his legacy.
Sie lesen das E-Book in den Legimi-Apps auf:
Seitenzahl: 289
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024
Ähnliche
Captain America For Dummies®
To view this book's Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for “Captain America For Dummies Cheat Sheet” in the Search box.
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Part 1: Basic Training: Getting to Know Captain America
Chapter 1: The Hero, The Symbol
Steve Rogers: Forged in Hard Times
Sam Wilson: A New Era
Chapter 2: The Origins of Captain America
Steve Rogers: The Evolving Origin
“The Democracies Must Stand Together”: Inspirations Behind Captain America
The Marvel Age: New Times, New Challenges
Sam Wilson: “The Job’s Changed”
Chapter 3: Up Close with Captain America: The Science, the Gear
Demystifying the Super-Soldier Serum
Wielding the Shield of Freedom
Checking Out Cap’s Costume: Stars and Stripes Forever
Part 2: Friendly Fire: Allies and Enemies
Chapter 4: There’s no “I” in America: Friends, Allies, and Lovers
Partners
Teams
The Many Loves of Captain America
Chapter 5: Enemies of Freedom: Captain America’s Villains
The Red Skull: The Baddest Penny
Bring on the (Other) Bad Guys
Chapter 6: Others Who Have Carried the Shield
Sam Wilson
Bucky Barnes
The Spirit of ’76: William Naslund
The Patriot: Jeffrey Mace
The 1950s Cap: William Burnside
U.S.Agent: John Walker
The Forgotten Super-Soldier: Isaiah Bradley
Part 3: Fighting for Freedom: The Meaning of (Captain) America
Chapter 7: The Inspirations behind Captain America
Fighting Nazis: In the Beginning
The Communist Threat: A Brief Revival
The Veteran: Into the 1960s
Questioning Authority: The Watergate Era
Autonomy versus Conspiracy: Enter the Captain
Into the 21st Century: The Attack
Winter Is Coming: The Big Comeback
Fascism Rising (Again)
Chapter 8: The Philosophy of Captain America
Staying Loyal to the American Dream
Dealing with Doubts
Words
Focusing on What Really Matters
Part 4: Field Missions: Captain America’s Greatest Battles
Chapter 9: Cap’s Greatest Battles: World War and Cold War
“The Tunnel of Terror”
“He Who Holds the Cosmic Cube!”
“Tomorrow You Live, Tonight I Die”
“Before the Dawn”: The Secret Empire, Take One
“Madbomb”
“The Choice”
Chapter 10: Cap’s Greatest Battles: America in the 21st Century
“The Winter Soldier”
“Civil War”
“Castaway in Dimension Z”
“Hail Hydra”: The Secret Empire, Take Two
“Captain of Nothing”
Part 5: The Part of Tens
Chapter 11: Ten Times Cap Wasn’t Cap
Nomad: The Man Without a Country
CapWolf: Leader of the Pack
The Captain: “Back Down to Business”
Yeoman America: “Not Another Alternate Reality!”
King of the Vampires: Meet the Exiles
Rohjaz: 1602 A.D.
Sheriff Steve Rogers: 1872 A.D.
Colonel America: The Ultimate Marvel Zombie
Steve “Iron Man” Rogers: Bullet Points
Astronaut Steve Rogers: House of M
Chapter 12: Ten Comics to Get Ready for the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Captain America Comics (1941) #1: “Meet Captain America”
Captain America Comics (1941) #1: “Captain America and the Riddle of the Red Skull”
The Avengers (1963) #4: “Captain America Joins … the Avengers!”
The Avengers (1963) #6: “Meet the Masters of Evil!”
Tales of Suspense (1959) #75: “30 Minutes to Live!”
Tales of Suspense (1959) #77: “If a Hostage Should Die!”
Captain America (1968) #117: “The Coming of … The Falcon!”
Captain America (1968) #170: “J’accuse!”
Captain America (2005) #11: “The Winter Soldier, Part 3”
Captain America (2013) #25: “Who Is the New Captain America?”
Index
About the Author
Connect with Dummies
End User License Agreement
List of Illustrations
Chapter 1
FIGURE 1-1: The two Captain Americas! Three faces of Steve Rogers, and — front ...
FIGURE 1-2: Steve Rogers is Captain America!
FIGURE 1-3: Young Steve’s first encounter with Nazis.
FIGURE 1-4: Wha ? Muscles?
FIGURE 1-5: The newly forged Captain America declares his noble mission.
FIGURE 1-6: Wracked with doubt, Steve even forgets to take off his costume when...
FIGURE 1-7: Steve’s choice isn’t quite as dramatic as this cover makes it look!...
FIGURE 1-8: In the old days, we used to draw with a pen!
FIGURE 1-9: Sam Wilson is Captain America!
FIGURE 1-10: Young Sam’s faith is tested by tragedy.
FIGURE 1-11: Sam Wilson’s day job: Tougher than super heroing?
FIGURE 1-12: Birth of the Falcon!
FIGURE 1-13: Sam and his very own falcon, Redwing.
FIGURE 1-14: The new, high-flying Captain America.
Chapter 2
FIGURE 2-1: This 1969 retelling proclaimed Cap’s origin on the cover, so new re...
FIGURE 2-2: The first-ever look at Steve Rogers, about to get a second chance t...
FIGURE 2-3: You, uh, sure you want to go through with this, Steve? (He’s sure!)...
FIGURE 2-4: In a burst of “Kirby Krackle,” Captain America is born!
FIGURE 2-5: Cap makes his mark on the War.
FIGURE 2-6: Captain America makes his stand — along with Joe Simon and Jack Kir...
FIGURE 2-7: Drawing the battle lines.
FIGURE 2-8: Nazis in Hollywood!
FIGURE 2-9: Another villain who despises the will of the people.
FIGURE 2-10: Look out, Cap and Bucky!
FIGURE 2-11: The Lord of Death lures helpless people to his laboratory of horro...
FIGURE 2-12: The Red Skull’s first, fearsome appearance!
FIGURE 2-13: A warning from Steve Rogers: “I’ll be waiting.”
FIGURE 2-14: Steve Rogers reborn! Well, about to be reborn.
FIGURE 2-15: Survivor’s guilt: Bucky’s death haunts Cap on this dramatic cover....
FIGURE 2-16: Leaping into the Marvel Age!
FIGURE 2-17: Sam Wilson: “If I really believed I could make a difference”
Chapter 3
FIGURE 3-1:
The Marvels Project
revisits the wartime exploits of Cap, the Human...
FIGURE 3-2: Steve Rogers meets Dr. Erskine, the scientist who’s about to change...
FIGURE 3-3: Captain “Ape-Merica” wields the shield on a bizarre parallel world!...
FIGURE 3-4: From longtime Cap writer Mark Gruenwald’s socially relevant “Street...
FIGURE 3-5: The jumbled memories of a would-be Super-Soldier.
FIGURE 3-6: Anti-Cap: not your father’s Captain America. Or anyone’s, really.
FIGURE 3-7: The symbol that defines the hero.
FIGURE 3-8: Marvel returns to Cap’s first days — and his first shield! — in
Cap
...
FIGURE 3-9: Like any good soldier, Cap likes to check his equipment before goin...
FIGURE 3-10: Cap and the Black Panther: “No matter how hopeless it seems!”
FIGURE 3-11: Claws (and wings) versus Nazis!
FIGURE 3-12: For once, the Red Skull is on the right side of the shield.
FIGURE 3-13: Toss / Strike / Grab / Defend!
FIGURE 3-14: British writer/artist Brenda McCarthy puts a psychedelic spin on C...
FIGURE 3-15: You don’t mess with perfection! (Or the flag.)
FIGURE 3-16: A modern-day knight in chain mail.
Chapter 4
FIGURE 4-1: Bucky breaks the fourth wall, telling his story straight to the rea...
FIGURE 4-2: Bucky Barnes: Programmed to kill.
FIGURE 4-3: Rick Jones faces his fears in a trippy sequence by pop art master J...
FIGURE 4-4: The Falcon shines on this striking cover from Jack Kirby’s third st...
FIGURE 4-5: ’90s-core Bucky!
FIGURE 4-6: The war-era Invaders, looking literally “giant-size” as they prepar...
FIGURE 4-7: The first recorded appearance of the All-Winners Squad!
FIGURE 4-8: Do I need to say it? Avengers assemble!
FIGURE 4-9: High-tech armor versus sheer strength of will.
FIGURE 4-10: Still assembling after all these years!
FIGURE 4-11: D-Day was never like this!
FIGURE 4-12: The Illuminati: Burdened by responsibility for the entire world.
FIGURE 4-13: Wartime agent Betty/Betsy Ross, on the job.
FIGURE 4-14: Peggy Carter: “This war is everybody’s war.”
FIGURE 4-15: True love isn’t easy for a Super-Soldier and a dedicated S.H.I.E.L...
FIGURE 4-16: Sharon wields the shield — at last!
FIGURE 4-17: When Steve met Bernie.
FIGURE 4-18: Captain America and Diamondback, in one of her many costumes. Quit...
Chapter 5
FIGURE 5-1: A moody 1980s shot of the master villain.
FIGURE 5-2: A striking splash page from one of the early Skull sagas.
FIGURE 5-3: The modern-day series
Red Skull: Incarnate
(2011) provides new deta...
FIGURE 5-4: Albert Malik, the new Red Skull — maybe not displaying quite enough...
FIGURE 5-5: Cap and the Skull face the Fourth Sleeper. It wouldn’t be the last ...
FIGURE 5-6: With the Cosmic Cube, the Red Skull can alter reality itself.
FIGURE 5-7: A grim portrait from the memorable Mark Waid/Adam Kubert run on
Cap
...
FIGURE 5-8: The Skull prepares to strike — again.
FIGURE 5-9: “Wanna tell me your origin, boss?”
FIGURE 5-10: Mister MODOK rising!
FIGURE 5-11: The Viper as leader of Hydra.
FIGURE 5-12: Batroc loves to talk — especially about himself.
FIGURE 5-13: The ominous first appearance of Crossbones.
FIGURE 5-14: The psychiatrist and the psychopath.
FIGURE 5-15: How bio-fanatical can you get?
FIGURE 5-16: The Serpent Society — okay, who brought the snake-themed donuts? N...
FIGURE 5-17: Cap and the second Bucky — Rick Jones — against the hordes of Hydr...
Chapter 6
FIGURE 6-1: Steve Rogers, William Naslund, Jeffrey Mace, and William Burnside s...
FIGURE 6-2: Sam Wilson becomes Captain America, but he doesn’t give up the Falc...
FIGURE 6-3: The new Captain America faces the public, with very mixed results.
FIGURE 6-4: Bucky Barnes ventures into star-spangled action for the first time ...
FIGURE 6-5: William Naslund, the Spirit of ’76, in the days before he was Capta...
FIGURE 6-6: Naslund, filling in for Steve Rogers, meets the Human Torch and Sub...
FIGURE 6-7: The only 1940s piece of art featuring the original Patriot, who app...
FIGURE 6-8: Captain America says good-bye to Captain America.
FIGURE 6-9: The Captain America of the 1950s explains himself to Steve Rogers, ...
FIGURE 6-10: John Walker’s first foray as Captain America!
FIGURE 6-11: One of the stylish covers to Truth, the series that introduces Isa...
FIGURE 6-12: A legend restored to glory.
Chapter 7
FIGURE 7-1: Simon and Kirby, rallying the patriotic masses of America.
FIGURE 7-2: An early ad for the Sentinels of Liberty.
FIGURE 7-3: “When it’s on our side.”
FIGURE 7-4: The “new” Captain America and Bucky: “But somehow we seemed to outg...
FIGURE 7-5: Steve Rogers in a rare moment of despair.
FIGURE 7-6: Cap’s subconscious tries to tell him: Maybe Bucky isn’t dead after ...
FIGURE 7-7: Steve wonders: Should Captain America … die?
FIGURE 7-8: Steve Rogers tries to stand up for his rights as, well, an American...
FIGURE 7-9: He’s back — again!
FIGURE 7-10: Putting his back into it.
FIGURE 7-11: The unthinkable happens — on a Manhattan street, in broad daylight...
FIGURE 7-12: Steve Rogers, hiding under a hoodie, visits a small town.
Chapter 8
FIGURE 8-1: Steve Rogers rededicates himself to the American people.
FIGURE 8-2: Sam and Misty, on the town in Harlem.
FIGURE 8-3: A moody shot from
The Marvels Project
, featuring untold secrets of ...
FIGURE 8-4: Steve Rogers charges into battle, against the man he could have bee...
FIGURE 8-5: Sam Wilson, flying high — with his eyes on the ground.
FIGURE 8-6: Giving it to the Nazis!
FIGURE 8-7: Possibly the most famous Captain America speech of all.
FIGURE 8-8: When Cap visits his old school, memories come flooding back.
FIGURE 8-9: Captain America sets Captain America straight.
FIGURE 8-10: Cap and the Skull: Do actions really speak louder than words?
FIGURE 8-11: Sam Wilson assembles!
FIGURE 8-12: Partners forever.
Chapter 9
FIGURE 9-1: Steve and Bucky react to “defeatist talk” from spies disguised as o...
FIGURE 9-2: The Red Skull turns Cap’s world upside down.
FIGURE 9-3: A dramatic Kirby splash page.
FIGURE 9-4: From wide-scale drama to personal angst: the story of Madame Hydra,...
FIGURE 9-5: On this atmospheric cover, Hydra agents prowl around Captain Americ...
FIGURE 9-6: One of the most controversial — and enigmatic — twists in Marvel’s ...
FIGURE 9-7: Another inspiring speech and another origin. This one doesn’t last....
FIGURE 9-8: Kirby returns to Cap — again — with this iconic cover.
FIGURE 9-9: The war may be different, but Cap’s mission remains.
FIGURE 9-10: An arresting, symbolic shot to kick off the “Choice” storyline, by...
FIGURE 9-11: As the Captain, Steve Rogers struggles with his moral code.
FIGURE 9-12: The story can’t end before the two Caps mix it up!
Chapter 10
FIGURE 10-1: The shadows of the past set their sights on Steve Rogers — literal...
FIGURE 10-2: Bucky’s past comes rushing back in this stunning two-page spread.
FIGURE 10-3: Past and future collide as the original partners are reunited.
FIGURE 10-4: The Marvel heroes have always fought each other — but never like t...
FIGURE 10-5: Sharon Carter gives her boss some bad news.
FIGURE 10-6: “Stand down, troops… .”
FIGURE 10-7: The unearthly colors of Dimension Z done by Dean White & Lee Lough...
FIGURE 10-8: The fury of Zola.
FIGURE 10-9: The chilling last page of
Captain America: Steve Rogers
#1.
FIGURE 10-10: Awww! Hydra bedtime stories!
FIGURE 10-11: Sam Wilson steps up.
FIGURE 10-12: Take that, Hydra!
FIGURE 10-13: Steve struggles with the changing values of America.
FIGURE 10-14: One of Alex Ross’ masterful covers for “Captain of Nothing.”
Chapter 11
FIGURE 11-1: Steve Rogers chooses a new name — and a new life, though it doesn’...
FIGURE 11-2: Misty says what we’re all thinking!
FIGURE 11-3: The late George Pérez’s striking costume design for Yeoman America...
FIGURE 11-4: Rohjaz tells his fantastic story.
FIGURE 11-5: This never happened at Camp Lehigh!
FIGURE 11-6: The life and career of “House of M” Steve Rogers.
Chapter 12
FIGURE 12-1: One of the Skull’s first murders.
FIGURE 12-2: Steve Rogers’s last, terrible memory of the war.
FIGURE 12-3: Steve Rogers makes a vow that, in the end, he can’t keep.
FIGURE 12-4: The first appearance of Sam Wilson, just a few pages before he bec...
FIGURE 12-5: The Falcon takes flight!
FIGURE 12-6: The legend continues.
Guide
Cover
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Begin Reading
Index
About the Author
Pages
i
ii
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
Captain America For Dummies®
Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com
© 2025 MARVEL
MARVEL PUBLISHING
Jeff Youngquist, VP, Production and Special Projects
Brian Overton, Manager, Special Projects
Sarah Singer, Editor, Special Projects
Jeremy West, Manager, Licensed Publishing
Sven Larsen, VP, Licensed Publishing
David Gabriel, VP, Print & Digital Publishing
C.B. Cebulski, Editor in Chief
Published simultaneously in Canada
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.
Trademarks: Wiley, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, Dummies.com, Making Everything Easier, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: THE PUBLISHER AND THE AUTHOR MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS WORK AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. NO WARRANTY MAY BE CREATED OR EXTENDED BY SALES OR PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS. THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR EVERY SITUATION. THIS WORK IS SOLD WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PUBLISHER IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING LEGAL, ACCOUNTING, OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. IF PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED, THE SERVICES OF A COMPETENT PROFESSIONAL PERSON SHOULD BE SOUGHT. NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR THE AUTHOR SHALL BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES ARISING HEREFROM. THE FACT THAT AN ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE IS REFERRED TO IN THIS WORK AS A CITATION AND/OR A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF FURTHER INFORMATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE AUTHOR OR THE PUBLISHER ENDORSES THE INFORMATION THE ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE MAY PROVIDE OR RECOMMENDATIONS IT MAY MAKE. FURTHER, READERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT INTERNET WEBSITES LISTED IN THIS WORK MAY HAVE CHANGED OR DISAPPEARED BETWEEN WHEN THIS WORK WAS WRITTEN AND WHEN IT IS READ.
For general information on our other products and services, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002. For technical support, please visit https://hub.wiley.com/community/support/dummies.
Wiley publishes in a variety of print and electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e-books or in print-on-demand. If this book refers to media that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this material at http://booksupport.wiley.com. For more information about Wiley products, visit www.wiley.com.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2024952186
ISBN 978-1-394-29944-7 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-394-29945-4 (ebk)
Introduction
Captain America! He’s been called the Sentinel of Liberty, the Symbol of Truth, the Star-Spangled Avenger. From the moment he first burst onto the newsstands, Cap has served as a beacon for freedom, idealism, and the American Dream.
But do you really know Captain America? Who he is, where he came from? The reasons he’s a key player in the Marvel Universe, and the ways he’s managed to adapt to turbulent, changing times in the country he loves?
If you’re curious about all that, this book is for you. I’m here to tell you how a pop-culture icon was created by two guys in their twenties with something urgent to say. That explosive debut led to eighty-plus years of comics, written and drawn by an incredible array of talented people.
About This Book
Captain America For Dummies is designed so that you can jump in anywhere; if you miss anything, I’ll fill you in on the fly. Along the way, you speed through nine decades in the life of America — but don’t worry, this won’t be some boring history lesson. You’re here to have fun, and maybe pick up a few fun facts to share with your friends. For instance, did you know that Cap has turned into a werewolf? Twice?
I can’t cover every Cap story ever published — there are far too many of them. So if you don’t find your favorite storyline here, or if you’re just intrigued by some of the casual references sprinkled throughout the text, I hope this book inspires you to go hunting for more. Many of the best Cap comics have been collected in hardcover or trade paperback, and most of them can also be found in digital form on Amazon/ComiXology, and on the Marvel Unlimited app.
Here's a quick look at what you find in these pages:
A thorough rundown of the two Captain Americas: Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson.
A deep dive into the character’s origins, symbols, and the science behind it all. (That’s
Marvel
science — things work a little differently in our world!)
An in-depth look at Captain America’s friends, teammates, loves, and enemies, including the other heroes who’ve carried the shield.
The philosophies that inspired Cap’s creators to craft these stories.
The greatest sagas, event stories, and single issues from throughout Cap’s star-spangled history.
To guide you through the stories, I use a few conventions common to the comic book industry:
Writer
or “story by” means this person crafts the words and, usually, the plot of the issue or issues under discussion. Sometimes the writer shares plotting duties with our next creator.
Artist
or “art by” can mean the
penciller
, the person who draws the initial artwork in (duh) pencil and/or the
inker
, who takes the pencil art and renders it in sharp, crisp ink. Often the same person performs both duties — especially in the modern era, where many artists work digitally.
Colorist
is the person who takes the finished black-and-white art and lays color over it. In earlier decades, a colorist usually provided guides — color-dyed photocopies of the art — to be interpreted by an engraver or color “separator.” Nowadays the colorist works directly on a computer, which gives them much more control over the finished product. I don’t routinely list colorists in this book because, prior to the 1970s, they weren’t usually credited, and works from after that time have often been recolored for later printings. But color can be a crucial part of a comic’s mood and overall style, so I do single out a few colorists.
Issue numbers
in the old days were easy — a comic book would just start with #1 and keep going until nobody wanted to read it anymore. But in the era of direct market comic shops, it’s common to restart a comic from issue #1 in order to draw more attention to it. So in our book, “Captain America (2002) #1” means the first issue of the volume that started in 2002, while “Captain America (2018) #1” means the start of the run that began in 2018. Got it? Don’t worry — it’ll make sense as we go along!
One more note: In the 1960s, at the time of Captain America’s big revival, writer/editor Stan Lee used to talk directly to the reader — often in the ads or letter pages but also in the stories themselves. It made the fans feel like they belonged to a secret club, with a private language nobody else shared. This book focuses on character profiles and important storylines, but in the tradition of “Smilin’ Stan,” I throw in the occasional story of how a particular comic came to be. I’ve been a fan for decades, but I’ve also written and edited thousands of comics myself, so my path has crossed Captain America’s a few times along the way.
Foolish Assumptions
If you picked up this book — or if someone gave it to you, maybe for MLK Day or Presidents’ Day — then here’s what I assume about you:
You probably have heard of Captain America.
Maybe you read a few comics or a novel; maybe you know Cap from a faded T-shirt in the back of your dresser drawer. If so, this book will guide you to further reading, pointing you to the stories that have made the character famous.
Maybe you haven’t read the comics, but you saw a few of the Marvel films featuring Chris Evans’s masterful portrayal of America’s hero.
Captain America For Dummies
can show you where all that began, and what sort of adventures Captain America has seen, in print, over the years.
Note that I am talking about the comic book character not the version you find in the movies. But one of the wonderful aspects of the Marvel Universe is that the characters are pretty much the same across different media. That’s definitely true of Cap — so while a few details of his history may differ, you won’t be confused if you read this book and then go straight to the movies. (I hope!)
Icons Used in This Book
Throughout this book, icons in the margins highlight certain types of information relating to All Things Cap. Here are the icons I use:
The Tip icon points out little details of character or plot that shed some light on the topic under discussion. I also use it to explain in-jokes, comic-book jargon, inconsistencies, and changes in the characters’ continuity over the years.
Remember icons remind you of crucial information from elsewhere in the book. For instance: Cap’s partner Bucky has a long, tangled history, but I don’t expect you to keep every detail of his life, death, and rebirth straight from one chapter to the next.
Beyond the Book
Want even more Captain America? Fire up the Avengers Communication Center — or just get online — and go here:
This book’s online Cheat Sheet features a character guide, timeline, and other goodies. Just go to
www.dummies.com
and search for
Captain America For Dummies Cheat Sheet.
The Marvel Unlimited app brings thousands of Captain America comics to your fingertips. Available for all major tablet/phone operating systems.
Marvel.com features news, games, character profiles, and all the information you need on upcoming comic releases.
Where to Go from Here
If you’re brand-new to Captain America — if you don’t know Steve Rogers from Sam Wilson, or the shield from S.H.I.E.L.D. — then start with Chapters 1 and 2. They give you a thorough grounding in who these guys are, where they came from, and what they stand for.
If you already know Cap but you want to discover more about his friends and enemies, go straight to Chapters 4 and 5. If you’re in a thoughtful mood, Chapters 7 and 8 can fill you in on where Cap’s creators get their inspiration. And if you’d rather dive straight into the action, Chapters 9 and 10 feature a rundown of Cap’s biggest, most world-changing storylines. Or if you just want a primer for the movies, try Chapter 12.
Wherever you start, there’ll be plenty waiting for you when you get around to the other chapters. Captain America has starred in more than 700 issues of his own comic — and that doesn’t count spinoffs, team series, reprints, or special editions. As Joe Simon, the character’s co-creator, once said: “Cap’s an icon. He’ll go on forever.”
Part 1
Basic Training: Getting to Know Captain America
IN THIS PART …
Meet Steve Rogers, the original and longest-running Captain America.
Follow the rise of Sam Wilson, beginning with his role as the Falcon and leading up to his time as Captain America himself.
Explore the origins of Captain America, both on the page and behind the scenes.
Read about the science behind Captain America. (No college credit earned for this course.)
See the history of Cap’s shield and costume, from their origins in World War II to the present day.
Chapter 1
The Hero, The Symbol
IN THIS CHAPTER
Who Is Captain America?
Who Is Steve Rogers?
Who Is Sam Wilson?
Okay, you’re wondering, so what’s Captain America all about, anyway? Sure, he wears the flag and stands for American values — but what does that really mean? What exactly has made this character so resonant with people over the decades?
I’ll get to that! But in order to understand what Captain America is, it helps to look, first, at who he is. There’s a human being under that helmet, with needs and drives and formative experiences that combine to make him the fighter he is.
Actually, that’s not quite right. Two guys have worn the battle-armor of Captain America. In fact, there are more than two — see Chapter 6 for more on that! But two heroes have carried the shield for longer than any of the others and proven themselves time and again.
Steve Rogers is the original, the Super-Soldier, the “classic” Captain America (also known simply as Cap). But as shown in Figure 1-1, another figure has recently risen to prominence in that role: Sam Wilson, also known as the Falcon. They’re very different people, who came of age in vastly different times and places. In this chapter, you look at them one at a time and see what forces have shaped them into such fierce warriors for freedom.
Art by Paul Renaud.
FIGURE 1-1: The two Captain Americas! Three faces of Steve Rogers, and — front and center — Sam Wilson.
Steve Rogers: Forged in Hard Times
When you first look at Steve Rogers, what do you see? A classic square-jawed hero; a perfect physical specimen, a man who stands up for what he believes is right. Wearing the stars and stripes, carrying that shield, he looks almost invincible. (See Figure 1-2.)
Story by John Ney Rieber, art by John Cassaday.
FIGURE 1-2: Steve Rogers is Captain America!
But while Steve has always had a passion for justice, he didn’t always possess the physical power to fulfill his dreams. And deep inside, he’s not quite as invincible as he looks… .
Childhood: The Depression and hope
The year: 1929. The Great Depression falls over the world like a shroud, plunging America into poverty, desperation, and despair.
Steve Rogers, the future Captain America, is barely seven years old, a gentle boy with a spark of artistic talent. After his father’s death, he struggles to survive while helping his mother as best he can. Even as a child he displays a strong passion for justice, a drive to help people that makes his frail body a constant frustration.
When Nazis hold a rally in his neighborhood, the teenage Steve tries to stand up to them, as shown in Figure 1-3. But his physical abilities can’t match his fighting spirit, and he suffers a terrible beating.
Story by J. Michael Stracyznski. Art by Jesús Saiz.
FIGURE 1-3: Young Steve’s first encounter with Nazis.
Soon after, Steve receives terrible news: His short lifetime of childhood illnesses and brutal fighting means he has, at most, five years to live. Desperate to give his life meaning, he vows to enlist in the army and spend his remaining time serving the country he loves.
Enlistment: Becoming an icon
In a crushing blow to Steve’s self-esteem, the army declares him 4-F — “disabled and unfit for military service.” So he’s assigned to paint WPA murals, based on a childhood talent for art that plays a big part in his life, much later. But fate has other plans… .
So what happens next? To make a long story short: Steve takes an experimental Super-Soldier Serum—and becomes Captain America! (How’s that for the world’s most obvious spoiler?) As shown in Figure 1-4, it doesn’t go smoothly. For more on Steve’s origin, see Chapter 2.
Donning the stars and stripes doesn’t exactly give Steve a purpose in life. He already has that, a commitment to equality and justice that runs deep in his bones. The people behind the Captain America project could see that in him: Steve’s childhood, marked by hardship and filled with raw evidence of the unfairness of life, has made him the perfect person for this job.
What the Super-Soldier Serum gives him is the power, the physical ability to live out his dream of helping the unfortunate and freeing the world’s peoples from tyranny wherever it may rise up. Within minutes of receiving the Serum, he makes a solemn vow to pursue that dream. (see Figure 1-5).
