The role of Captain America is inseparable from the character of Steve Rogers in the collective imagination. Though Rogers has arguably been the most iconic Sentinel of Liberty over the years Other characters also took on the role of Captain America: Here are all the heroes who carried the shield in the comics.
Isaiah Bradley
Protagonist of the 2003 limited series Truth: Red, White and BlackIsaiah Bradley was one of the first characters after Steve Rogers to survive the Super Soldier Serum, as well the first black Captain America. Sent on a suicide mission by the racist General Walker Price, Bradley decides to parachute over enemy lines without a permit, wearing a copy of Captain America’s costume. Mission survivor (successfully completed), he is sentenced to life imprisonment for stealing the costume, and the American government erases any trace of his existence from the archives, turns it into an urban legend. Later, after learning the facts, Steve Rogers will be able to tell his story. This story has been fairly faithfully adapted in the recent Disney+ series dedicated to Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes (here our review of Falcon and The Winter Soldier).
William Naslund, Jeffrey Mace and William Burnside
After the presumed death of Steve Rogers, who remained suspended in the arctic ice in animation, Several characters have assumed the identities of Captain America over the years. The first is William Naslund, a powerless hero who, before being designated by the government as Steve Rogers’ successor, assumed the identity of the ’76 ghost. Killed during a mission, he is replaced by Jeffrey Mace, a World War II hero known as the Patriot. He is also without powers and will soon have to retire due to injuries sustained in battle. In the 50s William Burnside takes on the role of Cap, a passionate American history professor and die-hard Steve Rogers fan, who accidentally stumbles upon the formula of the Super Soldier Serum during his research, giving himself the opportunity to become the new Captain America. However, the version of the newly found formula was not complete and soon Burnside’s Psyche fragments drove him insane. He is placed in a suspension animation by the FBI and, awakening to the present, finds himself battling his idol, Steve Rogers.
Bob Russo, Scar Turpin and Roscoe Simons
In the 1970s, a few years after Steve Rogers’ awakening to “the present”, the Sentinel of Freedom must contend with the Secret Empire criminal company, which has managed to infiltrate the United States government. No longer feeling represented by what America has become Steve gives up Cap’s identity, become a nomad. In those years the government tried to replace it with bad results. Bob Russo, a professional baseball player, is the first designated replacement, but retires after injuring himself on his first mission. The second replacement, replaced by biker Scar Turpin, will also be short-lived, retiring after having his worst fight with a gang of criminals. Finally it’s the turn of Roscoe Simons, a Steve Rogers fan who also tries to be coached by Sam Wilson but refuses. Despite inexperience and lack of superpowers, Simons seems to have what it takes to become the new Captain America. His actions as a guardian of liberty also fool the Red Skull, who kidnaps Simons and kills him when he realizes he’s just kidnapped an imposter. The death of Roscoe Simons convinces Steve Rogers to reassume himself as Captain America.
John Walker
In the late 1980s, Steve Rogers again resigned from the role of Captain America, unwilling to answer the Commission on Superhuman Activities, a government agency that threatened to strip him of his autonomy. He is replaced by John Walker, American military and zealot empowered by criminal organization Power Broker, first becomes villain Super-Patriot. In his blind patriotism, Walker has acted as Captain America will come to attack Steve Rogers, due to the manipulations of the Red Skull, whose plans were actually behind the creation of the Superhuman Activities Commission. After Rogers’ defeat of the Red Skull and the return of the real Captain America, John Walker assumes the identity of the US agent.
Clan Barton
In 2007, after the civil war, the marvel superhero civil war, Steve Rogers is killed by a sniper as told in the story of Death of the Dream. After becoming the new director of SHIELD, Tony Stark asks Clint Barton to play Captain America, as the only hero who can throw the shield like Steve Rogers. The former Hawkeye, as Captain America, begins enforcing the Superhuman Registration Act, the same law that led to the Civil War. In the argument with Kate Bishop, Barton realizes that he is actually dishonoring Steve Rogers’ memory. Then he decides to stop playing Captain Americatakes on the role of Ronin and “gifts” Hawkeye’s identity to Kate Bishop.
Bucky Barnes
After Barton’s cancellation, Tony Stark has no choice but to turn to Bucky Barnes. the hero declared by Steve Rogers himself, in his will as his successor. Bucky, who only agrees on the condition that he doesn’t have to register, proves to be an excellent Captain America and joins the other heroes in the Secret Invasion, the invasion of the Skrulls. Even after Steve Rogers came back to life, Bucky continues to assume the role of the guardian of freedom to the Fear Itself event, where Bucky stages his death in disguise to take care of the dormant terrorist cells scattered across American territory.
Sam Wilson
During the relaunch of New Marvel Universe (2015), Steve Rogers has the Super Soldier Serum drained from his body, turning him into an Elder out of the blue. Not being able to play Captain America anymore Steve entrusts this role to Sam Wilson, who adopts a new costume that combines elements of Falcon’s exoskeleton with Captain America’s colors and shield. However, one of the biggest challenges Sam faces is there the American people’s distrust of a black Captain America. During the Secret Empire event, Sam returns the shield to him after he manages to save the world and restore the powers of Steve Rogers, who has since been replaced with a faithful copy of Hydra, knowing that Steve it will need to regain the confidence of the American people, however continue playing the role of a second Captain America.
Staying on topic, you might be interested to know that Sam Wilson and Steve Rogers will soon be the protagonists of two Captain America comic series announced by Marvel.
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