Shield used by Chris Evans as Captain America in Captain America:The Winter Soldier

Captain America shield used by Chris Evans as the title character in the film Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Anthony Russo and Joe Russo co-directed this 2014 action film about Captain America’s quest to expose conspiracies within S.H.I.E.L.D. and defeat an assassin known as the Winter Soldier. This polyurethane version of the shield was used for stunt work in the film; different versions were made of other materials for close-up shots and action sequences, and the shield was also animated in computer generated graphics for some scenes.

Joe Simon and Jack Kirby created the character of Captain America in 1940. The superhero made his debut in Captain America Comics #1 published by Timely Comics, the predecessor of Marvel Comics. The Captain’s alter ego is Steve Rogers, a World War II service member who takes an experimental “super-soldier” serum through Project: Rebirth. In addition to comics and feature films, Captain America has appeared in a variety of animations, television series, and video games. Fans admire the Captain’s immense strength as well as his unyielding patriotism, fighting spirit, and sense of justice. Captain America epitomized World War II propaganda in the comics’ early years, but his evolution in subsequent decades signifies the importance of superhero narratives as vehicles for national dialogue. As a fixture in post-9/11 American popular culture, Captain America struggles to resolve issues of terrorism, nationalism, and racism while upholding democratic values.

Captain America's signature round shield, with its concentric red and white bands surrounding a single star on a blue field, made its first appearance in Captain America Comics #2 in April 1941. The shield is said to be near indestructible yet relatively lightweight; though explanations differ between iterations, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the shield is made by Howard Stark from the Wakadan metal vibranium. Captain America uses the shield for protection from projectiles and other threats, and also as a weapon by throwing and wielding it in hand to hand combat.