March 1941: The Star-Spangled Man with the Plan

Captain America was a superhero who had no obvious “super powers.” So why was he such a hit from the moment he was introduced punching Hitler in the pan in 1941?

After all, the first star-spangled superhero — MLJ’s the Shield — was popular, but never as popular as Joe Simon and Jack Kirby’s Captain America, who once sold a million issues a month. But then, ironically, although he had super powers at first, THE Shield didn’t have A shield.

Cap’s shield, which had been circular since the second issue, was as visually arresting as Superman’s cape, and had both practical and symbolic advantages.

“Even better than Daredevil’s billy club, Cap’s shield is the perfect wedding of form and function,” observed Alex S. Romagnoli and Gian S. Pagnucci in their book Enter the Superheroes: American Values, Culture and the Canon of Superhero Literature. “The shield is the perfect symbol of all the patriotism Captain America is meant to embody. Every time Cap lifts that shield high, he’s waving the flag for the whole world to see.”

Cap was a trendsetter there. Taking their cues from Winghead, many of Marvel’s most popular superheroes would ultimately be identified with some stylish, thematic weapon that could be used offensively, defensively and often, even as a means of transport. Thor had his hammer; Daredevil, his billy club; Iron Man, his armor; Spider-Man, his web shooters.

So the shield was perfect and, let’s face it, so was the art. Watch how Cap bends almost into a circle to deliver a blow that must be overwhelming. See him dodge an attack, torso twisting, long legs akimbo. Look at him run, bent forward, bullet-fast.

Who needed super powers when you had that much sheer dynamism on the page?