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***Spoilers Ahead***
Hey everybody, welcome back to another spotlight on a Marvel character. This week I’ll be focusing on the new top cop, Steve Rogers. If you have read this week’s latest books (Siege, Embedded), you’ll now what I’m talking about.

Steve Rogers was introduced to us all in 1941 by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. The concept was a scrawny weakling of a guy who takes part in a program called Operation: Rebirth. They administer the Super Soldier Serum to Rogers in hopes of creating the perfect physical specimen. The formula worked, but the scientist who invented it was killed by a Nazi spy. Cap went on to fight in World War II with his youthful sidekick Bucky Barnes. There are more Cap & Bucky war stories out there, but the most significant one was against Baron Zemo. Zemo was the Red Skull’s top flunky and hated Captain America. He launched a rocket into the air in hopes of killing thousands, but Cap and Bucky thwarted this plan. This cost Bucky  his life, or so we thought. Cap fell off of the rocket only to be lost at sea and frozen in a block of ice.
Years later, a group of superheroes formed a team called the Avengers. This team was inadvertently brought together by Loki, and eventually found Cap in the ice. He had been preserved and rose from the ice as if he had never been out. It was tough for him to adapt to life with roughly twenty years gone from when he last remembers, but he persevered. He led the Avengers on many life threatening missions, and fought Skrulls and other alien threats. He fought his nemesis Zemo, Baron Blood, Batroc the Leaper, Mister Hyde, and even ran for President! He’s also been romantically linked to Diamondback, and later Sharon Carter.

Everything in Cap’s life hasn’t been great, but he always takes things and puts a positive spin on them and pushes forward. A few years ago, the superhero community was divided right down the middle thanks to the government passing the Superhuman Registration Act. This act said that anyone with any kind of powers or abilities, had to register with the federal government and reveal their secret identity. They would also work for and take orders from the government. Iron Man and Reed Richards most notably, took the side of the government. Captain America and a host of others sided against it. This struggle became know as Civil War. Cap led the resistance and soon found himself ready to put Iron Man down, but then realized he was putting people in harm’s way so he decided to give up. Cap also found out that his old partner Bucky hadn’t died after his rocket ride.

Next, unbeknownst to Steve, Dr. Faustus and The Red Skull brainwashed Sharon Carter, and while the villain Crossbones shot Cap with a high-powered rifle, Sharon shot him three more time at close range. The whole world witnessed the Death of Captain America on the courthouse steps. Now, we really knew marvel wouldn’t keep one of their flagships dead long, so when Bucky took up the mantle of Captain America, we all knew it would be temporary, right? Well, we were quickly informed Steve wasn’t dead, just “lost in time,” and we were given Captain America: Reborn to show his return. Upon returning though, we saw that Steve wants Bucky to keep wielding the shield. A lot of people did speculate from the beginning of Siege that Steve was going to be the new Nick Fury once this was all said and done. Well, if you’ve read Siege #4, you’ll know that assumption was right. Steve Rogers will now be head of the new world peace-keeping force, because Norman Osborn has been jailed for his antics in Asgard.

I can honestly say that when Reborn came out, I was disappointed at how Marvel brought Rogers back. Though I also have to confess that I really like everything they’ve done with Steve since his return. I can’t wait for his new series to start up in July, titled – Steve Rogers: Super Soldier. I really liked Shield and can’t wait to see Steve running the show.

Suggested Reading
Essential Captain America vol. 1 Tpb
Captain America: War and Remembrance Tpb
Winter Soldier Vol. 1 & 2 Tpb’s
The Death of Captain America Vol. 1 Tpb

Billy Dunleavy
billy@comicattack.net