Marvel Comics publishes American comic books featuring the superhero Captain America. The character was first drawn by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby and debuted in Captain America Comics #1 (March 1941 cover) published by Timely Comics, the company that preceded Marvel Comics. During World War II, Timely Comics’ most popular character was Captain America, a patriotic supersoldier who frequently battled the Axis powers. After the war, superheroes lost their appeal, and the Captain America comic book was canceled in 1950 before seeing a brief resurgence in 1953. Captain America has continued to be published ever since Marvel Comics brought the character back to life in 1964.

The character wears a costume bearing an American flag motif, and he utilizes a nearly-indestructible shield that he throws as a projectile. Captain America is the alter ego of Steve Rogers, a frail young artist enhanced to the peak of human perfection by an experimental “super-soldier serum” after joining the military to aid the United States government’s efforts in World War II. Near the end of the war, he was trapped in ice and survived in suspended animation until he was revived in modern times. Although Captain America often struggles to maintain his ideals as a man out of his time, he remains a highly respected figure both with the American public and in the superhero community, which includes becoming the long-time leader of the Avengers.

Captain America was the first Marvel Comics character to appear in media outside comics with the release of the 1944 movie serial, Captain America. Since then, the character has been featured in other films and television series. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), the character is portrayed by Chris Evans. Captain America was ranked sixth on IGN’s “Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time” in 2011, second in their list of “The Top 50 Avengers” in 2012, and second in their “Top 25 best Marvel superheroes” list in 2014.