Captain America's shield

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Captain America's shield (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
)

Captain America's shield
The circular design of Captain America's shield: a white five-pointed star on a blue circle surrounded by three concentric rings of red, white, and red.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceOriginal shield:
Captain America Comics #1
(March 1941)
Circular shield:
Captain America Comics #2
(April 1941)
Created byJoe Simon and Jack Kirby
In story information
TypeLarge rotella / flying disc (Proto-Adamantium)
Element of stories featuringCaptain America
Winter Soldier
Falcon
American Dream

Captain America's shield is a fictional item appearing in

American culture
.

Over the years, Captain America has used several shields of varying composition and design. His original heater shield first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 (March 1941), published by Marvel's 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics. The circular shield best associated with the character debuted in the next issue, Captain America Comics #2.

Original shield

New York Comic Art Convention program with Joe Simon's original 1940 sketch of Captain America

In his debut, Captain America (secretly

U.S. Army Private Steve Rogers) is equipped with a heater-style shield made from steel. After complaints by rival comic-book publisher MLJ that the design was too similar to that of its own patriotic hero the Shield,[1] Timely Comics replaced the triangular shield with a disc
-shaped one.

While the origin and fate of the original shield were not described in the original comics from the 1940s, the shield's fate was revealed decades later in 2001 through a

retconned story. According to the tale, King T'Chaka of Wakanda met Captain America in early 1941 and gave him a sample of vibranium, an alien metal with unique vibration-absorption properties and found only in Wakanda and the Savage Land.[2]
The vibranium was used to make Captain America's circular shield, and his triangular one was retired.

Captain America received a second triangular shield that he used until given his disc-shaped shield, presented to him by President

Mr. Hyde during a raid on the mansion by Baron Zemo's Masters of Evil, and later "plucked from time" and restored by Zemo in Thunderbolts #105 (October 2006). The shield (along with other sentimental items thought destroyed) was returned to Captain America. A third triangular shield is kept in the Smithsonian Institution. It was used by Captain America when he foiled a terrorist attack on the museum itself after the loss of his usual shield; it was then given to him in gratitude. This shield is destroyed several issues later by a Kree
alien warrior.

The shield destroyed by Hyde and restored by Zemo was eventually passed on to Elijah Bradley, the teenage hero known as the Patriot and leader of the Young Avengers.

Revised history

In 2010, the history of the original shield was revised. In the limited series Captain America/Black Panther: Flags of Our Fathers, Captain America,

T'Challa)—the Black Panther and king of Wakanda during World War II. Aided by Wakandan military forces, they repel a series of Nazi attacks led by the Red Skull and Baron Strucker. During the battle, the Red Skull (wearing a battle-suit) crushes the triangular shield, and Captain America uses a circular vibranium shield provided by T'Challa to incapacitate the Skull. The weapon serves as the inspiration for the circular shield that the super-soldier begins using upon his return to America, and the encounter marks the beginning of friendly relations between the United States and Wakanda.[4]

Circular shield

Captain America (vol. 5) #5 (May 2005). Cover art by Steve Epting

The round shield most associated with Captain America made its debut in Captain America Comics #2 (April 1941). An indestructible concavo-convex metal disc approximately 2.5 feet (0.76 m) in diameter, weighing 12 pounds (5.4 kg), it has remained Captain America's most constant shield over the decades.

In Captain America #255 (March 1981), it is established that the shield was presented to Rogers by President

Myron MacLain, who had been commissioned by the US government to create an indestructible armor material to aid the war effort. MacLain experiments with vibranium.[2]

During one of his experiments to fuse vibranium with an experimental steel alloy,[6] MacLain falls asleep and awakens to find that the resulting alloy had been set in a tank hatch mold. However, he was not able to duplicate it, because as MacLain described it, "some unknown factor" was present during the experiment that he could not identify. The shield was then painted to become Captain America's weapon and symbol. MacLain would later attempt to recreate the shield's metal to no avail, his experiments instead eventually yielding the super-metal adamantium.[7][8] While adamantium has been portrayed as practically indestructable,[9] MacLain said was "no match" for the mysterious Proto-Adamantium shield.[7]

Rogers' shield is more durable than regular adamantium and is essentially indestructible. The vibranium grants the shield unusual properties, allowing it to absorb all of the kinetic impact and vibrations from any blows that the shield receives without injuring Rogers in the process.

Soon after his revival from suspended animation and rescue by the Avengers, Rogers briefly experimented with Stark's modification of the shield which included a magnetic mechanism that enabled Rogers to hold the shield through a corresponding magnetic mechanism attached to his left glove, as well as communications equipment. These modifications allowed Rogers to launch the shield from his glove and control it mid-flight.[10] However, Rogers decided to have those modifications removed and restored the holding straps since he found that he preferred to physically throw the shield himself and the electronic equipment spoiled the shield's balance to enable him to do that effectively.[11]

After Rogers' death,

Winter Soldier, who did not want anyone else to carry the shield. Inevitably, in an effort to honor Rogers' last wishes, Stark offers to let the Winter Soldier (Bucky Barnes) keep the shield, and serve as the new Captain America. Bucky accepts. This offer is made "off the books", and only the two of them, the Black Widow, and the Falcon, are aware of the situation.[13]

Although Bucky attempted to return the shield to Rogers after his resurrection, Rogers let Bucky keep it as he felt that he could do more good in his new role as Commander Steve Rogers rather than Captain America. Rogers used a photonic shield in its place when circumstances called for him to go into combat. He reclaimed the shield for good after Bucky was apparently killed during the

Uru to the reconstructed shield, making it even stronger than before, although it is left with a noticeable scar that Rogers decided to keep to give the shield character.[14] This premise was not observed in subsequent storylines, or considered canon, as artists have not continued depicting the shield with the scar.[15]

JLA/Avengers

In the 2003-2004 Marvel Comics/DC Comics inter-company crossover limited series JLA/Avengers, Superman is given the shield by Captain America to wield in battle in the final confrontation with Krona, and is impressed with its might. When he asks where he could get one just like it while battling foes, Thor replies, "Enjoy it while thou canst, Superman. There is none other like it in all the worlds". Throughout the final battle, the shield changes forms between the pointed shield and the circular shield due to various temporal ripples caused by Krona's equipment, and Superman even loses the shield altogether at one point when he morphs into his energy form while Cap reacquires the photonic shield, although the metal shield reappears on Superman's arm after he morphs back into his regular form.

Destruction of the shield

The Serpent breaks Captain America's shield in Fear Itself #5 (October 2011). Art by Stuart Immonen and Wade Von Grawbadger. Colors by Laura Martin.

Over time the shield has been damaged or destroyed several times within the confines of the Earth-616 continuity:

  • In The Avengers #215–216, the Molecule Man used his total control over matter to disintegrate the shield, along with Thor's hammer, Iron Man's armor, and the Silver Surfer's board. After he does so, he comments that the board's molecules are "weird", and while there are "odd forces interweaving" among the hammer's molecules, the shield is "weirdest of all". He later reassembles these items, with the exception of the armor, as the electronic circuits are too complicated for him to understand at that time.[16]
  • During the 1984-1985 Secret Wars limited series, the shield is partially destroyed by Doctor Doom, who has stolen the power of the godlike being known as the Beyonder. Even broken, Rogers is able to wield what is left as an effective weapon, with the shield largely retaining its balance when thrown. When the Beyonder reclaims its power, the heroes are temporarily granted the ability to realize their wishes. Rogers uses this to reconstruct the shield.[17]
  • During the 1991 miniseries
    Nebula, when she obtains the Gauntlet and uses it to undo the events of Thanos's temporary godhood, resulting in her erasing the death and destruction that Thanos had caused over the previous 24 hours.[18]
  • Due to a stray molecule being out of place when Rogers reconstructed the shield using the Beyonder's residual power, a
    Klaw, who sought to absorb the power of the "cancer" and become stronger. Fortunately, the amount of energy Klaw had absorbed was released when he struck the shattered shield with full force after Rogers picked it up on reflex, resulting in Klaw unintentionally restoring the shield to its original state, realigning its molecules and destroying cancer.[19]
  • During the 2011 miniseries
    Serpent, the Asgardian god of fear and brother to Odin, breaks it in half with his bare hands after magically feeding on the fear of the entire planet.[20] After the battle, the shield is repaired by Asgardian dwarves and Tony Stark with added Asgardian uru-infused enhancements and Stark's own technology to make it stronger, though a scar is left, which the dwarves are unable to remove. Stark offers a solution to the scar, but Rogers declines, saying that it "gave the old girl a little bit of character".[21]
    This premise was not observed in subsequent storylines, which did not depict the shield with the scar.

Other shields

Variants of Captain America's shield, 1941-1964
  • While Rogers was asleep in suspended animation, three other men used the identity of Captain America, all using steel replicas of the discus shield. The
    1950s Captain America was placed in suspended animation after becoming mentally unstable. By the time he was revived years later, Rogers had returned. When the two clashed, in the 1950s Captain America's shield was broken.[volume & issue needed
    ]
  • In the 1980s, in a story written by
    U.S. Agent
    and returned the original shield to him. Walker would go on to have his own array of different shields over the years, the first of which appeared to be the last vibranium shield Rogers was using as the Captain.
  • At one point, when Rogers was exiled from the United States and was briefly unable to use his shield, Sharon Carter provided him with a photonic energy shield designed to mimic a vibranium matrix.
  • During the time when the shield was lost in the Atlantic, Rogers tried using a pure adamantium shield, but was unable to get used to the balance. He also tried fighting without a shield but also found it awkward.
  • Sharon Carter next provided him with another photonic shield, but one whose shape could be controlled to morph the energy field into a wider force field, a
    bo staff
    or even fire a projection of the shield. While he enjoyed the versatility, Rogers noticed a number of drawbacks, particularly its inability to ricochet. Rogers gave one of the energy shield gloves to a freedom fighter in an oppressive future he traveled to and received a replacement from S.H.I.E.L.D. when he got back to his own time.
  • In Secret Avengers, he uses a new energy shield which could be generated on either arm, or both, and was able to be thrown and ricochet off surfaces to hit targets before it dissipates, preventing enemies from using it against him. A new shield would be generated moments later. Moon Knight, who had acquired a copy of the technology, had it described to him as a "zero point energy shield".[23]
  • In Captain America: Steve Rogers, Steve wields a new version of the triangular shield that can deploy an energy blade on its pointy end and can be divided in two, allowing him to use both halves in combat.[24]
  • On Earth-691, Vance Astro wielded the shield for a time as Major Victory.

Marvel Cinematic Universe version

Captain America's shield
The shield, as depicted in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, being held by Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con
First appearanceCaptain America:
The First Avenger
(2011)
Based on
Captain America's shield
by
Adapted by
In-universe information
Creator
Howard Stark
Used by
Made of
Vibranium

Captain America's shield is a recurring item throughout the

Howard Stark and given to Steve Rogers during World War II. Within the MCU, the shield is seen as a symbol of Captain America's strength and legacy.[25]

Appearances

Concept and development

In production for Captain America: The First Avenger, the shield, which is depicted as both a defensive tool and a weapon, came in four types: metal, fiberglass, rubber, and computer graphics (CG).[31] Prop master Barry Gibbs specified that "We had the 'hero shield,' which was made of aluminum, for our beauty shots [and] close-up work. We then created a lighter shield that was aluminum-faced with fiberglass back, for use on a daily basis. ... And then we had a stunt shield made of polyurethane, which is sort of a synthetic rubber ... and we made an ultrasoft one we put on [Evans'] back, so that if there were an accident, it wouldn't hurt him."[32] Visual effects supervisor Christopher Townsend said Evans "would practice swinging the practical shield so he knew the arc and the speed at which he should move. We would take the shield from him and shoot the scene with him miming it. Then we would add in a CG shield".[31]

The premise of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier revolves around a moment in the film Avengers: Endgame (2019) which depicts Steve Rogers bequeathing the shield and the mantle of Captain America to his friend Sam Wilson.[33][34] Marvel Studios chief executive Kevin Feige said this was intended to be a "classic passing of the torch from one hero to another", but when Marvel Studios got the opportunity to make television series for Disney+ they decided to expand this into an entire story about Wilson, who is a Black man, becoming Captain America, with the shield serving as a symbol for the superhero title. Mackie said the series would explore Wilson's backstory and treat him as a "regular guy" in a world of superheroes,[35] while "walk[ing] the line of who is going to take up the [Captain America] shield" after Endgame.[36]

Other versions

In other media

Television

Writer Brian Michael Bendis signing a fan's replica of the shield at Midtown Comics in Manhattan
  • In the 1970s Captain America TV movies, Steve Rogers is given a transparent plexiglass shield painted with concentric stripes (red and clear transparent) and a central star. The shield was designed to act as the windscreen for his motorcycle, but could be detached and used in its traditional offensive / defensive role when Rogers goes on foot. Furthermore, the shield can apparently return to Rogers in a smooth arc when thrown without needing to be ricocheted and with enough force to knock a man down in the return path.
  • In 2003, the company
    Factory X
    released a line of licensed prop replicas of items from the Marvel Universe. An aluminum replica of Captain America's shield was among their initial line up of props, and was limited to a production of 2,525 pieces.
  • In the closing of the March 12, 2007 episode of
    Factory X replicas, but this is not the case. The shield given to Colbert was originally acquired by the long-time writer and editor (and late) Mark Gruenwald, who either commissioned it or received it as a gift. It eventually found its way into the hands of Marvel editor Tom Brevoort, and was kept in his office until being passed on to Colbert. In a pre-show conversation with a studio audience, Colbert, speaking out of character, said that when his wife saw the shield and the accompanying note, she started crying. He confessed he was bemused by her reaction to a fictional character sending a prop shield to a fictional version of himself. The shield was put on display hanging on the wall along with other trophies on The Colbert Report set for every episode afterwards. After The Colbert Report ended, the shield was moved to the set of Colbert's next talk show, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
    where it has been on display since.
  • In the
    Black Panther and scientists in Wakanda
    using the vibranium machine that fused the pieces back together.
  • The adamantium-vibranium alloy version of the shield becomes the main plot device for the story in the Ultimate Spider-Man episode "Not a Toy".

Film

Impact

The shield has been used as a promotional symbol associated with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A model of the shield was sent as a gift by

Great Dome' with a design of the shield, drawing approval from Chris Evans on Twitter.[48][49] The shield has also been included by Epic Games as an in-game accessory in the popular video game Fortnite.[50]

A model of the shield was also held in a

2021 storming of the United States Capitol, meanwhile, drew criticism from Neil Kirby, the son of the shield's comics creator, Jack Kirby, who said that the shield symbolized "the absolute antithesis of Donald Trump".[54][55]

In Chile, the shield also represents the right-wing political party Republican Party (Partido Republicano). One of those politicians who use the shield is José Antonio Kast, which use the shield back in 2019.[56][57] [58]

References

  1. ^ Cronin, Brian (July 4, 2006). "Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #58". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on February 14, 2008. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  2. ^
    Orlando: SleuthSayers.org.[self-published source
    ]
  3. ). "The Living Legend!" Captain America, no. 255 (1981). Marvel Comics.
  4. ^ Captain America/Black Panther: Flags of Our Fathers #1-4 (June–September 2010), Marvel Comics
  5. Neary, Paul (p), Janke, Dennnis
    (i) "Double Dare!" Captain America #255 (March 1981)
  6. .
  7. ^
    Janke, Dennis (i); "Double Dare!" Captain America #303 (March 1985). Marvel Comics
    .
  8. .
  9. .
  10. ^ Lee, Stan; Kirby, Jack (July 1963). "Meet the "Masters of Evil!"". The Avengers (#6): 1–2.
  11. ^ Lee, Stan; Kirby, Jack (February 1965). "Break-Out in Cell Block 10!". Tales of Suspense (#62): 7.
  12. ^ Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America #3 (July 2007)
  13. ^ Captain America (vol. 5) #33 (December 2007)
  14. Immonen, Stuart (p), von Grawbadger, Wade (i). "Brawl" Fear Itself
    , no. 7 (December 2011). Marvel Comics.
  15. ^ Cronin, Brian (March 16, 2013). "Drawing Crazy Patterns – Captain America's Unbreakable Shield Breaking" Archived August 11, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. Comic Book Resources.
  16. ^ The Avengers #215–216 (January–February 1982), Marvel Comics
  17. ^ Secret Wars #11 (March 1985). Marvel Comics
  18. ^ Infinity Gauntlet #3 (September 1991), Marvel Comics
  19. ^ Captain America (vol. 3) #22
  20. ^ Fraction, Matt (w), Immonen, Stuart (p), von Grawbadger, Wade (i). "Brawl" Fear Itself, no. 5 (October 2011). Marvel Comics.
  21. ^ Fraction, Matt (w), Immonen, Stuart (p), Von Grawbadger, Wade (i). "Thor's Day" Fear Itself, no. 7 (December 2011). Marvel Comics.
  22. ^ Captain America #332–#351 (1987–1989) Marvel Comics
  23. ^ Moon Knight (vol. 4) #9 (2012), Marvel Comics
  24. ^ Captain America: Steve Rogers #1
  25. ^ "Captain America (Steve Rogers) On Screen Full Report". marvel.com. Marvel Comics. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  26. Gage, Christos (w), Petrus, Hugo (a). Iron Man: Security Measures (October 2008). Wal-Mart
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  28. ^ "Falcon and Winter Soldier FINALLY Has an End-Credits Scene - and It's Chilling". CBR. April 16, 2021. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
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  30. ^ Elvy, Craig (August 18, 2021). "Every MCU Easter Egg In What If? Episode 2". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on August 18, 2021. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
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  32. ^ Lovece, Frank (July 15, 2011) [print version July 17, 2011]. "Red, White and True Blue 'Captain America'". Newsday. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved July 20, 2010.
  33. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (May 20, 2019). "Kari Skogland To Direct 6-Part 'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier' Miniseries With Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Daniel Bruhl & Emily Van Camp". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
  34. ^ Goldberg, Matt (December 7, 2019). "First Images from 'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier' Arrive at CCXP 2019". Collider. Archived from the original on December 8, 2019. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
  35. ^ Donnelly, Matt (March 3, 2021). "'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier' Star Anthony Mackie Soars to Marvel Leading-Man Status". Variety. Archived from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
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  42. ^ Boone, John (August 13, 2021). "'Free Guy' Director Shawn Levy Talks Chris Evans' Cameo and Mariah Carey (Exclusive)". Entertainment Tonight.
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  47. ^ "London Eye becomes Captain America's shield to mark 'The Falcon & The Winter Soldier' release". NME. March 19, 2021.
  48. ^ "MIT STUDENTS PLAY THEIR OWN ENDGAME AND SUPERSIZE CAPTAIN AMERICA'S SHIELD ONTO SCHOOL'S DOME". SYFY Wire. April 29, 2019.
  49. ^ "Cover-up: MIT students deck out dome with Captain America shield". CNBC TV 18. April 30, 2019.
  50. ^ "Fortnite's Fourth Of July Surprise Is An Official Captain America Skin From Marvel, Live Now". Forbes. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  51. ^ "Councilman Arms Himself With Captain America Shield To Take Oath Of Office". Huffington Post. January 25, 2017.
  52. ^ "City council swears-in super hero ... kind of". CNN. January 26, 2017.
  53. ^ "A comic book nerd won a city council seat — and was sworn in holding his Captain America shield". Washington Post.
  54. ^ "The son of Captain America's co-creator says Capitol Hill rioters misrepresented the superhero". CNN. January 14, 2021.
  55. ^ "Captain America creator's son hits out at Capitol mob's use of superhero imagery". The Guardian. January 14, 2021.
  56. ^ "José Antonio Kast celebra: Partido Republicano se constituye legalmente « Diario y Radio Universidad Chile".
  57. ^ "Partido Republicano de José Antonio Kast se constituye en la Región Metropolitana y apunta a las municipales". September 9, 2020.
  58. ^ "Por qué José Antonio Kast no es y nunca será el Capitán América". June 10, 2019.