All of Captain America’s Successors, Ranked

During World War II, Steve Rogers transformed into Captain America after receiving the Super-Soldier Serum, which gave him peak physical condition and made him a national hero. Over the years, he’s stepped down from the role several times, and those who followed have been a mixed bag – some were inspiring heroes, others were letdowns, and a few even became villains. Rogers usually reclaimed the Captain America mantle, except for a period where he shared the title with another hero. Sometimes Rogers chose his replacement, while other times the decision was made by external factors.

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

10) William Nasland (Spirit of ’76)

William Nasland, a World War II hero originally known as the Spirit of ’76, first appeared in the comic book The Invaders #14 in 1977. A flashback story revealed that after Captain America and Bucky were presumed dead in 1945, President Roosevelt asked Nasland to become the new Captain America, with Fred Davis as his partner. Nasland served as Captain America for about a year before being killed in 1946 by an android called Adam II while attempting to save a young politician named John F. Kennedy. After his death, the mantle of Captain America passed to the Patriot (Jeffrey Mace).

9) William Burnside (the 1950s Captain America)

William Burnside took on the role of Captain America in the 1950s, as depicted in comics starting in 1972. This explained how Captain America stories could exist during the time Steve Rogers was frozen. Burnside was a huge Captain America enthusiast who went to extreme lengths to become him – he earned a doctorate in American history focusing on Captain America, legally changed his name to Steve Rogers, and even had surgery to look and sound like him. Along with Jack Monroe (who became Bucky), he experimented with an untested super-soldier serum to fight Red Skull. Unfortunately, the serum caused paranoia and violence in both men, leading to their arrest and placement in cryogenic storage. After being thawed, Burnside became the villain known as the Grand Director, while Monroe transformed into the hero Nomad.

8) Jeffrey Mace (The Patriot)

Jeffrey Mace first appeared in 1941 as the hero Patriot in Human Torch Comics #4, published by Timely Comics. He was a founding member of the Liberty Legion and later became Captain America after William Nasland (the Spirit of ’76) saved John F. Kennedy’s life. Mace served as Captain America until his retirement in 1949. He later married Betsy Ross, also known as the Golden Girl. His life and eventual death from cancer were chronicled in Captain America #285 (1983).

7) Roscoe Simons

Following Steve Rogers’ decision to give up being Captain America due to his disappointment with the Watergate scandal – and his subsequent adoption of the identity Nomad – Roscoe Simons took on the mantle in Captain America issues #178-183 (1974). A lifelong fan of Captain America, Simons volunteered for the role and received training from Falcon, with both Falcon and Rogers giving their approval. Unfortunately, his time as Captain America was cut short when he was captured and brutally tortured by the Red Skull, who used him as an example to discourage others from taking up the identity. This ultimately led Steve Rogers to reclaim the role of Captain America.

6) Isaiah Bradley

Isaiah Bradley’s story is a heartbreaking example of the fallout from the creation of Captain America. After the successful Project: Rebirth, the government experimented on 300 African American soldiers, but the results were devastating – only five survived. Bradley was one of those sent on dangerous missions in Europe, and ultimately the only one to make it back. He bravely stole a Captain America uniform and shield to single-handedly sabotage the Nazi’s attempts to create their own super-soldiers. Though rescued, Bradley was unfairly court-martialed and imprisoned for 17 years simply for wearing the uniform. His story first appeared in the comic book Truth: Red, White & Black #1 (2002), created by Axel Alonso, Robert Morales, and Kyle Baker.

5) David Rickford

David Rickford first appeared in Captain America Vol. 5 #615.1 (2011) as a skilled Special Forces soldier who was enhanced to become Captain America. With Bucky Barnes imprisoned and Nick Fury secretly operating as the Power Broker, Rickford was chosen to take on the role in an attempt to convince Steve Rogers to return as Captain America. While he successfully stopped some small crimes, he was defeated by AIM before Steve Rogers could save him. Rogers then persuaded Rickford to step down, resulting in a brief stint as Captain America.

4) John Walker (U.S. Agent)

John Walker first appeared as Super-Patriot in 1986’s Captain America #323, created by Mark Gruenwald and Paul Neary, and later became a well-known successor to Captain America. Unlike Steve Rogers, he didn’t gain his abilities from the Super-Soldier Serum; instead, he purchased them from the Power Broker, who was also working with professional wrestlers. When Steve Rogers resigned due to disagreements with the government’s superhero oversight, Walker was chosen as the new Captain America in Captain America #333, teaming up with Lemar Hoskins. However, Walker’s methods were much more aggressive and forceful, ultimately leading to him relinquishing the role when Rogers returned. He would later adopt the identity of U.S. Agent.

3) Danielle Cage

Danielle Cage is the daughter of Luke Cage and Jessica Jones. While currently a toddler in the main Marvel timeline, she grows up to become the future Captain America. Unlike previous Captain Americas, she doesn’t need the Super-Soldier Serum because she naturally inherited superhuman strength and incredibly durable skin from her parents. She first appeared in the 2015 comic series Avengers: Ultron Forever, and later returned in U.S.Avengers (2017), where she was brought to the present to help battle a villain from the future, the Golden Skull. Danielle embodies both the history and the future of the Captain America role.

2) Bucky Barnes (Winter Soldier)

I’ve always been a huge Bucky Barnes fan. Seeing him go from Cap’s partner during the war to the Winter Soldier was heartbreaking, but his journey back is incredible. When Steve tragically died after ‘Civil War,’ it was tough to see Iron Man offer the Captain America role to Hawkeye, but it just didn’t feel right. I was so relieved when Bucky stepped up! He wouldn’t let anyone else take the shield, and he wanted to honor Steve’s legacy himself. He actually served as Captain America for three years, which is amazing – longer than almost anyone else who’s carried the shield after Steve, except for the current Cap. It really showed how much Steve meant to him and how dedicated he was to carrying on his work.

1) Sam Wilson (Falcon)

Sam Wilson is still the ideal choice to carry on Steve Rogers’ legacy as Captain America, and currently shares the mantle with him in Marvel’s ongoing stories. He originally became the new Captain America when Steve Rogers was temporarily aged and passed the shield to him. Wilson starred in his own Captain America series, All-New Captain America (2014) and Captain America: Sam Wilson (2015). What made Sam a great fit for the role was that he embodied the everyday experiences of American citizens, tackling real-world issues like immigration and racism, while Steve Rogers often represented the idea of America itself. Though he briefly relinquished the title during the ‘Secret Empire’ event in 2017, he quickly returned to being Captain America a year later.

2026-06-03 01:14