The Captain

When Steve Rogers temporarily gave up the Captain America identity, he continued operating as a hero under the no-frills alias "The Captain," donning a black-and-red costume while maintaining his same skills, determination, and moral code without the iconic shield or name.

Few characters carry a name quite as delightfully defiant as The Captain — a Marvel figure who burst onto the scene in 1987, courtesy of Steve Englehart and Al Milgrom, right in the thick of the Copper Age when Marvel was pushing bold, unconventional ideas. With affiliations spanning both the Avengers and the Serpent Society, this character occupies a fascinatingly wide corner of the Marvel Universe, rubbing shoulders with titans like Steve Rogers, Thor, Iron Man, and Sam Wilson across the pages of Captain America, The Avengers, and Marvel Comics Presents. A 34-year publishing presence and two key collector issues speak to a staying power that rewards digging fans willing to look beyond the marquee names. If you love Marvel history with a little edge and surprise baked in, The Captain is absolutely worth tracking down.