Captain America - Part Two

The political turmoil of the 60s was a great showcase for refining Captain Americas personality. Over the next two decades, Captain America would deal with racial tensions, changing gender roles, and Watergate whilst battling familiar and new villains. Caps reaction to Watergate saw him leave behind his Captain America identity, as he felt he could no longer serve a government so corrupt. He continued his superhero adventures, in the form of Nomad, and exchanged his bright colors for far more somber ones.

Several stand-ins tried to take Steves place as Captain America, and after one of their deaths, Steve stepped back into the role. It was not, however, the last time he gave up the name of Captain America. In the 1980s, when the United States government tried to make him a direct operative, Steve declined, stating that he has always believed that Captain America should represent the ideals of America and the strength of her people, not the whim of the political office. During this period, he temporarily resigned his role of Captain America once again and became simply The Captain.

By the time of Marvel Comics super-crossover Civil War event, a definite pattern had been established that stated that Steve Rogers would stand up to the America government when he thought they were wrong. Though his methodology in protesting was highly disputed by comic book fans and long time readers of the character, most were not surprised when Captain America refused to agree to a proposed Superhero Registration Act that would effectively make Captain America responsible for hunting down his friends and teammates and forcing them to reveal their identities to the American government. This stance split the Marvel comic heroes down the middle, half siding with Captain America and the other half siding with Iron Man in agreement with the proposed legislation.

Following a climactic battle between the two sides, Captain America surrendered due to the destruction the fight was causing New York. While in a cell, he defended his position in the war to Tony Stark. Cap argued that his side "maintained the principles we swore to defend and protect. You sold your principles. You lost this before you started."

On his way to a courthouse to await trial, Steve was shot, and, at least for now, killed. His body was laid to rest in the ocean.

Currently the mantle of Captain America lies with the one person that has a greater claim to the title than anyone else: Steves old sidekick, Bucky. As it turned out, Bucky didnt die at the end of World War II anymore than his old mentor did. Instead, Bucky was captured and turned into Winter Soldier, an assassin for the Soviet government. After a confrontation with Winter Soldier led Captain America to discover the truth, Cap used the reality-altering Cosmic Cube to make Bucky "remember who you are."

Hit by the reality of all the wrong he had been forced to commit against his will, Bucky wandered around trying to figure out how to make amends while working with Nick Fury until Steves death. At first hit by an outpouring of rage at everyone Bucky held responsible for his mentors death, Bucky is now trying to honor Steve by being the best hero he can while wearing a modified Captain America costume.

Throughout the long history of the comic Superhero Captain America, the man behind the mask has undergone numerous revisions to his history, social life, and backstory. Hes been a cop, a history teacher, and a comic book artist. Hes had a public identity and a private one. Hes been engaged and a potential father. Hes been dead and placed in suspended animation more than once. He lost and regained his powers. In the Marvel Ultimates comic book line, Steve Rogers even came back as a rougher, grittier, grimmer version of the regular continuity Captain America. Despite these continuing changes, his popularity remains constant and perhaps no one explains why better than Cap himself: "We must all live in the real world...and sometimes that world can be pretty grim. But it is the Dream...the hope...that makes the reality worth living."

Essential Storylines:

- Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty
- Man Without a Country
- Truth: Red, White, and Black
- Operation Rebirth by the Waid/Garney team.
- Captain No More
- Captain America, vol 5 #1-25
- Winter Soldier: Winter Kills
- Civil War and The Confession