Captain America first appeared in Captain America Comics #1, published by Marvel in 1941. That places it in the Gold Age.
Why this issue matters
Simon and Kirby's Cap punched Hitler on the cover a year before America entered the war. One of the most valuable and historically significant comics ever published, and the same issue introduced both Bucky and the Red Skull.
Captain America Comics #1 is also the first appearance of Red Skull, Bucky Barnes, which is part of why the book carries the weight it does.
Key facts
Captain America Comics #1
- Character: Captain America
- Publisher: Marvel
- Cover year: 1941
- Era: Gold Age
Before you buy or sell one
- Check it is a first print, not a facsimile or reprint. Newsstand and direct editions are priced differently too.
- Condition decides most of the value. Whether grading is worth it depends on the copy.
Other first appearances from 1941
- Scarecrow World's Finest Comics #3, 1941
- Wonder Woman All Star Comics #8, 1941
- Aquaman More Fun Comics #73, 1941
- Green Arrow More Fun Comics #73, 1941
- Penguin Detective Comics #58, 1941
More Marvel firsts from the Gold Age
- Namor the Sub-Mariner Marvel Comics #1, 1939
- Human Torch (original android) Marvel Comics #1, 1939
Got a copy?
I buy key issues and whole collections across the UK, and I will tell you honestly whether what you have is the real first or a later printing. Send me photos of the cover and the indicia and I will come back with a straight answer, and a proper valuation if you want one.