Captain America is a superhero created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, featuring in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. His debut occurred in Captain America Comics #1, released on December 20, 1940, under Timely Comics, which later evolved into Marvel. The character's alter ego is Steve Rogers, a once frail man who underwent an enhancement process via an experimental "super-soldier serum" upon enlisting in the United States Army during World War II. Endowed with peak human physical attributes, Rogers adopts the mantle of Captain America, donning a costume inspired by the American flag and wielding a nearly indestructible shield. Together with his sidekick Bucky Barnes, he combats adversaries such as the Red Skull and other Axis powers. Following a mishap towards the war's end, Captain America finds himself frozen in stasis until his revival in modern times. He grapples with being displaced in time while resuming his superheroic endeavors, eventually assuming leadership within the Avengers.
Originally published by Timely, Captain America swiftly became one of their most celebrated wartime characters, although interest in superheroes waned post-war, leading to the discontinuation of Captain America Comics in 1950. Despite a brief revival in 1953, the character's definitive return to comics transpired in 1964, and he has since remained a staple in Marvel's publications. Simon and Kirby imbued Captain America with overt anti-Nazi sentiments, reflecting their own opposition to Nazi Germany and advocacy for U.S. involvement in WWII. This political stance has persisted throughout the character's history, with subsequent writers utilizing Captain America as a vehicle for social and political commentary. With appearances spanning thousands of stories across various media, Captain America has become one of Marvel's most iconic figures, symbolizing American values. Although not the inaugural U.S.-themed superhero, he has endured as the most prominent and beloved of his kind from the WWII era. Notably, Captain America made his cinematic debut in the 1944 serial film of the same name, and has since been featured in numerous films and adaptations, most notably portrayed by Chris Evans in the Marvel Cinematic Universe from "Captain America: The First Avenger" (2011) to "Avengers: Endgame" (2019).
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