Editing Captain America (section)

===Debut and early success (early 1940s)===
{{main|Captain America Comics}}
[[File:Captain America Comics-1 (March 1941 Timely Comics).jpg|thumb|Cover of ''[[Captain America Comics]]'' #1 (December 1940, [[cover date]]d March 1941). Art by [[Joe Simon]] and [[Jack Kirby]].|alt=The front page of the first Captain America comic depicts Captain America punching [[Adolf Hitler]] in the jaw. A Nazi soldier's bullet deflects from Captain America's shield, while Adolf Hitler falls onto a map of the [[United States|United States of America]] and a document reading 'SABOTAGE PLANS FOR U.S.A.']]

''[[Captain America Comics]]'' #1 was published on December 20, 1940,{{sfn|Rizzo|Licari|2021|p=20}} with a [[cover date]] of March 1941.{{sfn|Rhoades|2008|p=33}} While the front cover of the issue featured Captain America punching Hitler, the comic itself established the [[Red Skull]] as Captain America's primary adversary, and also introduced [[Bucky Barnes]] as Captain America's teenaged [[sidekick]].{{sfn|DiFruscio|2010|p=46}} Simon stated that he personally regarded Captain America's [[origin story]], in which the frail Steve Rogers becomes a [[supersoldier]] after receiving an experimental serum, as "the weakest part of the character", and that he and Kirby "didn't put too much thought into the origin. We just wanted to get to the action."{{sfn|Dutter|1990|p=11}} Kirby designed the series' action scenes with an emphasis on a sense of continuity across panels, saying that he "choreographed" the sequences as one would a ballet, with a focus on exaggerated character movement. Kirby's layouts in ''Captain America Comics'' are characterized by their distorted perspectives, irregularly shaped panels, and the heavy use of [[speed line]]s.{{sfn|Harvey|1996|p=33}}

The first issue of ''Captain America Comics'' sold out in a matter of days, and the second issue's print run was set at over one million copies.{{sfn|Fromm|2005|p=4}}{{sfn|Jones|2004|p=200}} Captain America quickly became Timely's most popular character, with the publisher creating an official Captain America [[fan club]] called the "Sentinels of Liberty".{{sfn|Wright|2001|p=36}}{{efn|Members of the Sentinels of Liberty received a membership card and a metal Captain America badge in exchange for a ten cent membership fee, though badge distribution was later discontinued due to wartime [[Salvage for Victory|salvage efforts]]; Timely instead began to match all ten cent donations made to [[US Department of War]].{{sfn|Steranko|1970|p=55}}}} Circulation figures remained close to a million copies per month after the debut issue, which outstripped even the circulation of news magazines such as ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' during the same period.{{sfn|Daniels|1991|p=37}} ''Captain America Comics'' was additionally one of 189 periodicals that the [[US Department of War]] deemed appropriate to distribute to its soldiers without prior screening.{{sfn|Lawrence|2009|p=2}} The character would also make appearances in several of Timely's other comic titles, including ''[[All Winners Comics]]'', ''[[Marvel Mystery Comics]]'', ''[[U.S.A. Comics]]'', and ''[[All Select Comics]]''.{{sfn|Fromm|2005|pp=9–10}}

Though Captain America was not the first [[List of United States-themed superheroes|United States-themed superhero]] – a distinction that belongs to [[The Shield (Archie)|The Shield]] at [[Archie Comics|MLJ Comics]]{{sfn|Cronin|2009|p=134}} – he would become the most popular patriotic American superhero of those created during World War II.{{sfn|Dowsett|2008|p=18}} Captain America's popularity drew a complaint from MLJ that the character's triangular heater shield too closely resembled the chest symbol of The Shield. This prompted Goodman to direct Simon and Kirby to change the design beginning with ''Captain America Comics'' #2. The revised round shield went on to become an iconic element of the character;{{sfn|Cronin|2009|p=134}} its use as a [[Discus throw|discus]]-like throwing weapon originated in a short prose story in ''Captain America Comics'' #3, written by [[Stan Lee]] in his professional debut as a writer.{{sfn|Moser|2009|p=30}}{{sfn|Thomas|2011|p=11}} Timely's publication of ''Captain America Comics'' led the company to be targeted with threatening letters and phone calls from the [[German American Bund]], an American Nazi organization. When members began loitering on the streets outside the company's office, police protection was posted and New York mayor [[Fiorello La Guardia]] personally contacted Simon and Kirby to guarantee the safety of the publisher's employees.{{sfn|Cronin|2009|pp=135–136}}

Simon wrote the first two issues of ''Captain America Comics'' before becoming the editor for the series; they were the only Captain America stories he would ever directly write.{{sfn|Dutter|1990|p=12}} While Captain America generated acclaim and industry fame for Simon and Kirby, the pair believed that Goodman was withholding the promised percentage of profits for the series, prompting Simon to seek employment for himself and Kirby at National Comics Publications.{{sfn|Ro|2004|p=25}} When Goodman learned of Simon and Kirby's intentions, he effectively fired them from Timely Comics, telling them they were to leave the company after they completed work on ''Captain America Comics'' #10.{{sfn|Ro|2004|p=27}} The authorship of ''Captain America Comics'' was subsequently assumed by a variety of individuals, including [[Otto Binder]], [[Bill Finger]], and [[Manly Wade Wellman]] as writers, and Al Avison, [[Vince Alascia]], and [[Syd Shores]] as pencilers.{{sfn|Steranko|1970|p=55}}