Marvel Masterworks: Captain America #1
The story that launched a legend begins here: Steve Rogers, a frail volunteer deemed unfit for war, is transformed into the super-soldier Captain America through the groundbreaking "Project Rebirth." Written by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, with art by Kirby and inks by Frank Ray, this landmark issue captures the birth of a symbol—first as a frontline hero, then as a man operating in shadows, even undercover at Camp Lehigh. When his secret is discovered by Bucky Barnes, a new partnership forms, setting the stage for a legacy that would define a generation. The cover, a dynamic collaboration by Gene Colan, Jack Kirby, Jack Abel, and Dick Ayers, perfectly encapsulates the era’s bold spirit.
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President Roosevelt institutes top-secret program "Project Rebirth." Dr. Erskine gives army 4F reject and volunteer Steve Rogers the "Super-soldier serum," which turns him into a virtual superman. A Nazi spy murders Erskine before he can create an army of men like Rogers. Rogers becomes the costumed Captain America, as a symbol of freedom, and begins a career of smashing spy rings and the like. He also goes undercover as a buck private at Camp Lehigh. When Bucky Barnes discovers Steve's double-identity, he becomes Cap's partner.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).