Claim: Captain America started in the 1940's.

Captain America is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby , the character first appeared in Captain America Comics # 1 -LRB- cover dated March 1941 -RRB- from Timely Comics , a predecessor of Marvel Comics . Captain America was designed as a patriotic supersoldier who often fought the Axis powers of World War II and was Timely Comics ' most popular character during the wartime period . The popularity of superheroes waned following the war and the Captain America comic book was discontinued in 1950 , with a short-lived revival in 1953 . Since Marvel Comics revived the character in 1964 , Captain America has remained in publication .   Captain America wears a costume that bears an American flag motif , and is armed with a nearly indestructible shield that he throws at foes . The character is usually depicted as the alter ego of Steve Rogers , a frail young man enhanced to the peak of human perfection by an experimental serum to aid the United States government 's efforts in World War II . Near the end of the war , he was trapped in ice and survived in suspended animation until he was revived in the present day . Although Captain America often struggles to maintain his ideals as a man out of his time with its modern realities , he remains a highly respected figure in his community which includes becoming the long-time leader of the Avengers .   Captain America was the first Marvel Comics character to have appeared in media outside comics with the release of the 1944 movie serial , Captain America . Since then , the character has been featured in other films and television series , more recently in the Marvel Cinematic Universe -LRB- MCU -RRB- portrayed by Chris Evans in Captain America : The First Avenger , The Avengers , Captain America : The Winter Soldier , Avengers : Age of Ultron , Captain America : Civil War , and the upcoming Avengers : Infinity War -LRB- 2018 -RRB- and its untitled sequel -LRB- 2019 -RRB- .   Captain America is ranked sixth on IGN 's `` Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time '' in 2011 , second in their list of `` The Top 50 Avengers '' in 2012 , and second in their `` Top 25 best Marvel superheroes '' list in 2014 .