Captain America's Shield in Iron Man? Hoax?

You might have thought that all Marvel buzz was over as of last week with the announcement of their upcoming line-up - but guess again. I have confirmed myself, along with our comic book expert Roman Chavez, in person that Captain America's shield is actually in Iron Man. Yes, you heard me right, and if you need to go out and see it again this weekend I suggest you do. We'll provide the information on when and where it shows up below if you care to go find it, but we're pretty damn sure this is it. As for what this means for the Marvel universe and future movies - who knows? I thought Captain America wasn't around at this time and I thought he got his shield from S.H.I.E.L.D.?

The scene in which you can see the shield is after Iron Man returns from Afghanistan after fighting with the Mark III red/gold armor for the very first time. Right after he fights the two F-22 fighter jets, it shows him back in his lab trying to remove his armor but having trouble. Right as Pepper Potts walks down into his lab and asks him "what is he doing?", the shield can be seen sitting on one of his tables behind him in the lower left corner. This happens around 1 hour and 30 minutes into the movie. Make sure to account for trailers if you're going in. We confirmed it at a 6:40PM showing and the scene played at around ~8:18PM. Here is a very low quality photo just for reference. It looks much better in the movie.

The shield is actually red, white, and blue, although you can't see the red in the photo. But if you see the scene in the theater, the shield is actually there and very identifiable. It looks like it is half-constructed and being built by Tony Stark, but you can definitely see the unique star. It is a round shield with circular red, white, and blue stripes. What does this mean?

Apparently Captain America was actually given his round shield from the S.H.I.E.L.D. organization when he was found in modern times, which could make sense in this universe. Maybe Tony Stark has been building a shield, for whatever reasons, and eventually S.H.I.E.L.D., who was revealed at the end of the movie, will find out about it at a future point and suggest they give it to Captain America for his use. And this means maybe it will involve some sort of awesome Tony Stark technology instead of just being a metal object he throws around. How about that for a concept?

There are so many considerations and ideas for discussion surrounding this reveal, that almost anything right now is valid. The common reaction seems to be "that is very interesting" with much speculation thereafter. Why is Tony Stark building a shield when, as far as we know, Captain America hasn't been introduced and isn't around? Is Samuel Jackson's appearance at the end and mention of other superheroes in this universe a hint that Captain America is already around? What do you make of this?!

UPDATE: Just a few days ago, Marvel's President of Production Kevin Feige confirmed in person that it is Captain America's shield. You can read the details in this article here. Also confirmed by Feige is that the solo Captain America movie will take place in WWII, which follows the origin story from the comics closely. Feige does seem to confirm that this is only an easter egg and won't necessarily be a part of any future sequels or the Marvel universe. The Avengers is also in the works for a summer 2001 release.

Captain America shield in Iron Man the Movie

WHEN CAPTAIN AMERICA THROWS HIS MIGHTY SHIELD...

ITEM! Yes, it’s true, Tiger. That is Captain America’s shield sitting on Tony Stark’s lab bench in that boffo box-office bonanza, Iron Man. Frantic Ones everywhere have discovered one of Jonny Favreau’s earnest easter eggs serendipitously slipped into the scenery (see pic above). An easter egg that was digitally painted out of the trailers and previews, I might add. Read the whole story here and here.

Fan speculation and Intraweb chatter is running at fever pitch. What does it mean? It’s not really that hard to figure out, pilgrims. Card-carrying Marvelites will remember that Tony Stark actually did make a high-tech shield for Cap all the way back in Avengers #6 (June 1964 — Studious Stan). If you haven’t read these or other Avenging classics, then shame on you, sunshine! You can either turn in your MMMS membership card or go straight to your local comic book shop and get your copious copy of Essential Avengers Vol. 1, Marvel Masterworks: Avengers Vol. 1, or even the out-of-print but still-to-be-had GIT Corp 40 Years of the Avengers DVD-ROM collection! These titanic tomes may not be as intellectually stimulating as the Complete Works of Shakespeare, but they're a heckuva lot easier to tote around!

Even though your Uncle Stanley hasn’t seen a Captain America movie script yet, it’s pretty obvious where this is going. The Cap movie will no doubt cover his WWII days to introduce both Cap and the Red Skull’s origins, then zip forward to the present day with Cap being thawed-out and outfitted with a Stark-tech shield so he can go he can kick Nazi sleeper agent gluteus maximus and even go Avenging — just like in the comics! Say it with me, Merry Marvel Marchers... “just like in the comics!” Ah, that magic phrase that guarantees both high-fidelity sound and concept, and as often as not, high box office returns. Now that Mighty Marvel is running these mega movie franchises, expect that to be the rule rather than the exception! You read it here first, pussycat. ‘Nuff Said!

Classic Captain America: "The Captain"

Nuff Said - "The Captain" - Shield provided to him by Tony Stark

Classic Captain America Review: Cap becomes Nomad for the 1st time

Captain America and the Falcon #176-183

"Captain America Must Die!"/"Lucifer Be Thy Name!"/"If the Falcon Should Fall!"/"Slings and Arrows!"/"The Coming of the Nomad!"/"The Mark of Madness!"/"Inferno!"/"Nomad No More!"

Written by Steve Englehart
Penciled by Sal Buscema and Frank Robbins
Inked by Vince Colletta, Joe Giella and Frank Giacoia
Colored by Linda Lessman, Petra Goldberg, Bill Mantlo, and Stan Goldberg
Lettered by Artie Simek and Tom Orzechowski

There wasn't anything waiting for me at Phantom this week, so I decided to splurge a bit on some back issues. I've been reading plot summaries of Steve Englehart's Captain America run over at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe, so I figured, why not?

Unfortunately, Phantom didn't have issues #153-156 (Captain America vs. Captain America), and they only had a few spotty issues between #165 and #175 (where Cap fights the Secret Empire and discovers just much things have changed since his time). But they did have these issues, where Steve Rogers abandons the identity of Captain America because he's not sure he believes in America any more.

Reading these issues, I was surprised how inessential issues #177-182 were. It's very tempting to just jump from this...

Captain America and the Falcon #176, p. 17¹

...to this..

Captain America and the Falcon #183, p. 17²

After all, that's the meat of the story, right? Steve Rogers decides he can't be Captain America any more, then realizes he's made a mistake and climbs back into the costume? Well sure - but that would make for a very short story. So Englehart drags things out for eight months. He gives us three adventures for an uncostumed Cap. He gives us three schlubs who take up the mantle of Captain America and fail - each failure worse than the last.³ He gives us scenes where Captain America's supporting cast adjust to life without him, and scenes where Steve Rogers discovering that life as a non-star-spangled sentinel isn't any easier.

But the problem is none of that filler material is any good. Lucifer is one of Marvel's least-interesting villains, and his fight against the Falcon feels like a fill-in issue. Hawkeye's attempt to bludgeon Cap out of his inaction is a hoary old Marvel cliché. And the Serpent Squad's plan to raise Lemuria off the ocean floor is just unbelievably bizarre - as far as I can tell, they don't have a real reason, other than just wanting to be villanous. We even get to see Viper II (Madame Hydra) kill the Viper (Jordan Stryke) - a tragedy, since the original was a much more interesting character. The character subplots are tedious, and the scenes with the replacement Captain Americas are so ham-handed that it's immediately obvious where Englehart is going with the story.

So what we're left with is a story with a memorable beginning and a stirring ending, and a completely forgettable middle. Unfortunately, it's in the middle that a story lives or dies - had I been reading Captain America in 1974⁴ I'd have dropped the series before the conclusion to this story.

One Last Word: I think Cap's stirring speech from issue #183 is still stirring today. Cap recognizes that his current approach to America's troubles - namely, sitting around and whining about them in the merry Marvel manner - is counterproductive, and vows that in the future he'll be a more active participant in shaping America's destiny. I can think of some Democrats who desperately need to get that message.

Cap: White #0

Loeb and Time Sale have done it again! Giving the Sentinel of Liberty a more serious tone with darker coloring and almost Batman & Robin like art. Reliving the origins of Steve Rodgers and James Barnes in a more detailed and dramatic fashion than ever. The Story gives more attention to little issues overlooked by the Kirby and Simon (and Lee as well).

Like the very obvious conflict that should come with bringing a young boy into war. The naive nature that Cap has as a younger (about 20 yrs) man before he is frozen. His brotherly bond to Bucky as well as Bucky’s savvy with women. In the epilogue of the prologue book in this six-issue mini series contains an interview with the writers who give their opinions on everything from "what a war novel should be" to the new Cap wielding a gun.

Personally I agree with their take on it, Cap has used a gun before but we are used to Cap being Cap without it. It’s the Shield that’s important. We are promised the Issue #1 this coming winter, eventually the series will have a sketch book and a retelling of the origins of Bucky (and hopefully his death too, I am still a little bewildered by the winter soldier thing). I personally recommend this book, it is full of action and promises a great read!

Captain America Wallpaper - Skull & Cosmic Cube

Click on image - then right click and "set as wallpaper"

Captain America Story Line Revealed

Potential WWII plot details of the coming Captain America movie have been confirmed by industry mag "Production Weekly." Click to read...

Supposedly, this is the full-plot synopsis of "The First Avenger: Captain America" as published in the latest issue of Production Weekly.

"Born during the Great Depression, Steve Rogers grew up a frail youth in a poor family. Horrified by the newsreel footage of the Nazis in Europe, Rogers was inspired to enlist in the army. However, because of his frailty and sickness, he was rejected. Overhearing the boy's earnest plea, General Chester Phillips offered Rogers the opportunity to take part in a special experiment... Operation: Rebirth."

"After weeks of tests, Rogers was at last administered the 'Super-Soldier Serum' and bombarded by 'vita-rays.' Steve Rogers emerged from the treatment with a body as perfect as a body can be and still be human. Rogers was then put through an intensive physical and tactical training program. Three months later, he was given his first assignment as Captain America. Armed with his indestructible shield and and battle savvy, Captain America has continued his war against evil both as a sentinel of liberty and leader of the Avengers."

Still no word as to who might play the star-spangled patriot, but rumors have abounded, including Matthew McConaughey, Leonardo DiCaprio and even African American Will Smith. However, nothing has been confirmed. This Marvel movie will be penned by Zak Penn and is looking at a May 6, 2011 release.