Captain America #215
The Way it Really Was!
With his vision restored following their battle with the Night-Flyer, Captain America and the Falcon go out on the town to celebrate.[1] Cap wants to look at the city from the top of the Empire State Building where he expresses his love for New York City. The sudden arrival of Captain America and the Falcon begins drawing a crowd who begin asking the Star-Spangled Avenger questions and asking for autographs.[2] That’s when the Falcon steps in and asks them to give Cap a little privacy.
As Falcon deals with the crowd, Steve can’t help but think back to the events that led to his becoming Captain America. He remembers the day when he was called into the laboratory of Abraham Erskine and drank the Super-Soldier Formula in front of a group of government officials.[3] His body was suddenly transformed into the peak of human perfection.[4] That’s when a Nazi spy who infiltrated the experiment shot and killed Erskine.[5] Steve Rogers avenged Erskine’s life by killing the spy, but since the formula was not written down, it was seemingly lost forever.[6] As America’s only super-soldier, Steve Rogers became Captain America. He recalls his early battles against the Nazis and when he exchanged his original triangular shield with the disc shaped weapon he has used ever since.[7]
During this period, Steve Rogers operated as Captain America in secret. He was stationed at Camp Lehigh where he acted like a bumbling soldier, much to the aggravation of his superior officer, Sergeant Mike Duffy. Nobody knew his secret until he was caught changing into costume by Bucky Barnes, the camp’s boy mascot.[8] Bucky convinced Steve to let him be his partner and the two fought side-by-side from that moment on. Together the regularly fought the Red Skull, whose origins were just as astonishing as Steve’s own, as he was a bellhop that was hand picked by Adolf Hitler and trained into becoming his greatest warrior.[9] The pair also teamed up with the Human Torch, Toro, and the Sub-Mariner to form the Invaders, and eventually their ranks expanded to also include Union Jack and Spitfire.[10] However, near the end of the war, Captain America’s partnership with Bucky came to a tragic end, when attempting to stop an explosive filled drone from being launched by Baron Zemo. Failing to disarm the bomb, Bucky was seemingly killed in the explosion while Steve ended up falling into the water below and was placed in suspended animation for decades.[11]
This gets Steve thinking about the people who took his place after his disappearance. Not wanting the world to think Captain America was dead, President Truman selected the crimefighter previously known as the Spirit of ‘76 to become the next Captain America. He was quickly killed in a battle against an android.[12] His body was later discovered by the Patriot who learned how Spirit of ‘76 replaced the original Captain America. The Patriot then took over the identity for the remainder of the 1940s.[13] In the 1950s the role was taken over by a man who was so obsessed with Steve Rogers, he legally changed his name and underwent plastic surgery to look exactly like him. Discovering another version of the Super-Soldier serum, he and his own Bucky became the Captain America of the 1950s, clashing with their own version of the Red Skull. However, the formula they used was impure and eventually they became increasingly violent and paranoid, forcing the government to put them into suspended animation as well.[14]
In more recent times, Steve’s frozen body was discovered and worshiped by a tribe of Inuit. That was until the Sub-Mariner came to terrorize them and tossed Cap’s frozen body back into the water where it was thawed out and recovered by the Avengers.[15] He became a longtime member of the Avengers and also took on new partners in this new world. The first was Rick Jones, who even took over the mantle of Bucky for a short time.[16] His latest partner was the Falcon, aka Sam Wilson, who he trailed to help battle the Red Skull, who at the time was armed with the powerful Cosmic Cube.[17] In more recent times, he also faced off against his 1950s counter-part who had become a twisted version of his own ideals.[18] Most recently, Steve has looked at himself in the mirror when remarking his young face looking back at him he has realized that he doesn’t remember anything about his past prior to his joining the Super Soldier Program. Realizing his mind has wandered off, he apologizes to Falcon and tells his partner that he doesn’t remember his own past. Frustrated by his inability to remember who he was, Captain America wonders who Steve Rogers really was.[19]
Recurring Characters
Captain America (Rogers), Falcon, (in flashback) Abraham Erskine, Harry S. Truman, Spirit of ‘76/Captain America (Nasland), Patriot/Captain America (Mace), Captain America (Burnside)
Continuity Notes
Captain America was blinded during his battle with Arnim Zola and the Red Skull in Captain America #212, his vision fully healed last issue.
One man asks why Captain America’s shield is so durable. Steve declines to answer it, saying that it’s a secret. Captain America #303 eventually reveals that it was invented by accident by scientist Myron MacLain who combined an early form of Adamantium with Wakandan Vibranium.
This of course is a retelling of Captain America’s origins, which were originally told back in Captain America Comics #1. This story states that the experiment took place in 1941, conflicting with other sources. Captain America #255 and subsequent tales take a firm stance that it actually happened in 1940. See “Captain America’s Age and Other Conflicting Facts” below.
This recounting of Captain America’s origins only show Steve Rogers drinking the Super Soldier Formula. This mirrors a version of Captain America’s origins that was told in Tales of Suspense #63. This contradicts Captain America Comics #1 which shows Steve getting injected as well as Captain America #109 which shows Steve getting bombarded with Vita-Rays. Captain America #255 clarifies that all three of these processes were used to create Captain America.
The Nazi spy is unidentified here. Captain America #109 reveals that his name was Heinz Krueger.
The assertion that Erskine’s formula died with him is proven wrong as other versions of the formula were later found. A version of the formula was given to Keen Marlow and Roger Aubrey as detailed in Marvels Project #7. Murray Anderson was tricked into recreating it for the Nazis, who later used that version of the formula to create Master Man in Giant-Size Invaders #1. Another version coaxed out of Bill Jo White led to the creation of Warrior Woman in Invaders #16. Meanwhile, Heinz Kruger’s superior Albrecht Kerfoot got his hands on a copy of the formula which eventually ended up being found by William Burnside in the 1950s, per Captain America #155. This is not an exhaustive list but those are some of the major ones.
Indeed, Captain America had a triangular shield when he first appeared in Captain America Comics #1. He then switched to his trademark disc shaped shield in the following issue. It’s explained in Captain America #255, that Steve’s original shield and costume had design issues and he made recommendations for changes. Black Panther (vol. 3) #30 shows that Steve was then sent to Wakanda to collect a sample of the Vibranium that would later be used to create his shield. The shield was presented to him by President Roosevelt soon after as seen, again, in Captain America #255.
The idea that Bucky wandered into Steve’s tent as the reason for the pair becoming partners has later been revealed to be nothing but propaganda. Marvels Project #7 reveals that James Barnes was specifically trained to be Captain America’s partner. Wolverine: Origins #17-20 goes even further by suggestion that Bucky’s purpose was to do the things that a high profile soldier like Captain America could not do, such as wetwork operations. That the boy-sidekick schtick was merely a façade that even Rogers didn’t know about.
The Red Skull’s “bellhop discovered by Hitler” origin story was first told in Tales of Suspense #66. This is just the tip of the ice berg when it comes to the Skull. His full life history was explored in more detail in Red Skull #1-5.
The Invaders were first formed in Giant-Size Invaders #1. Union Jack and Spitfire joined the team in Invaders # 8 and 11 respectively.
The tragic end to Cap and Bucky’s partnership was chronicled in Avengers #4. Although Steve believes Bucky to have died, he actually survived and was transformed into the Russian assassin known as the Winter Soldier. Cap won’t learn the truth until Captain America (vol. 5) #14.
Spirit of ‘76 and the Patriot taking over the roll of Captain America was previously revealed in What If? #4. This story does not specify who took over as Bucky. That person was Fred Davis, Jr.
While vague here, Captain America: Patriot #4 confirms that Jeff Mace retired as Captain America in 1950.
There is a lot about the 1950’s Captain America and Bucky that aren’t mentioned here
Like their real names! 50’s Cap was William Burnside before he legally changed his name, per Captain America #602. His Bucky was one Jack Monroe, as revealed in Captain America #281.
Their origins were detailed in Captain America #155.
The Red Skull they fought was revealed to be a communist operative named Albert Malik who usurped the Red Skull’s identity, as explained in Solo Avengers #6 and Captain America Annual #13.
Cap wonders what Namor would have done had he realized it was his old wartime ally who was trapped in the ice. In reality, Namor couldn’t have known it at the time. Per Marvel Saga #12, Namor had recently come out of a state of amnesia (circa Fantastic Four #4) and did not fully remember his past, which goes to explain how Namor did not recognize Captain America when they met later on in Avengers #4.
Rick Jones was pretty much Captain America’s sidekick since he first got thawed out. He drifted away from Cap by Avengers #17 because he was jealous that he was overlooked for an official role in the Avengers. Rick became the next Bucky from Captain America #110 to 116. Rick was driven away by the Red Skull who was masquerading as Cap at the time.
Sam Wilson became the Falcon in Captain America #117 and their clash against the Red Skull went on until issue #118. Also mentioned here are how the Falcon recently got mechanical wings to help him fly in Captain America #170. He also mentions how the Red Skull ended up in suspended animation and revived in the Modern Age, this was detailed in Tales of Suspense #79-80.
Steve fought his 50’s counterpart in Captain America #153-156.
Adventures of Captain America #1 and Avengers: Roll Call #1 confirm that Steve Rogers was born on July 4, 1922. His father, Joseph Rogers, was first identified in Captain America (vol. 7) #1-2, which states that he was an abusive alcoholic who died of influenza when Steve was still young. His mother, Sarah, was identified in Captain America #255 and she died when he was a teenager from pneumonia. Captain America (vol. 6) #19 also states that on top of being impoverished, Steve was sickly as child. Marvels Project #4 showed that the only work he could find as an adult was washing dishes.
Topical References
Captain America quotes John Lennon’s words about New York City. This would not be considered a topical reference, since he is referring to Lennon in the past tense, which makes sense as Lennon was murdered in 1975, two years prior to this comic’s publication.
This story states that Steve Rogers was freed from suspended animation in the year 1963. This should be considered a topical reference as it notes the year Avengers #4 was published. Modern readers shouldn’t apply any specific date to Cap’s revival in the Modern Age. Per the Sliding Timescale, Steve Rogers would have been revived five years prior to this story.
This story refers to the Native people who find Cap’s frozen body as Eskimo, which is no longer the correct term and is considered by some to be racist. The proper term by today’s standard is Inuit.
Captain America’s Age and Other Conflicting Facts.
This story focuses on how Steve Rogers does not remember his life prior to the Super Soldier Program and kicks off an investigation into his past. This would lead to Captain America #225 which gave Steve Rogers a backstory that was later revealed to be false-memory implants in Captain America #247.
That said, some of his recollections when compared to other stories about Steve Rogers life before becoming Captain America, it appears that there are mistakes on the part of writer Roy Thomas.
This story states that the Super Soldier experiment took place in 1941. Later stories, particularly Captain America #255, state that the program actually occurred in the winter of 1940. Since the actual date hasn’t really been given in past stories by this point, one could chalk this all up to the aforementioned false memory implants.
The next issue is a little less easy to explain. At the end of this story, Steve Rogers states that he was 20 years old when he was given the Super Soldier Serum. This contradicts Captain America #176 which states he was 18. Further his age was confirmed in Adventures of Captain America #1 and Avengers: Roll Call #1, which reveal that his date of birth was July 4, 1922, which would have made him 18 when he attempted to enlist in the military in 1940.
The false story in issue #225 presents a story that Steve didn’t become interested in joining the military until his fictional brother, Mike, was killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 when Steve would have been 19 years old. Since there isn’t a given timeline to these false memories (other than the Pearl Harbor reference) then its entirely possible that this false narrative could have had Steve undergoing the super-soldier serum at 20.
My assumption is that, although these false memories didn’t come fully out until Rogers was exposed to a mind probe in issue #247, the act of trying to think back to prior his becoming Captain America triggered the false memories to start coming to the fore. This would make sense when you consider that Captain America #215 is the first time Steve Rogers ever really tried to reflect back on his life prior to being inspired to join the military.