Adventures of Captain America #1
First Flight of the Eagle
In November of 1940, Steve Rogers and his friends Eliot and Pat have gone to the movies. There they see a news reel about the escalating war in Europe. The sights of the Nazis atrocities have a profound impact on Rogers. When they leave the theater, Steve tries to convince Eliot that America needs to do more to stop the war, but Eliot doesn’t agree. The conversation turns into an argument and Eliot ultimately tells his friend that if he is so concerned about the war, he should go an enlist in the military.
Steve ends up walking through the winter snow for a while thinking about what he can do. However, the winter cold takes its toll on his frail body, exhausting him and making him feel like a useless weakling. Still he decides to put his money where his mouth is and heads down to the US Armed Forces Recruitment Office.
As he fills out the paperwork he notices that a scientist is taking keen interest in him. After a battery of examinations, Steve gets the results back and he is disappointed that he has been rejected by the military. Steve pleads with the man at the desk to allow him to enlist, saying he will do anything to help serve his country. This is overheard by General Chester Phillips and his associates, Emil Gruber and Cynthia Glass. The General tells Steve that there is something that he can do for his country. Steve accepts the opportunity without question and he is told to pack his things as they will be leaving in the morning.
Later, Steve is back at the apartment he shares with Eliot packing his things. Both Eliot and Pat have a bad feeling about all of this, but Steve insists that this is something that he needs to do.[1] Soon, the military sends a car to pick him up and he rides to Fort Dix in New Jersey with General Phillips and Lieutenant Glass. From the base, they are flown to Washington, DC where he and Cynthia start hitting it off. From there, Steve is taken to a building where he is given a room and told that his training starts first thing in the morning. Even though Steve doesn’t know what’s ahead of him he is too exited and doesn’t get much sleep.
The following morning, Steve is taken down to a secret complex where he meets other candidates for the program he is competing to get into. Steve meets the man in charge, Lieutenant Colonel James Fletcher, a man whose military career is so famous that Steve finds himself in utter awe by his presence. The other candidates include Harvard grad Harmon Furmintz, former Olympic athlete Jack Windmere who had a promising career until he suffered an injured knee, and lastly Gilmore Hodge, an overweight and unlikable racist with no friends.[2] The four men are then put through a battery of physical tests under the supervision of scientist Abraham Erskine. Due to his frail body, Steve is out paced in a race by the others but those observing him take note that despite being out classed, Rogers doesn’t give up and completes the race even though he is dead last. Steve has a rough time of it, and the testing becomes more difficult when Gilmore Hodge decides to single him out for bullying.
The tests carry on for weeks and they aren’t given a break until Christmas Eve. It is a somber celebration that is spoiled by Hodge, who has decided to ring in the holidays by getting drunk and aggressive. That’s when Harmon Furmintz is disqualified and sent home because the tests have uncovered the fact that he is a hemophiliac. When Gilmore mocks him for his condition, both Steve and Jack have reached there limit with him. There is a brief scuffle that is quickly broken up but not before Harmon’s nose is bloodied and Windmere’s knee is injured. Due to Jack’s injury, the military has to send him home as well, leaving on Steve and Gilmore. Determined to be the winner Hodge begins thinking of a way to get rid of Steve as well.
However, by the end of the month Fletcher meets with Erskine to discuss Hodge and his mental state. They both come to the conclusion that neither of them like Gilmore nor his attitude and agree to kick him out of the program. Cynthia Glass is then sent down to Steve’s room to tell him the good news. At the time, Steve is doodling in his sketchbook and is excited to hear he has won the competition. He suddenly realizes that he doesn’t have an idea what he has won exactly and when he asks the Lieutenant Colonel will only say that Steve has won the opportunity to serve his country.
Starting in January, Steve undergoes a rigorous training regimen, but has time enough to write a letter to Eliot and Pat back home, even though he isn’t sure if they’ll get it due to the secrecy of the project he is on. Despite the fact that he is physically weak, Steve takes each test with determination even if the results are pathetic.
Near the end of the month, Abraham Erskine and James Fletcher meet in secret at the Lincoln Memorial. Erskine is concerned that the Nazis may have compromised the project. As it turns out, Erskine doesn’t have the formula trained to memory, but he does know all of the components needed for their experiment. He tells Fletcher that the vitally important component is the implementation of vita rays. He tells Fletcher this in the event something happens to Abe before the experiment.[3][4]
On Valentines Day that year, Steve Rogers had some downtime and contemplating getting a Valentine for Cynthia Glass. He is spotted looking in a shop window by Cynthia herself and the two get to talking. Steve casually mentions that he doesn’t have a sweetheart back home, or even that many friends for that matter. He also admits to her that he volunteered for this military program because he was angered by seeing the atrocities going on in Europe. He wonders what the purpose of Germany’s military action is for, wondering what in the world is worth killing people for. Cynthia, thinks about this for a moment and admits that she doesn’t know.
As March rolls around, Steve’s training continues and he starts showing improvement in all fields. When he has free time, he spends it sketching out a heroic persona for himself dressed in the American flag, he also sketches images of Cynthia as well.
Soon comes the day of Abraham Erskine’s experiment. Military brass is called in to observe the experiment, including one Frederick Clemson, who has shown up late. After giving Steve chemical treatments, Erskine then bombards the frail young man with the vita ray. When the process is complete, Erskine removes a sheet that was covering Steve’s body, revealing that Rogers body mass has been bulked up to the pinnacle of human perfection. To the astonished eyes of those observing, Abraham Erskine declares his experiment a complete success. While everyone is still in shock by Steve’s transformation, Clemson — actually a Nazi spy — pulls out a gun and fatally shoots Erskine.
Seeing the scientist getting gunned down prompts Steve to break free from his restraints and charge at the assassin. Although “Clemson” tries to use Cynthia as a hostage, Steve yanks him out of the observation room and into the lab proper. In the ensuing scuffle, the Nazi spy is thrown into some machinery and is electrocuted by a live wire.[5][6] It’s then that Steve realizes that Erskine is dead and mourns his loss. Meanwhile, the military secures the area and its determined that a mole within the project must have assisted the Nazi assassin gain access to the test. Fearing for the lives of the other scientists involved in the project, Fletcher orders them all evacuated and taken to safe houses for their own protection.
Meanwhile, the spy within the US military — dubbed Agent X — reports back to their master, the Red Skull, at the Wermarcht headquarters. He is pleased to hear that Erskine is dead and decides to deploy the Vernichtungs Kommandos to eliminate the remaining scientists and get ahold of the secrets of the vita rays.
A few days later, at one of the safe houses, a Nazi operatives called Die Säurespritze catches one of the scientists in the shower and uses his acid spray to kill him.[7] When reports of Anderson’s death and the theft of his notes, the military scrambles to move another one of the lead scientists. Unfortunately, their car is electrified by another assassin calling himself Der Blitzangriff.
Fearing that Steve Rogers might be next, Fletcher and Glass have Steve relocated to Camp Lehigh, where he is to operate under the guise of an ordinary soldier. In order to avoid suspicion Rogers is told to act stupid, but keep a low profile.[8] However, when Steve gets out of the car to report for duty, he attracts the attention of a young man named James Barnes.
A few weeks later, Agent X — clad in a white robe — meets with the Vernichtungs-Kommandos. Agent X is unhappy that the group has yet to steal the secrets of the vita-rays, the most important component to the Super Soldier Formula. To get the job done, the dispathc the knife wielding Der Zahnmörder to go after the last assistant to the program. The next day, the body of Weissmann is found by military officials. Luckily, he did not have the plans for the vita-ray, something that James Fletcher vows the Nazis won’t get their hands on.
That evening, Fletcher goes to Camp Leigh to check on Steve Rogers. Steve is angry and frustraited over being kept on the sidelines while the assassins are on the loose. Fletcher tells Steve that it is important that he remain safe. He understands Steve’s position and assures him that his moment will come soon.
This does little to improve Steve’s mood. On his way back to the berracks he notices a light on in the motorpool and decides to check it out. Peeking through a window he catches some men trying to steal supplies. Steve decides against getting some MPs in favor of doing something himself. Putting on a bomber jacket, knit cap and goggles to disguise himself, Steve lugs a motorcycle over the fence so he can follow after the thieves without alerting the entire base. He follows the thieves back to a warehouse. However, when Steve tries to get the drop on them, he doesn’t notice that one of the goons standing guard outside spotted him climbing in through a window. While Rogers catches the men inside off guard, the man outside comes rushing in from behind and takes a swing with his axe.
Recurring Characters
Captain America, Nazis (Red Skull, Agent X, Das Vernichtungs-Kommandos (Zahnmorder, Blitzkrieg, Saurespitze)), Emil Gruber, Abraham Erskine, Chester Phillips, James Fletcher, Murray Anderson, James Barnes
Continuity Notes
Pat reminds Steve that he has a WPA Assignment to paint murals that starts the following week. As seen in Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #7, Steve took work with the WPA to paint murals promoting the military prior to the war.
Here it is stated that Steve Rogers was born on July 4, 1917 and that his father Joe died in 1920 while his mother died in 1934. These dates are incorrect:
The profile for Captain America in Avengers: Roll Call #1 states that Steve was actually born in 1922.
Per Captain America (vol. 7) #2, Joe Rogers drank himself to death by 1926.
Sarah Rogers died of pneumonia in 1935 per Captain America (vol. 7) #11.
These discrepancies could be explained away by way the fact that this was the 1940s a time where incorrect records were quite easy to happen.
Here, Erskine reminds Fletcher that he fled Nazi Germany. Indeed, Erskine was smuggled out of Germany by Nick Fury and Red Hargrove as seen in Marvels Project #2.
It has been a long standing belief that Erskine had the Super Soldier Serum trained to memory and that his death resulted in the loss of its secrets. However, this would not be the case as the formula (or derivatives thereof) would be used to create Master Man, Warrior Woman, the original Destroyer, and others. A long lost copy of the formula would later be found in German records by William Burnside, the man who would become the Captain America of the 1950s. See Giant-Size Invaders #1, Invaders #16-17, Mystic Comics #6, Marvels Project #7, and Captain America #155.
The Nazi spy who kills Erskine is not mentioned by his real name here. Captain America #109.
This of course is a retelling of Captain America’s origins, which has been retold ad expanded upon in countless times including Captain America Comics #1, Tales of Suspense #63, and Captain America (vol. 1) #109, 176, 215, 255, Captain America: Reborn #2, Marvels Project #1-7, among many others.
This scientist is identified only by his last name, Anderson. The presumption is that this man is Murray Anderson, who would later be seen alive in Giant-Size Invaders #1 circa 1941. If this story is considered part of continuity (see below) then it remains to be explained if this is Anderson and how he managed to survive being killed with acid. It’s entirely possible that this was a decoy and not the real Anderson, or perhaps this is another scientist who just happens to have the same last name. A half-assed Google search finds that there are at least a million of them in the United States, so the idea isn’t impossible.
As first established in Captain America Comics #1, Steve Rogers pretended to be a bumbling private (much to the chagrin of his superior officer Sergeant Mike Duffy) in order to hide the fact that he was secretly Captain America.
Translations
While most of the German dialogue is translated into English, some names and phrases are kept in their original German. Here are the translations:
Das Vernichtungs-Kommandos = The Elimination Squad
Die Säurespritze = The Acid Syringe
Der Zahnmörder = The Tooth Killer
Der Blitzangriff = The Lightning Attack
“Was an vernugen! Amerikanis Abschaum!” = “That was enjoyable! American Scum!”
Is This Series Part of Continuity?
A lot of people tend to dismiss this story as not being in continuity because some of the events of this story clash with others that detail with the earliest parts of Captain America’s career. However, in the decades since concepts and characters that were introduced in Adventures of Captain America has appeared in stories that take place in the mainstream Marvel Universe.
For example, the character Cynthia Glass (who first appears in the premiere issue of this series) would later make appearances in Steve Rogers: Super Solder #1-3. Additionally the villain Saurespritze would later appear wartime flashbacks in She-Hulk (vol. 3) #8-10.
Some people out there take this to mean that parts of Adventures of Captain America are part of continuity while others are not. I, on the other hand, am not a fan of this “selective continuity” (the logic was applied to the various X-Men First Class series and spin-offs). Either it’s part of continuity or its not. In the case of Adventures of Captain America, the amount of times that it contradicts other sources are minimal or can be explained away. Particularly when it comes to stories that are set during World War II or the Timely era of Marvel’s publication history. Since Young Allies Comics 70th Anniversary Special #1, it has been states that many of those Timely era stories happened, just not necessarily as they were first published. That these tales were “comic book adaptations” of “true events”, allowing for writers choosing to revisit some of these old stories and update them for modern readers, or to explain away things that don’t gel very well with stories that have been published post 1961.
I also think that this is also a case of who is telling the story. As I’ve pointed out in other cases where a pivotal story is retold differently from the original tale (such as the many variations on the Black Panther’s origins) it all comes down to who is telling that story and how it is interpreted are very important to the story being told. The version of Captain America’s origins being told by Steve Rogers will be different than versions told by a third person, or read off a report. That’s because how someone chooses to remember it, or how a story is being told is often influenced (consciously or unconsciously) by the story teller. There is a quote I like to use in these cases. If you’ve been around this site you’ve probably seen me reference it before. If you haven’t here it is for postarity:
“Remembering is an act of storytelling, after all, and our memories are only ever as reliable as the most recent story we told ourselves.” - Robert Nash, “Are Memories reliable", The Conversation - December 17, 2018
With that quote in mind, if you wanted an in universe explanation for why this story has discrepancies compared to others it’s just a matter of who is telling the story, why they are telling it, how they remember it, why they remember it that way, and what motive they have telling it the way it is being presented. When people tell a story, especially when telling one about themselves, innately frame the story that presents them in the best light possible. If you’ve ever gotten into an accident and pivoted blame to make the story less embarrassing to yourself, then you know exactly what I’m talking about. With Captain America’s wartime activities (especially early on) you also have an additional layer of classified military intel, wartime propaganda, and “Timely Comics adaptations” that could also colour, obfuscate, or confuse facts.
The point I am getting at is that Adventures of Captain America can absolutely be considered part of continuity if you accept that facts put out in other stories are not concrete. It’s all fiction so it should be flexible anyway. If you’re viewing the fiction as an inflexible thing, not only are you an asshole who probably uses the word “canon” to describe things, you need to seriously unclench and stop taking this shit so seriously.
Story Chronology
Resources such as the Marvel Appendix and the Marvel Chronology Project do not necessarily consider these stories as part of continuity. Either that, or they haven’t attempted to try and fit it in continuity. As such, the chronology of this series and how it could fit in Earth-616 is entirely based on my own research. I have inserted appearances here based on Steve Rogers’ chronology on the MCP.
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Pages 1-4
This opening sequent begins with Steve Rogers going to the theaters with some friends. This version differs from others in three ways: In this story Steve Rogers is attending the movies with his friends Eliot and Pat. The second is that the news reel goes into further details about the atrocities going on in Nazi Germany. Lastly, the Red Skull is stated as appearing in the film reel as indicated by someone in the crowd mentioning his name, although he is not seen.
In all other versions of this part of Steve’s origin, Steve appears to be attending the movies by himself. Most examinations show only brief scenes lasting on a panel or two. The narratives of these flashbacks always focus on Steve’s feelings towards the news footage and little else. That said, it’s never implicitly stated that Steve went to the movies alone. I think its a case of absence of evidence is not evidence of absence in the case of Eliot and Pat. With the exception of the off hand comment about the Red Skull as the Skull doesn’t become known until March 1941. This can all fit around what the MCP has already included in Cap’s chronology at this point. The Red Skull issue is such a minor thing that it can easily be ignored.
In the case of Eliot and Pat, one could assume that they are behind the scenes in other tellings of this story.
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Page 1-4 Chronology
Captain America (vol. 5) #25 (Page 1 Panel 3) The start of the film reel.
Marvels Project #4 (Page 8 Panel 1) Steve Rogers is watching the film reel. There is a man walking by, so this is likely early on in the seating.
Adventure of Captain America #1 (Page 1 Panels 2-3) We see a Nazi parade.
Captain America #255 (Page 3 Panel 4) Steve sitting in the theater, the film reel is showing a parade of Nazis.
Marvels Project #4 (Page 8 Panel 2) Steve watches a troop of Nazi soldiers on the march.
Adventure of Captain America #1 (Page 1 Panels 4-6): We see Nazi tanks, on horseback, and attacking people on the street. (Panel 7) Hitler shanking hands with Erwin Rommel (I think).
Marvels Project #4 (Page 8 Panel 3) A close up of Adolf Hitler on the screen.
Captain America #176 (Page 2 Panel 4) Steve Rogers is watching a news reel and sees Hitler giving the Nazi salute. (Panel 5) Steve Rogers gets visibly upset by what he sees.
Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #7 (Story 2 Page 5 Panel 1) Close up of Steve saying “no”, (Panel 2) Shot the film reel of Nazis giving salutes (Panel 3) Steve frowning at what he sees.
Adventures of Captain America #1 (Page 2 Panel 1-4) Eliot and Pat notice how upset Steve looks.
Captain America #255 (Page 3 Panel 5) Steve leaves the theater and decides to do anything he can to help the war effort.
Adventures of Captain America #1 (Page 2 Panel 5-7 and Pages 3-4): Steve talks to his friends about what they saw. Gets into an argument with Eliot about doing nothing. Steve walks home in the cold and decides to try and enlist.
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Page 5-6
This scene show Steve Rogers as he goes to the US Armed Force recruiting office. We see a moment where he is nervous to go inside. When he finally does enter, he notices a scientist taking a keen interest in him while he takes the various tests. He gets rejected 4-F and pleads with the recruiter to give him a chance. The scientist and General Chester Phillips pull him aside and offer him a chance to work with the military. The only major difference between this version of events and others is the inclusion of Major Emil Gruber and Lieutenant Cynthia Glass to the scene. However, since Phillips himself hadn’t been “added” (or at the very least named) until later stories I don’t see why these characters couldn’t have always been there behind the scenes in other recounting of this event.
What helps make this scene work is a statement made in Marvels Project #4. In it, it is stated that Steve applied for the military multiple times. In all other instances, Steve doesn’t mention how many times he applied and failed. Also, why would he give up after just once? I’m not going to go digging around in historical records, but I’m willing to bet there was more than one military recruitment center in the city of New York in the early 1940s. It would seem likely that someone so eager to join like Steve Rogers would have hit each and every single one after getting rejected by the previous one.
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Page 5-6 Chronology
Captain America (vol. 5) #25 (Page 1 Panel 3): Steve Rogers is having his heart beat checked by a doctor.
Marvels Project #4 (Page 8 Panel 4): Steve Rogers insists on being weighed even though a doctor doesn’t see the point.
Marvels Project #4 (Page 9 Panel 1): Steve is told he is 4-F as he gets dressed. The narration here states that Steve applied more than once.
Captain America 70th Anniversary Special #1 (Pages 3-20) : Steve Rogers is rejected but his application is taken by a man in a suit who tucks Steve’s info away. We later see Steve run after what appears to be jewel thieves and gets the necklace the stole and returned it to its owners. It’s here that he was told they were Nazi spies and the necklace they took contained government secrets. After Steve is thanked, he’s approached by the guy who took his file at the enlistment office who says they should talk.
Captain America #176 (Page 2 panels 6-7): Steve applies and is rejected again.
Adventures of Captain America #1 (Page 5) Steve goes through the sign up and testing process one more time.
Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #7 (Story 2, Page 5, Panels 6)/Captain America #109 (Page 9, Panel 1-2)/Captain America #173 (Page 3 Panel 1): Steve is rejected. General Phillips and the scientist take notice of Steve.
Captain America #109 (Page 9, Panel 4)/Captain America #176 (Page 3, Panel 2)/Adventures of Captain America #1 (Page 6): Chester Phillips approaches Steve and offers him a new position. Cynthia Glass and Emil Gruber are present. Cynthia tells him that he’s leaving in the morning and to get packing.
Marvels Project #4 (Page 9 Panels 3-5): Chester Phillips goes to the diner and says the offer he is making could be dangerous. (My assumption here is that Steve went to the recruitment office before he was scheduled to work and had a shift that evening where Phillips paid him a visit).
Adventures of Captain America #1 (Page 7): Steve rushes home to pack a bag. Tells Eliot and Pat where he’s going. The military sends a car to pick him up. (The narrative here states that it was minutes after he was propositioned by General Phillips at the recruitment office, but this could be ignored)
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Pages 5-21
This sequence of events is even easier to slot in as it follows Steve as he is being taken from his home in New York to the Project Rebirth facility to being his training. According to Avengers, Thor & Captain America: Official Index to the Marvel Universe #1, Project: Rebirth happened in the winter of 1940. However, Steve doesn’t start appearing in his Captain America costume until March 1941 (per Marvels Project #5)
This story states that rather than just Steve Rogers there were three other candidates that get screened out and Steve starts his real training. The idea that there were other candidates is not impossible since Steve wasn’t the only one who was experimented upon using the Super Soldier Formula. Captain America Annual 2000 shows that Clinton McIntyre was given an early sample and driven insane. New Warriors #4, also features Harmon Furmitz, and explains how he was rejected from the program. The idea that there was more than on candidate seems more realistic. Steve Rogers: Super Soldier #1 also shows that others were screened into the Super Soldier Program to receive treatment after Steve Rogers did.
However, the date of the Operation: ReBirth experiment is never flat out stated except for in Adventures of Captain America #1, which states it took place on March 10, 1941. There is no reason why this couldn’t be accepted as correct.
The only discrepancies here are Steve’s date of birth and the years his parents died. One could easily ignore these incorrect dates in favor for the ones that are accepted as the correct dates. One could assume whoever took records was really bad at their job.
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Page 5-21 Chronology
Adventures of Captain America #1 (Page 5-7, Panel 3): Steve is driven to Fort Dix where he is then flown to the testing ground of Operation Rebirth. After a nights sleep, he is woken at 0600 hours.
Captain America #109 (Pages 10, Panels 1-2): Steve is brought to an office where he meets Abraham Erskine for the first time.
Adventures of Captain America, Page 7, Panel 4 - Page 9, Panel 4)/New Warriors #4 (Page 9, Panel 3): Steve is taken into the Project Rebirth Facility where he meets Harmond Fermitz, Jack Windmere, and Gilmore Hodge. James Fletcher gives a detailed dossier on each recruit.
Steve Rogers: Super Soldier #1 (Page 4, Panel 3): Steve also meets Tyler Paxton another frail man who wanted to enlist.
Adventures of Captain America #1 (Page 9, Panel 5 to Page 12)/Steve Rogers: Super Soldier (Page 4, Panel 4): They go through training competitions until only Steve is left. Which also includes Paxton.
Adventures of Captain America #1 (Page 13): The team celebrates Christmas together.
New Warriors #4 (Page 9, Panel 4)/Adventures of Captain America #1 (Page 14): Harmon Furmitz is screened out due to hemophilia. When the others find out, Jack Windmere is injured in a scuffle with Gilmore Hodge, who is later kicked out for insubordination.
Adventures of Captain America #1 (Page 15-21) Steve begins training in January 1941. He gets close and develops a relationship with Cynthia Glass. While Steve undergoes training he keeps sketching possible costume ideas.
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Page 22-29
This version of the tale skips to the night of the Project Rebirth experiment with Steve Rogers. It’s more or less the same as most other stories. There are a lot of cosmic differences between stories, however this is a problem across all telling of Cap’s origins anyway so I don’t this will be disqualifiers. The only real additions to this story is the inclusion of Cynthia Glass as an observer of the experiment.
One could argue that it doesn’t fit because the version in Adventures of Captain America has Steve strapped down on a table. However, Steve being on an operating table (strapped down or not) is depicted inconsistently across all versions of his origins. Sometimes he takes everything standing up, other times he’s laying down on a table.
Even the fight with Heinz Kreuger is inconsistent. Sometimes Krueger is shooting from the observation gallery, other times he storms the lab. In one version Steve leaps up into the gallery to attack Krueger, and so on.
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Page 23-32 Chronology
Tales of Suspense #63 (2nd Story, Page 2, Panel 5)/Captain America #109 (Page 12, Panel 3-4)/Captain America #255 (Page 4, Panel 1): Steve is brought to the secret location where Project Rebirth is to take place.
Tales of Suspense #63 (2nd Story, Page 2, Panel 6-Page 3, Panel 2)/Captain America #109 (Page 13)/Captain America #255 (Page 4, Panel 2-3): Steve is brought into the curio shop, discovers the “old lady” running the shop is Cynthia Glass in disguise. Steve is brought into a secret room.
Captain America #255 (Page 4, Panel 4): Steve passes a hallway where other experiments are being worked on.
Captain America #109 (Page 14, Panel 1): Doctor Erskine shows Steve the lab where the experiment will take place.
Captain America #255 (Page 4, Panel 5-6): Steve is also introduced to Doctor Murray Anderson. Is explained Erskine’s codename and the need for secrecy.
Steve Rogers: Super Soldier #2 (Page 12, Panel 1-2): Steve talks with Cynthia Glass. (When recalling these events, Steve states that this was the first time he met Cynthia. The statement that they just met would have to be ignored.)
Captain America (vol. 5) #25 (Page 1, Panel 4): Steve is on the examination table as Erskine prepares to conduct the experiment.
Marvels Project #4 (Page 10, Panels 1-3)/Captain America #255 (Page 5, Panel 1): Erskine runs some final tests on Steve, including testing his weight, and x-raying his body.
Marvel Super-Heroes (vol. 2) #3 (Page 10-19, Panel 3): Steve Rogers is kidnapped by the Nazis. Is rescued by Dominic Fortune and returned to Project Rebirth.
Captain America Annual 2000 (Page 19, Panel 3-Page 26): General Saunders insists that they test the serum on Clinton McIntyre. McIntyre goes mad and dies.
Captain America: Reborn (Page 18-19): Steve Rogers undergoes one more test. Asks Abraham Erskine about time travel.
Captain America #215 (Page 5, Panel 3): Steve is called into the lab.
Tales of Suspense #63 (2nd story, Page 3, Panel 6): Steve enters the lab
Captain America #218 (Page 4, Panel 6): Lays down on the operating table.
Captain America Comics #1 (Page 4, Panel 5-7)/Captain America #255 (Page 5, Panels 4-5): Dr. Erskine injects Steve with the first part of the formula.
Captain America #255 (Page 5, Panel 6): Erskin addresses the military audience that he is going to move onto the second part of the test.
Tales of Suspense #63 (2nd Story, Page 4, Panel 1-2)/Captain America Comics #255 (Page 5, Panel 7-Page 6, Panel 1)/Adventures of Captain America #1 (Page 26, Panel 1)/Marvels Project #5 (Page 1, Panel 3)/Captain America: Reborn #2 (Page 20, Panel 3): Steve Rogers is made to drink the oral portion of the formula.
Adventures of Captain America #1 (Page 26, Panel 2-4): The last of the military observers arrive, including Cynthia Glass, James Fletcher and Heinz Krueger posing as Frederick Clemson.
Captain America #109 (Page 14, Panel 3-Page 15, Panel 4)/Captain America #255 (Page 6, Panel 2)/Adventures of Captain America #1 (Page 26, Panel 5-Page 27)/Marvels Project #5 (Page 1, Panel 4)/Captain America: Reborn #2 (Page 21, Panel 3-4): Krueger prepares to assassinate Erkskine. Steve is subjected to the final part of the formula, the vita ray bombardment.
Captain America Comics #1 (Page 5, Panel 1-3)/Tales of Suspense (2nd story, Page 4, Panel 3-4)/Captain America #255 (Page 6, Panel 3-6)/Adventures of Captain America #1 (Page 28, Pane 1-5)/Marvels Project #5 (Page 2, Panel 1)/Captain America: Reborn #2 (Page 22): Rogers undergoes his transformation.
Captain America Comics #1 (Page 5, Panel 4-6)/Captain America #109 (Page 15, Panel 5-Page 16, Panel 2)/Captain America Comics #255 (Page 7, Panel 1)/Adventures of Captain America #1 (Page 28, Panel 6)/Marvels Project #5 (Page 2, Panel 2): Steve’s transformation is complete and deemed a success.
Captain America Comics #1 (Page 5, Panel 7)/Tales of Suspense #63 (2nd Story, Page 4, Panel 5)/Adventures of Captain America (Page 28, Panel 7): Krueger prepares to shoot.
Captain America Comics #1 (Page 6, Panel 1-2)/Tales of Suspense #63 (2nd Story, Page 5, Panel 1-2)/Captain America #109 (Page 16, Panel 3-4)/Captain America #255 (Page 7, Panel 2-3)/Adventures of Captain America #1 (Page 29-30, Panel 1-3)/Marvels Project #5 (Page 2, Panel 3-4)/Captain America: Reborn #2 (Page 23, Panel 1-3): Heinz Kruger shoots Erskein.
Captain America Comics #1 (Page 6, Panel 3-5): Krueger shoots samples of the serum. Shoots FBI Agent Grover).
Adventures of Captain America #1 (Page 30, Panel 4-6): Kreuger wings Fletcher then grabs Cynthia Glass as a hostage.
Captain America Comics #1 (Page 6, Panel 6)/Tales of Suspense #63 (2nd story, Page 5, Panel 3)/Adventures of Captain America #1 (Page 31, Panel 1)/Marvels Project #5 (Page 3, Panel 1)/Captain America: Reborn #2 (Page 23, Panel 4-5): Steve grabs Kreuger.
Adventures of Captain America #1 (Page 31, Panel 2): Krueger is yanked away from Cynthia.
Captain America Comics #1 (Page 6, Panel 7-8)/Captain America #109 (Page 17): Steve punches Krueger twice.
Tales of Suspense #63 (2nd story, Page 5, Panel 4-5): Krueger is punched a third time. Steve gives him chase across the lab.
Captain America Comics #1 (Page 7, Panel 1-2)/Captain America #109 (Page 18, Panel 1)/Captain America #255 (Page 7, Panel 5-6)/Adventures of Captain America #1 (Page 31, Panel 3-6)/Marvels Project #5 (Page 3, Panel 2-3)/Captain America: Reborn #2 (Page 24): Steve punches Krueger sending him flying into the machinery that electrocutes him to death.
Captain America Comics #1 (Page 7, Panel 3): Steve says Krueger got what he deserved.
Adventures of Captain America #1 (Page 31, Panel 7): Steve remembers that Erskine was shot.
Adventures of Captain America #1 (Page 31, Panel 8)/Marvels Project #5 Page 3, Panel 4-5)/Captain America: Reborn #2 (Page 25): Steve laments he was too late to save Erskine.
Captain America #255 (Page 8, Panel 1): The damage is assessed and it is determined that the Super Soldier Formula died with Erskine.
Adventures of Captain America #1 (Page 32): The military brass assess the situation. Fletcher orders the other scientists to be taken to different safe houses for protection.
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Page 33-46
The rest of the story has the Killing Squad being dispatched by the Red Skull to eliminate the remaining Project: Rebirth scientists and ends with Steve Rogers being sent to Camp Lehigh. The story ends with Steve (out of costume) trying to stop a group of saboteurs stealing supplies.
This can all easily fall in the time between Steve getting the Super Soldier Serum and before he is first given his Captain America costume. The only outlying issue is a scene where Saurespritze breaks into the home of Murray Anderson and seemingly kills him with his acid spray. This goes against the events of Giant-Size Invaders #1.
While that is a serious problem, it could be explained away quite easily. Perhaps, the Nazis got the wrong guy, or the military set up at least one decoy at a phony safehouse. The Marvel Universe is full of instances where someone cheated death, the idea that Anderson — someone who was very important to Project Rebirth — doing so is not out of a realm of possibility.
Another issue that comes up is Adventures of Captain America #1 has Steve doing early designs of his Captain America costume. However, Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #6-7 states that the costume was created out of inspiration after General Phillips learned about Steve’s Revolutionary War ancestor. That said, that doesn’t mean that these two ideas can’t be mutually exclusive, especially since this story also shows a scene where Fletcher sees Steve doodling. It’s entirely possible that the two events are a case of parallel thought where two people come up with very similar if not identical independent of each other.
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Page 33-46 Chronology
Adventures of Captain America #1 (Page 33-35): The Red Skull learns of Erskine’s death sends the Killing Squad to eliminate the other Project Rebirth.
Captain America #270 (Page 6, Panel 4): While being relocated, Steve Rogers bumps into his old childhood friend Arnie Roth who is in the Navy.
Captain America #255 (Page 8, Panel 4)/Marvels Project #5 (Page 1-4, Panel 1): Steve undergoes rigorous training.
Marvels Project #5 (Page 4, Panel 2-3): Steve is told that General Phillips wants to see him.
Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #6 (3rd Story) & 7 (1st Story, Page 1-11, Panel 4): Steve reads to General Phillips from his family diary about his Revolutionary War ancestor. The story inspires Phillips to create the Captain America costume for Steve.
Adventures of Captain America #1 (Page 36-46): Steve is stationed at Camp Leigh as his superiors investigate the murders of the Project Rebirth scientists. Steve first catches the attention of Bucky Barnes. Steve gets restless and stumbles upon Nazi saboteurs. Putting on a make-shift disguise he catches them in the act only to have someone with an axe get the drop on him.
