***This is the first in a series of 'The Road to Civil War' posts, written by MCU Correspondent Nick Whitney, leading up to the release of CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR. ***
In issue No. 2, Cap’s shield was redesigned into the now familiar round shape — probably to avoid comparisons to the other super patriot hero of the time, 'The Shield' — with the then 19-year-old Stan Lee adding to the Captain America lore with his first writing gig in comics. A text-filler story in issue No. 3 which featured the inaugural instance of Cap using his shield as a weapon that he could throw at enemies.
But with the end of the war and no more Nazi's to battle, Cap was re-packaged as Captain America: Commie Smasher and though lasting for almost another decade beyond the end of the Golden Age of comics, the character lost some of the magic that made him connect with readers, quietly being cancelled in 1954.
Flash-forward to 1964, the heart of the Silver Age of comics, during which Timely re-branded itself after one of its Golden Age titles, Marvel Comics. In the pages of one of its landmark titles, The Avengers, the now editor-in-chief and head writer Stan Lee brought Captain America back. Ignoring the stories of the 50s, Lee had Cap suffer the tragic loss of his sidekick Bucky on a final mission during the last days of World War II, only to be frozen in the waters of the North Atlantic before being found and re-animated by the Avengers. With this re-introduction, the plot device of being frozen was permanently etched into he character's backstory. His past set in stone but the period he was frozen for always changing as time marched on, Cap could forever remain a Golden Age hero in a contemporary setting, a veritable man out of time.
Though never having his own show, Cap made many cameo appearances in animated Marvel series throughout the years, even having a pair of TV films made in 1979 and a feature adaptation in 1990. Despite this, the character never reached the height of his popularity as he had experienced in the 40s, always playing second fiddle to flagship Marvel characters Spider-Man, and later, the X-Men.
With the advent of Marvel Studios, the 'Avengers Initiative' plan was put into action with Captain America being added to the movie slate alongside Iron Man, Hulk and Thor. Actor Chris Evans, formally the Human Torch in Fox's FANTASTIC FOUR, was tapped to play the iconic hero, with The Rocketeer helmer Joe Johnston hired to direct the first Captain America film of the 21st Century as a period piece set almost entirely in WW2.
Earning a much higher gross at the box office and, more importantly, blowing moviegoers' minds with awesome action and storytelling, The Winter Soldier adapted the modern classic comic tale (written by Ed Brubaker) of the same name. The comic book arc and film saw the resurrection of Cap's long believed dead partner Bucky Barnes as a soviet trained assassin, the Winter Soldier; a plot that leads us directly into Civil War.
Now poised to stand head-to-head with the hitherto undisputed MCU lead character Iron Man in the upcoming CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR, Steve Rogers once again stands for something greater than himself as he and those loyal to him take a stand to do what's right in the face of questioning unilateral oversight.
After all, who watches the watchmen?
Written by Nick Whitney, MCU Correspondent -- Click here to read Nick's posts.
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