All of Captain America’s Successors, Ranked

Steve Rogers became Captain America in World War II when he was given the Super-Soldier Serum that turned him into a perfect physical specimen and a symbol of America during the war. Since that time, Rogers has given up the role more than once, and his successors have ranged from American heroes to disappointments to actual antagonistic threats. Rogers eventually took the role back over with one exception, and even then, Rogers became one of two active Captain America heroes in the Marvel Comics universe. Sometimes, Rogers chooses his successor, and other times, the replacement is chosen by outside forces.

Here is a look at all of Captain America’s successors in Marvel Comics, ranked.

10) William Nasland (Spirit of ’76)

William Nasland was originally the World War II hero known as the Spirit of ’76, and he debuted in The Invaders #14 (1977) by Roy Thomas and Frank Robbins. This flashback comic book series showed that when Captain America and Bucky were considered dead in 1945, President Franklin Roosevelt asked Nasland to be the new Captain America with Fred Davis as his Bucky. He served for roughly one year in the role before he was killed in 1946 by an android named Adam II while trying to save a young Congressional candidate named John F. Kennedy. When he died, he passed on the role to the Patriot (Jeffrey Mace).

9) William Burnside (the 1950s Captain America)

William Burnside was the 1950s era Captain America, debuting in Captain America #153-156 (1972) by Steve Englehart and Sal Buscema. His appearance was to explain why there were Captain America stories from the 1950s when Steve Rogers was still frozen on ice. William was a fanatical Captain America fan who earned a PhD in American history with a thesis on Captain America, legally changed his name to “Steve Rogers,” and had surgery to match Rogers’ face and voice. He and Jack Monroe (Bucky) injected themselves with an unproven super-soldier serum to fight Red Skull, but the serum made both men paranoid and violent, and they were arrested and placed in cryogenic storage by the United States government. When they were unfrozen, William became the villain, the Grand Director, and Monroe became the heroic Nomad.

8) Jeffrey Mace (The Patriot)

Jeffrey Mace was the second official Captain America replacement, taking on the role when William Nasland died. Mace was originally the Patriot when Nasland was Spirit of ’76, and he made his debut in Human Torch Comics #4 (1941) for Timely Comics. He helped form the Liberty Legion, and he replaced Nasland after the previous Captain America saved the life of John F. Kennedy. He served in the role until he retired in 1949. He went on to marry Betsy Ross, who was the hero known as Golden Girl, and the story of his life and death following a battle with cancer was told in Captain America #285 (1983).

7) Roscoe Simons

Roscoe Simons served as Captain America in Captain America #178–183 (1974) by Steve Englehart and Sal Buscema. This came after Steve Rogers abandoned his role as Captain America after growing disillusioned during the Watergate era and became Nomad instead. When Rogers quit the role, Simons, proclaiming himself a lifelong Captain America fan, stepped up to take over the role. Falcon agreed to train him, and he earned approval from both Steve Rogers and Falcon. However, his time in the role ended quickly as he was captured, tortured, and crucified by the Red Skull to warn anyone not to take on the role in the future. This led Rogers to take the role of Captain America back on.

6) Isaiah Bradley

Isaiah Bradley was another tragic case when it came to Captain America’s successors. After Cap’s successful creation during Project: Rebirth, the United States government started experimenting on 300 African American soldiers with disastrous results. Only five of the test subjects lived. They are sent on field missions into Europe during the war, and only Isaiah Bradley survives. He ends up stealing a spare Captain America costume and shield and goes on a suicide mission to destroy the Nazi’s Super-Soldier Serum efforts. Bradley is rescued, but then court-martialed and imprisoned for 17 years for using the costume. Bradley debuted in Truth: Red, White & Black #1 (2002) by Axel Alonso, Robert Morales, and Kyle Baker.

5) David Rickford

David Rickford debuted in Captain America Vol. 5 #615.1 (2011) as a highly decorated Special Forces soldier augmented to become Captain America. Bucky Barnes had been sent to a Russian gulag, and Nick Fury posed as the Power Broker to empower Rickford to take on the role to try to pressure Steve Rogers into returning as Captain America. He stopped several minor crimes as Cap, but when he went up against AIM, he was overpowered before Rogers rescued him. Rogers convinced Rickford to give up the role, making his time in the costume short-lived.

4) John Walker (U.S. Agent)

John Walker is one of the most famous Captain America successors, debuting as Super-Patriot in Captain America #323 (1986) by Mark Gruenwald and Paul Neary. He didn’t get his powers from the Super-Soldier Serum, but instead, he bought them from the Power Broker, who was also empowering several people in a professional wrestling organization at the time. Rogers quit the role when he disagreed with the government’s Commission on Superhuman Activities, so they named Walker the new Captain America in Captain America #333, with Lemar Hoskins as his partner. He was much more violent and used excessive force, and he was forced to give up the role when Rogers returned. He later became U.S. Agent.

3) Danielle Cage

Danielle Cage is Luke Cage and Jessica Jones’ daughter. In the main Earth-616 timeline, she is a toddler, but in the future, she becomes Captain America. Danielle didn’t need the Super-Soldier Serum since she inherited her parents’ powers, including superhuman strength and durable, unbreakable skin. She debuted in the Avengers: Ultron Forever miniseries (2015) by Al Ewing and Alan Davis, and she returned in U.S.Avengers (2017) by Al Ewing and Paco Medina when she was pulled back to the present to join the team and battle a time-displaced enemy, the Golden Skull. She also represents the legacy and future of the Captain America mantle.

2) Bucky Barnes (Winter Soldier)

Bucky Barnes was Captain America’s partner in World War II, but when he survived their fatal encounter that ended their wartime efforts, he was discovered by the Soviets and brainwashed to become the assassin known as the Winter Soldier, reintroduced in Captain America #6 (2005) by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting. After Rogers is killed following “Civil War,” Iron Man offers the role to Hawkeye, who tries it out for one issue and then rejects the offer. Instead, Bucky takes on the role, refusing to allow anyone else to claim the shield and protecting Steve’s memory himself. Bucky served as Captain America for three years, which was longer than almost any other successor except for the most recent one.

1) Sam Wilson (Falcon)

Sam Wilson remains the best possible Captain America successor, and he serves in the role alongside Steve Rogers in the current continuity. The former Falcon took over as the new Captain America when Steve Rogers was aged after the Super-Soldier Serum was drained from his body, and Steve chose him as his successor. He headlined All-New Captain America (2014) by Rick Remender and Stuart Immonen and Captain America: Sam Wilson (2015) by Nick Spencer and Daniel Acuña. Sam was a perfect replacement because, while Steve Rogers represented America as an institution, Sam represented America’s actual citizens, dealing with political issues like immigration and racism. He stepped down during Secret Empire (2017) but returned to the role just one year later.

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