To date Captain America is one of the most important characters in the Marvel Comics narrative universe, and Steve Rogers has become a true icon of American heroism. Steve was not the first super soldier, however, and as we know from the numerous stories published, he is not the only one who, thanks to the studies of Dr. Erskine has become one.
The serum and its variants, created by Abraham Erskine In fact, they appear to have spawned a forerunner to Captain America before it debuted in the band created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby in 1941. It’s about John Steele, Character who appeared in the 1940s Daring Mystery Comics # 1 by Dean Carr and was portrayed as a soldier with inexplicable superhuman abilities. Steele also made brief appearances on the 2009 Marvel Project franchise and appeared in Secret Avengers the following year.
A retcon then changed its origins, bringing it back to before its debut in 1940, and a somewhat complicated story was created. Steele was participating in the American Civil War when a soldier was sent after him Spy on the Confederate soldiers commanded by Aloysius Thorndrake. Steele escaped after he was discovered and found himself in Vanishing Point, a limbo between space and time, where he came across an ancient entity called the Abyss. That creature that came in contact with Steele gave him one incredible strength, very similar to, if not greater than, Cap’s, an almost infinite endurance and a faster regeneration factor than normal.
After helping a spy named Marie Antoinette escape from enemy forces, Steele was captured and placed in stasis. When Steele moved to Germany, Dr. Erskine investigated, who placed him at the center of the aforementioned experiment Project: Nietzsche, clear reference to the superman of the philosopher. After numerous vicissitudes, Steele, awakened, resumed his fight against the Nazis and the plans of Red Skull.
Later captured by Thorndrake’s men, Steele was severely brainwashed and later joined the Shadow Council. Fortunately Steve was able to help John by reversing the effects of the brainwashing and so get a new ally. However, Steele will die on a mission in Bagalia, but he will be remembered as the first super soldier in the service of the United States
We remind you that the new series introduced Captain Fischer, the first LGBTQ + captain, and leave the announcement of the miniseries The United States by Captain America.
