10 Greatest Jack Kirby Characters

Co-created with Joe Simon, Captain America is one of the most important characters ever drawn by Jack Kirby. Not only is the character a cultural icon, but also the one that altered Kirby's career.

Although Steve Rogers was not the first superhero Kirby had worked on, it was a massive hit that established the burgeoning talent as a premier artist in the superhero genre. Captain America was born out of a need for a strong symbol of patriotism while the world was in turmoil.

Captain America came on the comic scene with one of the most iconic covers of all time, punching Hitler in the face. It's one of the most visually satisfying images ever drawn in comics and Kirby drew it only a few years into his career. As time goes on, Captain America continues to resonate, with multiple authors having used the character as an instrument to broach contemporary cultural and social issues to varying degrees of success.

Captain America is the first of Kirby's many iconic characters. Right from the early days of his career in 1941, he set a standard for dynamic and timeless superheroes. Without Captain America, it's fair to say that Marvel Comics - in its current form at least - wouldn't exist.