Top 12 Avengers-Number 1

Top 12 Avengers-Number 1

Captain America

Captain America was not a creation of Stan Lee, in fact, the Captain has his origins before Stan was involved with comics and when Marvel Comics was known as Timely Comics. It was 1940, and the United States was still undecided about its policy concerning World War II, but since every other comic company had someone involved in the fight with Hitler and the Axis powers.

Originally he was going to be called Super American, but the adjective had been worn out by that point, so Joe Simon decided to name his character Captain America. In his first issue, Cap got to slug Hitler in the jaw. With that single issue, Captain America was a hit.

So what's Cap's story? I'm sure you've seen or heard it before, but here you go:

Born a Yankee Doodle Dandy (on the 4th of July in case you don't get the reference), Steve Rogers grew up to be a scrawny Fine Arts Student, and when the war started, he wanted to go and fight, but he was deemed unfit for service. He jumped at the chance to be a part of the Super-Soldier project in hopes that it would help him be able to serve his country.

Since the man behind the program is killed by enemy agents as Rogers becomes a Super Soldier, and since he didn't leave complete records of the formula, Rogers is used as a patriotic super hero. He battles America's enemies both at home and around the world, but in a daring attempt to defeat Baron Zemo, both Cap and his partner Bucky are involved in an explosion over the Atlantic, and they are both presumed dead.

Years later, a frozen Captain America is discovered and thawed from the ice. He recovers thanks to the Super-Soldier Serum and joins the team. Cap has often acted as the leader for the team, and his tactical expertise and experience have always been an asset.

Let's talk for a little bit about what makes Cap so special. The Super-Soldier Serum increases his strength, agility, speed, and everything else to beyond peak performance. He has a shield that is made from a blend of adamantium and vibranium (along with some other things) that is invulnerable and can absorb almost any shock it receives. Cap's long experience as a soldier has taught him how to predict the moves his enemies will make and how to counter them.

Cap has been a part of almost every major story line in the Avengers and the Marvel Universe. Although he only has his enhanced strength and the shield, Cap is still more than a match for many of the opponents he faces, but he does so with a humility that makes him endearing.

Let me tell you about some of my favorite Cap moments.

Captain America defeats Iron Man one-on-one. This has happened more than once actually, and every time it happens It makes me happy. Somehow Cap manages to overcome huge obstacles to defeat the man in the super armor.

Captain America defears the Super Adaptoid in possesion of the Cosmic Cube. The Super Adaptoid is a sentient robot that was designed to defeat any and all chalenges by duplicating the powers of anyone it encountered. At some point, this device gained the powers of the Cosmic Cube. (This is not to be confused with the cube in the Marvel movies.) The Cosmic Cube can basically grant any wish its holder might make. Using the power it had copied from the cube, the Super Adaptoid capture the Avengers, who were led by Captain Marvel (aka Photon) and held them in cubes that their powers could not affect. Captain America (then using the identity the Captain since he had been stripped of the title Captain America by the US government) was teleported to the scene. Cap was able to show the Adaptoid that it wasn't as perfect as it thought even though it had immense power. It wasn't able to create something original or even beat the Captain in combat. This proved, the Super Adaptoid shut down.

Awesome shield tricks I don't remember where this happened, but in a storyline Cap needed to get to the bottom of a deep pit. Without taking time to think about it, he jumped and fell

Cap jumps off the SHIELD helicarrier and hijacks a jet while it is in the air.
At the start of the Civil War storyline, Captain America is on the SHIELD helicarrier talking to the woman that is responsible for reigning in all of the heroes that are against registering. Rather than trying to explain the situation and the reasons that the government is taking these actions, she tries to detain the Captain. Cap doesn't take this approach very well and does something no one is expecting-he uses his shield to smash through the glass of one of the windows, and falls.

This is unexpected enough, but then Cap guides his decent so he lands on a jet plane patrolling around the helicarrier and ejects the pilot so he can fly it to safety.

Let's talk about the movies

I didn't do this with the others,but I just appreciated Chris Evans' performance in this role so much. Along with that, the film makers really got the character right. (Certainly better than Cap's first film.) Steve Rogers is all about being that guy that takes one for the team. He will jump on the grenade and think about everyone else first in a combat situation.

I loved watching Cap stand up to Thor's hammer and arguing with Iron Man. (Movie Iron Man gets a pass compared to the comic books.) I wasn't expecting Captain America: the First Avenger to be a period piece, but that ended up being the perfect way to introduce the character.

Steve Rogers is a symbol for America, but more than that, he fights for everyone that needs a hand, and that makes him my favorite Avenger. You may or may not agree, but that's what the comment section is for.