Everyone’s talking about the fact that the
Batmobile was stolen by this guy.
Meanwhile… we’re talking about Captain
America.
Welcome to Meanwhile, the show that introduces
you to the world of comics and connects it
the shows and games you already know and love.
My name is Nathan Faudree, let’s get started.
Captain America, created by Joe Simon and
Jack Kirby in 1940, is Steve Rogers, a scrawny
poor kid in the 1940s from the Lower East
Side in New York City. Even worse, he’s
a fine arts student who moonlights as a comic
book artist.
But he’s disgusted by the rise of the Nazi’s
in Germany and decides to join the Army. Well,
in the 1940’s the United States Army wasn’t
exactly looking for scrawny artists to enlist.
But, Steve is chosen for a special Army program
“Project Rebirth” where he is given the
Super Soldier Serum created by Dr. Erskine,
and then exposed to Vita Rays. This is before
cosmic rays and radiation created heroes.
And Captain America is born! And then Dr.
Erskine is immediately shot by a Nazi Spy…
so no more Super Soldiers.
Anyway!
Cap fights his way through World War Two using
his signature weapon, a shield made from Vibranium,
a nearly indestructible energy absorbing metal.
♪♪ Captain America throws his mighty shield
♪♪
Until one day he falls off an experimental
Nazi plane and is frozen in ice. He is awoken
in the present day and continues to fight
on as Captain America.
Cap has faced many unusual villains over the
years, including The Red Skull, his Nazi Super
Soldier counterpart, Baron Stucker the head
of Hydra, Baron Zemo, and Baron Blood.
That's a lot of Barons.
While not being a founding member of the Avengers
like in the movies, his ice block wasn’t
found till issue #4, he quickly became the
leader and he is the first to utter the iconic
phrase, “Avengers Assemble”.
Avengers Assemble!!!! Is that better?
Chris: That was a lot better
Ok, thank you.
He has also served as a mentoring figure to
most current heroes in the Marvel Universe,
including Sam Wilson, The Falcon, who became
the first African American superhero in mainstream comics
The Winter Soldier by Ed Brubaker this one may seem a little obvious but it's
the read. Don’t worry, it differs a lot
from the movie. This story alternates back
and forth between Cap’s time in World War
II and the present day as he faces the mysterious
assassin known only as the Winter Soldier.
This is a character defining run that really
places Cap squarely in the modern age.
Fallen Son, also by Ed Brubaker. This book
is very important for a number of reasons.
First it deals with the “Death” of Captain
America and sometimes the best way to really
show the importance of a character like Cap
is to take him away. Plus, this comic is a
prime example that even if Steve Rogers can’t
be Captain America, someone else will be.
Steve has quit being Captain America several
times since his creation in 1940 for many
different reasons ranging from his loss of
faith in the country all the way to being
fired. Plus, there was that whole, you know,
being frozen in ice for a few years thing.
Because of all that, there have been many
people who have filled in and Fallen Son continues
this by placing Bucky Barnes, Cap’s former
sidekick, behind the shield.
Ok, so if you’ve been paying attention to
what we’ve been talking about so far, you
will see how it all leads up to what is happening
now in the book. In October 2014, we see the
introduction of Sam Wilson, the Falcon, taking
over as the next Captain America in All New
Captain America #1 by Rick Remender.
He’s Captain America, with wings! … He
is actually, he’s Captain America with ****ing wings!
Steve Rogers is still around, but the Super
Soldier serum has been neutralized, so he’s
… ya know… really ****ing old right now.
His brain still works though so while he helps
in the background, he recruits his crime fighting
partner Sam Wilson to take the shield and
become the All New Captain America.
Captain America never quits, never dies. Except
when he dies… and then he never stays dead!
And now you know where you can begin following
his never ending battle.
Meanwhile… we’re gonna be using vibranium
for something else. Oh hohoho
Meanwhile… we’ll be
♪♪ Dancing, yeah! Dancing yeah! Dancing♪♪
I feel dirty.
Welcome to Meanwhile, the show where we eat
Cheese-It’s all the time.
