Steve Rogers

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See also Captain America for a complete list of references to clarify differences between these closely named or closely related articles.


Steve Rogers
Aliases:	Captain America; Nomad; The Captain Captain Corsair ^[1]
Continuity:	Captain America
Notability:	Main character
Type:	Superhero
Gender:	Male
Race:	Augmented human
Location:	New York City, New York
Relatives:	Joseph Rogers (father) Sarah Rogers (mother)
Status:	Formerly deceased
Born:	July 4th, 1922
First:	Captain America Comics #1
Actor:	Chris Evans

Steve Rogers is the alter ego of the costumed comic book superhero Captain America. He is the first and most well known of several characters who have carried the name over the years. Captain America was created by writer Joe Simon and artist Jack Kirby and was introduced in the pages of Captain America Comics #1, published by Timely Comics in March, 1941. In addition to headlining his own feature title, Captain America has appeared in other superhero-related comics throughout the 1940s and 1950s. With the rebranding of Timely Comics as Marvel Comics, Captain America was re-introduced to comic readers in the 1960s when he brought into the present day in the pages of Avengers #4. He has since gone on to headline several of his own ongoing comic book titles, as well as recurring appearances in various Avengers books. The character has been interpreted in various media including television programs, animated projects and feature films. In 2011, he received his own big budget feature film, Captain America: The First Avenger, where he was played by actor Chris Evans, and he appeared in the 2012 live-action theatrical film version of The Avengers.

Overview[]

Steve Rogers grew up in Brooklyn during the 1920s. As a teenager, he witnessed a patriotic film reel depicting America's commitment towards fighting the Nazi threat in Europe. Inspired by the film, Steve tried to enlist in the US Army, but was declared 4F due to his weak constitution. Undeterred, Steve explored every avenue available to him in order to serve his country. He volunteered for a top secret government experiment called Operation Rebirth. Under the tutelage of Doctor Abraham Erskine, Rogers was subjected to a dose of Vita rays and a chemical compound known as the Super Soldier Serum, which transformed the 98-pound weakling into the powerhouse that men would come to know as Captain America.

The government outfitted Rogers with a patriotic costume and an impenetrable shield and he became the symbol of America's commitment towards fighting tyranny wherever it may rise. He fought against the Axis powers throughout World War II and was a member of the war-time superhero group The Invaders. Following a battle against Baron Zemo in April 1945, Rogers was placed in suspended animation when he was frozen inside of a block of ice. His inert form floated about the Atlantic for decades until it was finally discovered by the superhero team, the Avengers. Awakened in a new era, Cap had to adjust to a brave new world, but knew that there was still a place for someone like Captain America. He joined the Avengers and became one of the most valued members of the team, serving in nearly every incarnation of the group.

Through the years, Cap has fought up against new threats, as well as ghosts from his past. When he became disenfranchised with the corruption and bureaucracy that had taken root in the American political system, he shed his Captain America identity and became the Nomad for a brief period. He resumed his Captain American identity and continued fighting against injustice for several more years. Eventually, the US government declared that they had legal ownership to the name, costume and shield of Captain America and wanted Rogers to step in line with their initiative as a government watch dog. Steve believed that the spirit of Captain America belonged to the people and was not created to serve a particular government agenda, so he gave up the identity again, this time taking up another alter ego, The Captain. The role of Captain America was handed over to a right-wing militant named Johnny Walker, who later became known as US agent. Eventually however, Rogers retired the Captain identity and returned to being Captain America.

It came to pass that the Super Soldier Serum that had given Captain America his extraordinary powers was breaking down, which had an adverse effect on his overall health. To continue fighting on, Cap trained even more rigorously than before and had even taken to wearing an exoskeleton for awhile. Cap regained his powers following a blood transfusion from the Red Skull who, at the time, was occupying a cloned body of Steve Rogers.

During the Civil War, Captain America stood in opposition to the legislation known as the Superhuman Registration Act, which required all costumed adventurers to register their identities with the United States government and in effect, becoming licensed agents of the country's elite defense force, S.H.I.E.L.D.. Cap felt this was a gross violation of an individual's civil liberties and had to work in secret with a team of followers dubbed the Secret Avengers in order to combat the forces of the Pro-registration camp, which was led by Cap's longtime friend and comrade, Tony Stark, aka Iron Man. In the end, the Civil War became too costly on both sides and Captain America surrendered, ordering all of those behind him to stand down. On the day that Rogers was being taken to the courthouse for arraignment, he was gunned down by the sniper Crossbones as well as a brainwashed former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Sharon Carter. The death of Captain America served as one of the darkest days in American history.

It was later discovered that, while his body was dead, Rogers' essence was "locked into a fixed point in space and time". Rogers' mind was being transported through time, forcing him to relive certain segments of his life such as World War II and becoming Captain America once again. While this was taking place, the Red Skull, who had at this point been a disembodied spirit, took possession of Steve Rogers' body. With the aide of his friends Sam Wilson and his original sidekick Bucky Barnes - Steve Rogers was able to drive the Red Skull's mind out of his body and returned to life.

Steve Rogers was not yet ready to resume his previous station as Captain America. He handed the mantle down to Bucky Barnes, who wore the name and shield of Captain America for several months. By this point, the Civil War had long since ended and S.H.I.E.L.D. had undergone a complete reorganization. Steve Rogers found himself serving his country in an entirely new capacity - Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.. During this time, Steve started up a new group of Avengers.